Heracles Almelo

What Heracles Almelo does

Heracles Almelo is a privately held Dutch professional football club (BVO) based in Almelo, Netherlands, founded in 1903 and currently competing in Dutch professional football at the Erve Asito stadium, a 12,080-capacity venue opened in 2015 that the club operates as the first fenced-free stadium in the Netherlands. The club competes in the Dutch professional league system (with the 2026 season schedule indicating play in the Eerste Divisie/Keuken Kampioen Divisie) and operates three principal product lines: a first-team professional football franchise, a futsal sub-brand (Heracles Almelo Futsal, incorporated 2021), and a joint youth academy (FC Twente/Heracles Academie, formalized 2020 on a 10-year equal-partner basis with FC Twente).

The club's commercial platform rests on a digital ticketing system (ticketing.heracles.nl) with E-ticket delivery, the Mijn Heracles member portal offering Live TV and exclusive content, an official re-sale platform for tickets and season cards (paying out 75% on single tickets and 5% on season cards), the Heracles Almelo mobile app, and an e-commerce webshop (shop.heracles.nl) supported by two physical FanServiceShop/FanShopStad stores in Almelo. Supporting programs include a free Fankaart membership (freemium entry point), the Kidsclub (Herakids) and Juniorclub (Team Zwart Wit) for younger fans, the Heracles Foundation for community initiatives, an eSports vertical, and the Zwart Witte Streken regional outreach program.

Revenue is generated through seven streams: match-day ticket sales, annual season cards, merchandise (online and physical), sponsorship (flagship partner Asito for stadium naming rights, kit supplier Stanno, plus Heineken, VDL Groep, TenCate, ESPN and regional businesses), Eredivisie broadcasting rights, the Fankaart membership (free, but with downstream monetization), and the BusinessClub for corporate hospitality. General Director Rob Toussaint leads the club, with Tim Gilissen as Technisch Manager and Jaap Noltes as Manager of FC Twente/Heracles Academie. The club has no disclosed parent company, no institutional investor, and no public listing.

Name

Heracles Almelo

Legal name

Heracles Almelo

Website

https://heracles.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Heracles Almelo is a privately held Dutch professional football club founded in 1903, based in Almelo, that fields a men's first team, a futsal sub-brand, and a joint youth academy with FC Twente, generating revenue from ticketing, season cards, merchandise, sponsorship, broadcasting rights, and corporate hospitality at the 12,080-seat Erve Asito stadium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Football Club Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Spectator Sports (7112)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arena & Stadium Operations (Large-Capacity Venues) (MPAGALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering (THAFAIAG), Group Sales & Corporate Ticketing (HSACALAM)

Keywords

• Professional football club
• Match ticketing
• Football merchandise
• Fan membership programs
• Football youth academy

Headquarters

HQ city

Almelo

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Match Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual match tickets for home and away games, sold through online platform and box office
2. Season Tickets: Annual season card sales providing access to all home matches
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of club merchandise including shirts, apparel, and accessories through webshop, FanServiceShop, and FanShopStad physical locations
4. Sponsorship: Partnership deals with commercial sponsors including main sponsor Asito (stadium naming rights), kit supplier Stanno, and various business partners across multiple categories
5. Broadcasting Rights: Revenue from Eredivisie broadcasting deals and media rights
6. Fankaart Membership: Free fan card providing priority access to tickets and additional benefits
7. Hospitality and BusinessClub: Corporate hospitality offerings including business seats and club memberships for commercial partners

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Heracles Almelo operates a Dutch professional football club delivering match-day entertainment at the 12,080-capacity Erve Asito stadium. The club sells individual match tickets, season cards, and a free Fankaart enabling priority access; runs a webshop and physical stores for official merchandise; provides corporate hospitality through its BusinessClub; operates a member portal (Mijn Heracles) with Live TV and exclusive video content; and runs a youth academy jointly with FC Twente alongside Heracles Almelo Futsal and eSports sub-brands.

Product overview

Heracles Almelo operates a comprehensive digital platform for its Dutch professional football club. The core offering consists of the main website with integrated ticketing (match tickets, season cards, fan cards), the Mijn Heracles member portal with exclusive content and Live TV, and an e-commerce webshop for merchandise. Supporting services include a secondary re-sale platform for ticket resale, physical FanServiceShop locations, and various fan engagement programs (BusinessClub, Kidsclub, Heracles Foundation). The club also encompasses Heracles Almelo Futsal (indoor football sub-brand competing in the Eredivisie Futsal), the FC Twente/Heracles Academie (joint youth academy), and an eSports initiative. The Zwart Witte Streken program engages regional communities, while the Spelersbus offers luxury bus rental services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Heracles Almelo Futsal: Indoor futsal team that operates under the Heracles Almelo brand since 2021
• FC Twente/Heracles Academie

Products and services

• Match Tickets (Wedstrijdkaarten) Individual match tickets for specific Heracles Almelo home games in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie and cup competitions, available via the online ticketing platform and stadium box office. Sold to individual supporters on a pay-as-you-go basis.
• Season Card (Seizoenskaart)
• Fankaart (Fan Card)
• Webshop (Merchandise)
• Re-sale Platform
• Mijn Heracles (Member Portal with Live TV)
• BusinessClub (Corporate Hospitality)
• Zwart Witte Streken (Reduced Tickets)
• Heracles TV

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% of FC Twente and Heracles Almelo first team selections from academy's 2025 target
• +1 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• AsitoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain sponsor and stadium naming rights partner. The stadium is officially named Erve Asito. Asito is a Dutch facility management company that has naming rights to the 12,080-capacity stadium.
• StannocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial kit supplier for Heracles Almelo, providing match shirts, training gear and merchandise. Stanno also sponsors youth teams in the academy through adoption program.
• HeinekencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial beer and beverage partner for the club, serving fans at Erve Asito stadium.
• VDL GroepcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommercial partner and sponsor of Heracles Almelo, VDL is a Dutch industrial company based in the region.
• TenCate (TenCate Grass)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides turf and grass technology for the Erve Asito stadium pitch and training facilities.
• Voetbalreizen.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial Travel Partner for Heracles Almelo, organizing away match travel packages for supporters.
• Brookhuis BusreizencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTransportation partner providing the official players bus since 2026. Bus is fully branded with club styling and equipped with luxury amenities including kitchen, espresso machine, and 38 seats.
• FC TwenteflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint youth academy partnership (FC Twente/Heracles Academie) on equal basis since 2020, with 10-year cooperation agreement. Jointly develops regional talent for both clubs' first teams.
• AutoHaarhuisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional car dealer sponsor.
• Het IdeaalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional business sponsor.
• Hoppenbrouwers TechniekminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional technical services company sponsor with office in Almelo.
• TerStalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional workwear and safety clothing sponsor.
• ThuisgenotenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional sponsor.
• VisymominorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital/technology sponsor.
• SearchflowminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMain sponsor for Heracles Almelo Futsal team, appearing on the futsal match shirts.
• ESPNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner broadcasting Eredivisie matches and club content.
• Gemeente HengeloflagshipOthersMunicipality providing approximately €6 million for renovation and new construction of FC Twente/Heracles Academie facilities at Sportpark Veldwijk. Academy will rent the facilities for 30 years.
• KNVBflagshipOthersDutch Football Association governing professional football competition, cup tournaments, and futsal leagues.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FC Twente: Dutch professional football club based in Enschede, also in the Twente region and joint partner with Heracles in the FC Twente/Heracles Academie youth development venture. Comparable in stadium scale (~30,000 capacity De Grolsch Veste) and revenue base, making it the most analytically relevant peer.
• SC Heerenveen: Dutch Eredivisie/Eerste Divisie football club operating the ~26,000-capacity Abe Lenstra Stadion with a similarly diversified matchday, sponsorship, and broadcasting revenue profile. Comparable in mid-tier Dutch football economics and regional identity-driven commercial model.
• FC Groningen: Dutch professional football club playing at the ~22,500-capacity Euroborg, with a comparable mid-tier revenue profile, regional supporter base in the north of the Netherlands, and similar reliance on collective broadcasting and regional sponsorship. Directly comparable on scale and business model.
• NEC Nijmegen: Dutch football club operating the ~12,500-capacity Goffertstadion, the closest pure capacity peer to Heracles' Erve Asito. Comparable on stadium scale, regional identity, and mid-tier Dutch football revenue economics.
• PEC Zwolle: Dutch football club playing at the ~14,000-capacity MAC³PARK stadion. Similar in stadium size, mid-tier commercial profile, and regional Dutch football operations, making it a strong direct peer for benchmarking matchday and sponsorship economics.
• Vitesse: Historic Dutch football club based in Arnhem playing at GelreDome (~21,000). Comparable in revenue scale, multi-stream commercial model, and reliance on collective Dutch broadcasting deals. Operates with similar mid-tier Eredivisie ambitions and risk profile.
• RKC Waalwijk: Dutch football club at the ~7,500-capacity Mandemakers Stadion. Closest peer by stadium capacity constraint and the structural revenue ceiling it imposes, making it a useful benchmark for smaller-venue Dutch football economics.
• Sparta Rotterdam: Historic Dutch football club (founded 1888) playing at the ~11,000-capacity Kasteel (Het Kasteel). Comparable on stadium scale, historic Dutch brand with established supporter base, and reliance on a regional/traditional Dutch football identity.
• Willem II: Dutch football club based in Tilburg playing at the ~14,500-capacity Koning Willem II Stadion. Comparable on stadium size, mid-tier revenue profile, and traditional Dutch football commercial model with regional sponsorship anchors.
• Go Ahead Eagles: Dutch football club from Deventer playing at De Adelaarshorst (~10,000 capacity). Closely comparable on stadium scale, regional identity-driven supporter base, and the structural economics of smaller-venue Dutch professional football.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/heraclesalmelo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HeraclesAlmeloTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/heraclesalmelo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heraclesalmelo
• Instagraminstagram.com/heraclesalmelo
• TikToktiktok.com/@heraclesalmelo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Heracles Almelo