Herne Bay Football Club

What Herne Bay Football Club does

Herne Bay Football Club is a private, community-rooted football club based in Herne Bay, Kent, England, operating from The Crest Stadium at Winch's Field, Stanley Gardens. The club fields a first team that competes in the Isthmian League Premier Division, alongside participation in the FA Cup, FA Trophy, Kent Cup and other cup competitions, and runs an extensive multi-section programme of more than 20 teams covering senior, U23, women's, youth (U7–U18), veterans (O35–O60), walking football, and a Wildcats girls' section.

Its commercial model is a community sports club revenue stack: matchday ticket and season ticket sales (ticketing operated through an external ktckts.com platform), merchandise sold via an online shop on the Pitchero-powered website, and a layered sponsorship programme including a principal club sponsor (Eleven Energy, announced July 2024), a stadium sponsor (Crest), shirt and board sponsors (KD Drainage, AL Scaffolding, Orbital Net), a media sponsor (KM Group), youth and U18 shirt sponsors (VR Sani, AMG), and approximately a dozen pitchside advertisers. Sponsorship revenue is therefore diversified across a long tail of Kent-based SMEs rather than concentrated.

The underlying technology footprint is narrow: the club's digital presence is built on the Pitchero SaaS platform, which provides the website, content management, match scheduling, team management, member communications, and shop/payments functionality; ticketing is outsourced to ktckts.com; and social distribution runs through an academy Twitter account and Instagram account. There is no proprietary technology, no AI/ML capability, no app, and no public API. The club holds England Football Accreditation, FA Charter Standard Community Club status, and Kent FA affiliation, which function as governance and child-protection credentials rather than competitive technology assets.

Name

Herne Bay Football Club

Legal name

Herne Bay Football Club

Website

https://hernebayfootballclub.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Herne Bay Football Club is a private community football club based in Herne Bay, Kent, fielding an Isthmian League Premier Division first team and over 20 age-group teams (seniors, youth, women's, veterans). It generates revenue through matchday tickets, season tickets, merchandise, and a layered local-Kent sponsorship programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Football Club (Semi-Professional / Non-League)

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Community football club
• Non-league football
• Matchday ticket sales
• Youth football development
• Football merchandise sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Herne Bay

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Matchday Revenue: Revenue generated from ticket sales for home matches, including individual match tickets and season tickets.
2. Sponsorship: Multiple sponsorship tiers including club sponsor, stadium sponsor, shirt sponsors, board sponsors, pitchside advertisers, and youth team sponsors.
3. Merchandise and Shop: Online shop sales through Pitchero platform for club merchandise.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Herne Bay FC operates a competitive non-league football club delivering Isthmian League Premier Division football and cup competitions at The Crest Stadium. The club offers organized football participation across 20+ teams spanning senior, U23, women's, youth (U7-U18), veterans (O35-O60), and walking football, alongside matchday ticketing, season tickets, an online club shop for merchandise, and tiered sponsorship packages for local businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Matchday Tickets General admission tickets for home league matches (Isthmian League Premier Division) and cup competitions (FA Cup, FA Trophy, Kent Cup) at The Crest Stadium, sold online via ktckts.com and at the stadium turnstiles. Provided for local supporters and visitors attending matches.
• Season Tickets Season tickets providing priority access to all home league matches during the season, offered to dedicated supporters of Herne Bay FC.
• Organized Football Team Participation Organized football participation across 20+ teams including Herne Bay FC senior first team, U23s, women's teams (including Herne Bay Women and HB Women's Development), youth teams from U7 to U18, veterans O35/O45/O50/O55/O60, and walking football, competing in the Isthmian League Premier Division and various cup competitions. Provided for amateur and semi-professional football players across all ages and genders.
• Club Merchandise Online club shop offering Herne Bay FC branded merchandise and apparel, sold through the Pitchero payments platform on the official website and ktckts.com shop. Provided for supporters, fans, and the local community.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eleven EnergycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 July 2024Eleven Energy serves as the main Club Sponsor of Herne Bay FC. The partnership was announced on 3 July 2024. Eleven Energy CEO Chris Todd posted a statement following the announcement. Eleven Energy is a company backed by His Royal Highness, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Bin Talal Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.
• COYS ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 June 2024Steve Sedgley and his company COYS Construction partnered with Herne Bay FC. Partnership announced 26 June 2024.
• CrestcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCrest is the Stadium Sponsor of Herne Bay FC. The company serves architects, developers, merchants, builders, and self-builders with their product portfolio.
• KD DrainagecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKD Drainage serves as the Shirt Sponsor of Herne Bay FC. The company provides effective and fast, high pressure water jetting services to commercial and domestic clients across Kent.
• AL ScaffoldingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAL Scaffolding is a Board Sponsor and trusted family-run scaffolding company based in Herne Bay, covering Kent and the south east.
• Orbital NetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOrbital Net is a Board Sponsor. Based near Canterbury, Kent, they have been providing B2B services to organisations across the UK, USA and Canada for over 25 years.
• KM GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKM Group is the Media Sponsor of Herne Bay FC, providing local media coverage through Kent Online and associated regional media outlets.
• AMGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAMG is the U18 Shirt Sponsor. Based in Kent, AMG recruits professionals experienced in providing front-line NHS services.
• VR SaniminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVR Sani is the Youth Sponsor of Herne Bay FC. The company provides hygiene services throughout Kent.
• Beltinge & District Funeral Service LtdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPitchside Advertising Sponsor. Established in 2002, serving families of Herne Bay and surrounding districts.
• FluidityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPitchside Advertising Sponsor. Managed service provider delivering first class support and consultancy services.
• GSi InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor providing competitive insurance prices tailored to individual needs.
• HSE Training LtdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPitchside Advertiser. Founded in 2006, providing Health and Safety professional services.
• Kew ElectricalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPitchside Advertising Sponsor. Established in 1996 by Managing Director Geoff Kerly, Independent Electrical Wholesaler.
• Kimber EstatesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPitchside Advertising Sponsor. Long-established estate agent in Herne Bay and surrounding areas.
• Taylor MeatsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPitchside Advertising Sponsor. Family business selling local Kentish Meats since the 1980s.
• Bay HeatingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPitchside Advertising Sponsor. Based in Herne Bay, working throughout Kent as Worcester Bosch accredited installers.
• PitcherocoreTechnology or IntegrationPitchero is the website platform provider powering Herne Bay FC's website, match management, team management, and club administration.
• Isthmian LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHerne Bay FC competes in the Isthmian League Premier Division, a regional football league providing competitive fixtures and league administration.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ramsgate FC: Kent-based non-league club playing in the Isthmian League with similar community focus, multi-team pyramid, and Pitchero-style digital platform.
• Margate FC: Traditional Kent non-league club competing in the Isthmian League tier with a similar matchday-driven, sponsorship-supported business model and community fanbase.
• Whitstable Town FC: Neighbouring Kent coast club in the Isthmian League set; comparable scale, age-group coverage, and reliance on local sponsorship and volunteer operations.
• Sittingbourne FC: Kent-based semi-professional club competing in the Isthmian League area, comparable in scale, governance model, and community engagement.
• Bognor Regis Town FC: Isthmian League Premier Division club operating in a similar coastal non-league market with comparable community and commercial dynamics.
• Kingstonian FC: London-area Isthmian League club with similar community-orientation and semi-professional tier; comparable sponsorship mix and volunteer dependency.
• Folkestone Invicta FC: Another Isthmian League Premier Division club based in Kent, operating from a similar community-owned stadium with comparable grassroots pyramid structure. Directly comparable in tier, geography, and semi-professional model.
• Cray Wanderers FC: Historic London/Kent non-league club at the Isthmian League tier, sharing semi-professional structures, Pitchero platform use, and small-stadium economics.
• Faversham Town FC: Kent non-league club in similar Isthmian/regional tier, with comparable matchday economics and local-sponsor dependency.

Regional players

• Dover Athletic FC: Higher-tier Kent football club (National League South) serving as a regional benchmark for what a successful Kent non-league club can scale into — comparable fanbase geography though operating at a larger revenue scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hbfcfacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/hernebayfcacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/herne-bay-football-club

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Herne Bay Football Club