Lincoln City Football Club

What Lincoln City Football Club does

Lincoln City Football Club is a privately held English professional football club founded in 1884 and headquartered at the LNER Stadium in Lincoln, United Kingdom. The club operates a men's first team that competes in the EFL Championship following its April 2026 promotion and Sky Bet League One title, alongside a women's team (Lincoln Women FC), an U18s academy, and the Lincoln City Foundation charity. It employs 101-250 staff across playing, commercial, community and operational functions.

The club's commercial core is an integrated digital fan ecosystem centred on the Imps+ streaming and on-demand video service — delivered via StreamAMG infrastructure with Stripe-powered subscription billing — and accessed through the weareimps.com website and official iOS/Android LINC mobile apps under a single Sports Alliance SSO identity. This is complemented by an Eticketing-powered match ticketing platform, an Elite Pro Sports-operated online and physical club store, and a dotdigital-driven mailing list and WhatsApp broadcast fan-communication layer. Adjacent programmes include the LCFC Innovation Lab (an in-house tech incubator partnering with Ops-App and Stonefield), the Lincoln City Foundation community programmes (Holiday Clubs, Football Evolution, Gala Dinner), the Imps Lottery, and the U18s and women's academies. The technical stack is entirely composed of best-in-class SaaS partners rather than proprietary AI or ML.

Lincoln City monetises through six primary streams: match and season tickets plus Gold/Gold+ Memberships sold via Eticketing; Imps+ subscriptions (UK/ROI audio £45/year or £4.50/month; international with live video £140-£180/year or £25/month; per-match passes £10 video / £2.50 audio); tiered commercial sponsorships (Diamond/Platinum/Gold) anchored by Gen2Energy (header sponsor), LNER (stadium naming rights), Branston (Legends Lounge), and Soper of Lincoln (Elite Performance Centre naming rights); matchday hospitality and corporate venue hire at the LNER Stadium; replica kit and Champions-range merchandise; and the weekly Imps Academy Lottery. More than 6,000 Gold Memberships were sold for the 2026/27 Championship season, signalling accelerating recurring-revenue depth entering the second tier.

Name

Lincoln City Football Club

Legal name

Lincoln City Football Club

Website

https://weareimps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1884

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lincoln City Football Club is a privately held English football club founded in 1884 that operates the men's EFL Championship team, women's team, academy, and the Lincoln City Foundation. It monetises through tickets, Imps+ streaming, tiered sponsorships, hospitality, merchandise, and lottery, supported by an integrated digital ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Imps+ Streaming Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from Imps+ audio (£45/year or £4.50/month) and international video streaming (£140-£180/year or £25/month), plus per-match video passes (£10) and audio passes (£2.50).
2. Match Tickets & Season Tickets: Match-by-match ticket sales via eticketing.co.uk/imps, plus Gold Memberships (26/27), Gold+ Memberships, Season Memberships, and Half-Season Memberships providing recurring matchday access.
3. Commercial Sponsorships & Partnerships: Tiered sponsorship revenue (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Club Partners), player sponsorships, first-team player sponsorship packages, shirt and stadium advertising deals (e.g., Gen2Energy header sponsor, Branston, LNER).
4. Matchday Hospitality & Venue Hire: Matchday hospitality packages, Legends Lounges (Branston Legends Lounge, Buildbase Legends Lounge), facility and corporate hire at LNER Stadium for celebrations and corporate events.
5. Retail Merchandise: Online store and physical club store at LNER Stadium selling replica kits, training wear, Champions range limited-edition shirts and memorabilia, operated via Elite Pro Sports at eliteprosports.co.uk.
6. Imps Lottery: Weekly Academy lottery via academylottery.weareimps.com offering cash prizes and a monthly Superdraw (Fun Farm Imps Superdraw), generating recurring micro-transaction revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Lincoln City Football Club is a professional English football club that sells matchday ticket and membership products, live and on-demand sports content via the Imps+ streaming subscription, licensed club merchandise, matchday hospitality packages, and community programmes. The club operates the men's first team, the Lincoln Women FC women's team, an U18s academy, the Lincoln City Foundation charity, and the LCFC Innovation Lab technology accelerator, all anchored at the LNER Stadium in Lincoln.

Product overview

Lincoln City Football Club operates an integrated digital product portfolio centred on the Imps+ premium streaming and on-demand video service (the core product), which is delivered via the StreamAMG streaming infrastructure with Stripe-powered subscription billing. This core platform is complemented by the Lincoln City FC Official App (LINC, available on iOS and Android), a Sports Alliance-powered single sign-on identity layer, the Eticketing-powered ticketing platform, and the Elite Pro Sports-powered online store. Around this commercial core sit several sub-brands and programmes: Lincoln City Foundation (the official charity running community and education programmes), the Lincoln City Innovation Lab (an entrepreneurship and technology accelerator), Imps Lottery, Lincoln Women FC, and the U18s Academy. Sustainability tooling (Quambio) and supporter engagement modules (Rewards4Imps, Junior Imps, Fan Advisory Board, WhatsApp broadcast channel) extend the offering. The whole ecosystem is tied together by a single account that fans can use across the website, mobile apps, Imps+ streaming, ticketing, and the online store.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Imps+: Official paid streaming and on-demand digital content service for Lincoln City matches, audio commentary and behind-the-scenes video.
• Lincoln City Foundation
• LCFC Innovation Lab
• Lincoln Women FC

Products and services

• Imps+ Streaming Service Premium digital streaming and on-demand video service delivering live audio commentary of every Sky Bet League One, Carabao Cup, Vertu Trophy and Emirates FA Cup fixture worldwide, plus live video streaming of Sky Bet League One and Vertu Trophy matches to overseas subscribers, along with match highlights, extended highlights, full match replays, behind-the-scenes content and exclusive interviews, priced via subscription and per-match passes.
• Lincoln City FC Official Mobile App (LINC / Imps) Official Lincoln City FC mobile application on iOS and Android providing supporters with mobile access to club news, fixtures, results, ticket purchases, Imps+ streaming and account management via a single Sports Alliance SSO login.
• Match Tickets and Memberships Online and in-person ticket products for Lincoln City FC men's, women's and academy matches at the LNER Stadium, including match-by-match tickets, Gold Memberships, Gold+ Memberships, Season Memberships, Half-Season Memberships and mascot packages, sold via eticketing.co.uk/imps and the LNER Stadium box office.
• Lincoln City Online Store (Elite Pro Sports) Official online and physical retail outlet for Lincoln City FC merchandise including replica kits, training wear, Champions range limited-edition shirts and memorabilia, operated through eliteprosports.co.uk/lincoln-city.
• Matchday Hospitality and Venue Hire Matchday hospitality packages and venue hire at the LNER Stadium, including the Branston Legends Lounge and Buildbase Legends Lounge premium hospitality areas, plus facility and corporate hire for celebrations and corporate events.
• Commercial Sponsorship and Partnership Packages Tiered commercial sponsorship programme (Diamond, Platinum, Gold and Club Partner tiers), player sponsorships, first-team player sponsorship packages, and shirt and stadium advertising deals sold to regional and national brands.
• Imps Lottery (Academy Lottery) Weekly Academy lottery operated via academylottery.weareimps.com offering supporters entry into cash prize draws and a monthly Fun Farm Imps Superdraw, supporting the Lincoln City FC Academy.
• Lincoln Women FC Lincoln City FC's women's football team competing in the FA Women's National League pyramid, including Women's FA Cup fixtures played at LNER Stadium and a girls pathway with open trials and open recruitment events.
• U18s Academy Lincoln City FC's youth academy programme for Under-18 players, including scholar and apprenticeship pathways, EFL Youth Alliance participation, accommodation support for apprentices, and a girls' pathway with open trials, operating from the Gen2 Energy Elite Performance Centre.
• Lincoln City Foundation Community Programmes Charitable arm of Lincoln City FC delivering community programmes including Holiday Clubs, Football Evolution coaching, half-term childcare, Foundation Gala Dinner, Lincoln 10k run, London Marathon fundraising and Masterclass sessions across Lincolnshire, awarded Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce Charity of the Year.

Quantifiable outcome

• Secured EFL Championship promotion in April 2026, ending a 65-year absence from English football's second tier
• +5 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered moderate, flagship and major.

• QuambiomoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Partnership announced September 2024 to help Lincoln City supporters reduce their carbon footprint via a Quambio platform embedded in the club's sustainability programme.
• Gen2EnergyflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGen2Energy is Lincoln City FC's official Header Sponsor — the most prominent shirt and stadium-level sponsorship position. Gen2Energy branding appears at the top of the weareimps.com website.
• BranstonflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBranston is a Diamond-tier partner sponsoring the Branston Legends Lounge — the premium hospitality area inside LNER Stadium.
• London North Eastern Railway (LNER)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLNER holds the stadium naming rights — the ground is officially the LNER Stadium. The club operates an "LNER" fan-engagement section on its website.
• Lincolnshire Co-opmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum-tier partner; operates the Lincolnshire Co-op Community Hub at the LNER Stadium. The Co-op Community Hub opened as part of the club's 140th birthday celebrations in June 2024.
• Elite Pro SportsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperates Lincoln City's official online and physical club store, selling replica kits, training wear and Champions-range merchandise via eliteprosports.co.uk/lincoln-city.
• StreamAMGmajorTechnology or IntegrationProvides the streaming infrastructure and payment processing for the Imps+ streaming platform. All subscription fees and match-pass payments for Imps+ are processed by StreamAMG on Lincoln City's behalf.
• EllgiamoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum/Gold partner involved in the club's sustainability initiatives, including player litter-pick events at Sincil Bank.
• Soper of Lincoln (Elite Performance Centre)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoper of Lincoln holds naming rights to the club's Elite Performance Centre (EPC) — the primary training facility used by first team and academy.
• Gen 2 ConstructionmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum-tier commercial partner of Lincoln City FC, providing construction-related sponsorship.
• Greenlinc RenewablesmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum-tier partner; the Greenlinc Renewables Stand is one of the four named stands at LNER Stadium, alongside GBM Stand, Stacey West Stand, and Rilmac Stand.
• RilmacmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum-tier partner; the Rilmac Stand is one of the four named stands at LNER Stadium.
• GBM Waste ManagementmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum-tier partner; the GBM Stand is one of the four named stands at LNER Stadium.
• Lincoln Private Hospital (Circle Health Group)GTM or Marketing Partner

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Barnsley FC: EFL club that has bounced between League One and the Championship with a similar regional Yorkshire/Lincolnshire-area fan base and stadium-driven matchday model. Comparable as a peer-scale private club with streaming and ticketing products targeting domestic supporters.
• Wrexham AFC: Welsh football club owned by high-profile investors that has surged up the English Football League pyramid via consecutive promotions. Directly comparable to Lincoln City as a historic, community-led lower-league club experiencing a dramatic on-field and commercial uplift from promotion momentum.
• Bolton Wanderers FC: EFL League One club with a large regional fan base in the North of England operating a similar direct-to-fan ticketing and streaming model. Comparable as a privately-held historic club with tiered sponsorship programmes and a similar employee scale.
• Huddersfield Town AFC: Recently-relegated Championship club in Yorkshire with a comparable stadium capacity and similar family/community-oriented brand. Direct tier peer and recent opponent (1,300+ Lincoln away fans travelled to Huddersfield in March 2026).
• AFC Wimbledon: Community-owned English football club competing in the lower EFL tiers with a strong supporter-shareholder model. Comparable to Lincoln City as a fan-owned-style private club reliant on direct-to-fan ticketing and community engagement revenue.
• Stockport County FC: Recently-promoted English Football League club with a strong community foundation and direct-to-fan ticketing model. Comparable in size, regional identity, and pyramid trajectory to Lincoln City as a fellow EFL League One / newly-promoted Championship contender.
• Mansfield Town FC: EFL League One club from the East Midlands with a comparable regional supporter base, family-focused matchday positioning, and EFL Family Excellence-style community programmes. A direct geographic and tier peer.
• Doncaster Rovers FC: Direct 2025/26 League One competitor of Lincoln City and similarly-sized private club competing at the same tier with a comparable streaming, ticketing, and sponsorship stack. Closest like-for-like peer for headcount and revenue scale.
• Bradford City AFC: Historic English football club operating in the lower EFL tiers with strong community foundation work and ticketed matchday revenue. Comparable to Lincoln City as a similarly-sized, community-rooted private club navigating promotion cycles.
• Leyton Orient FC: London-based EFL League One club with a strong community/family positioning and direct-to-fan streaming offering. Comparable as a smaller EFL private club with tiered ticketing, sponsorship, and content monetisation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LincolnCity_FC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCLmGW0zE-1Gdagxg52G7sA
• Facebookfacebook.com/lincolncityfc
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/lincolncityfc
• Instagraminstagram.com/lincolncity_fc/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@lincolncity_fc?lang=en

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Lincoln City Football Club