Looking for partners with shared values is a popular ambition these days, as rights-holders respond to increasingly values-conscious social audiences and the recognition that sustainability is less of a discretionary position.
In episode #326 of Unofficial Partner we spoke with Daniel Lambert, COO of Bohemian FC and Harry McCann of Dublin Bus, a main sponsor of the club.
Bohemian FC is a member owned club from the Phisboro area of Dublin recognised for their uncompromising stance on values. Having gone to the brink of insolvency by the financial model of football, Bohs decided to rebuild the club on sustainable principles. Slowly, on its own terms, the club has built back its reputation, its balance sheet and its fanbase.
Dublin Bus is now their partner in diversity, accessibility and inclusion – and poised to add value to the club’s environmental credentials.
In this post, we focus on Harry McCann from Dublin Bus, to understand what a values-led partnership looks like from their side.
“Dublin Bus is Ireland’s largest public transport provider. With over 3,900 employees and a fleet of over 1000 buses, we operate 121 routes across the Greater Dublin Area. In 2022, we carried 121 million passengers and are set to surpass 140 million passengers in 2023.
Our partnership with Bohemian Football Club began in 2020 to support the club to grow and expand its positive impact on the city of Dublin. We are both organisations that prioritise making a difference in our communities, and our values are strongly aligned.
Dublin Bus and Bohemian FC are deeply rooted in the city and have a strong heritage in Phibsborough. In the area, we operate our Phibsboro and Broadstone Depots, which proudly employ hundreds of people. Our aim has always been for this partnership to represent Dublin’s people and culture and uphold our shared values of community, diversity, inclusion,and equality.
At the beginning of the year, we announced an extension to our partnership. The deal, which runs for three years until 2025, has seen us become the main shirt partner of Bohemian FC Women’s Premier Division team. In addition, Dublin Bus has become the exclusive Diversity & Inclusion partner to Bohemian FC and main shirt partner for the girl’s 19s, 17s and Amputee team.
We have always regarded Bohemian FC as more than a football club; it is a community of people dedicated to creating positive change on and off the pitch. The club’s recently published Football Social Responsibility/Community Strategy outlines its ambitious goal to transform lives and communities is an excellent example. We are honoured to support Bohemian FC on this journey.
I can’t speak for the dealings that preceded my time at the organisation. However, as a semi-state organisation, we have distinct factors to consider compared to conventional commercial partners. We intended to forge a ground-breaking, purpose-led partnership with a club with shared values and ambitions beyond the pitch. While we certainly hope for success on the pitch, our decision was never contingent upon the club’s potential to win league titles or cups.
Our current #TogetherInADifferentLeague partnership with the club embodies our ambition. We have set out to tear down the barriers in football by elevating the women’s game and ensuring its amputee team, LGBTQ+ supporters group, Disability Supporters Association, and community partnership get the support and visibility they deserve.
What sets our renewed partnership apart is our approach to measuring success. We don’t rely on commercial metrics; we use the objectives outlined in our Together In A Different League Manifesto. Developed in collaboration with Bohemian FC, this manifesto maps out our shared aspirations and commitments in various areas, such as facilities, funding, visibility, and career development, over the three-year term of the partnership. The manifesto is publicly accessible, contains measurable goals, and we are committed to achieving them all.
We are focused on fostering diversity and inclusivity within Irish football, with a particular emphasis on elevating women’s football which too often gets overlooked. The upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer presents an opportunity to enhance visibility and support, but we strive to make a consistent impact week in and week out. We aim to actively contribute to harnessing support for women’s football on an ongoing basis.
We have made significant strides in achieving several of our goals. Bohemian FC men’s and women’s Premier Division teams now benefit from training at Dublin City University’s High-Performance Centre, providing equal access to world-class, elite training facilities.
We have also successfully enhanced visibility, evident from breaking the Women’s Premier Division attendance record three times this season, including once at Dalymount Park. Additionally, we have created talkability with our innovative Dublin ‘Mini’ Bus. Our remote control ball carrier bus has generated millions of organic online views and garnered media coverage, including recognition from Sky Sports Soccer AM. These achievements have helped to spark conversations and increased awareness of the women’s game.
Our partnership stands out in world football as it diverges from the traditional commercial models. Unlike many shirt and stadium sponsors, our success is not measured solely by commercially quantifiable metrics. Together, we are working to create a culture and environment that provides the same level of opportunity, respect, support, and visibility to everyone who wants to play football from youth to adulthood. I hope our partnership serves as a blueprint for other clubs and commercial organisations.
We provide a public service to the people of the Greater Dublin Area; we aren’t vying for customers by increasing brand awareness. Nevertheless, we are working with Bohemian FC to create a more sustainable and liveable city by encouraging people to use public transport. I recommend people check out ‘The Bohemian Way’ to learn about one of the creative projects we have worked on with the club.
Looking for a shared values partner?
So, let’s be clear – it’s easier for a semi state owned entity such as Dublin Bus to take a stand on values and eschew commercial goals than a for-profit business. Harry was clear that the company wasn’t looking for linkage with traditional commercial measures – the focus was 100% on promoting DEI in Dublin.
But for us, this still raises a few interesting points. Most state or semi-state owned businesses in the UK at least struggle to take any meaningful stand for values, so this is a big statement. It’s also likely that, without Bohemian FC, Dublin Bus wouldn’t be sponsoring football at all – my take-out was they were aligning with the values before the sport.
The manifesto is impressive – and from our perspective textbook behaviour : Club and partner setting out an agenda for the performance of the partnership, with clear targets and purpose.
Most of all perhaps, it shines a lot on the opportunity for commercially driven clubs to treat values-led partnerships differently. After all, it’s only a step away from the (now not so rare) charity shirt – offering commercial benefits for values-led contribution. In many ways, in-kind partnerships of this kind already happen with specialist services : this is simply broadening the scope.
The business model and revenue targets are going to drive towards partnerships which are ‘rights fee plus’, but the opportunity that ‘values plus’ offer may be equally valuable – just not so immediately visible.
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