Through exhibiting at Soccerex, Future Lions and Just4Keepers – two organisations focusing on player & coach development – have forged a new, ongoing partnership designed to benefit both parties through sharing networks, routes to consumers and exposure.
Future Lions first exhibited at a Soccerex event at the Global Convention 2017 in Manchester and have been a part of every event since. Soccerex events give Future Lions, and all exhibitors, the chance to design their own branded space within a global football marketplace, where meetings can be hosted, networks and relationships can be developed, and services/products can be launched or demonstrated.
Future Lions was founded by their CEO, Ritchie Jeune, who is the owner of English club Kettering Town and Chinese side Shantou Lions, among many other business ventures in the world of sport. Ritchie, and his team of expert football professionals, offer a range of international training academies, coaching education and development, and a world-class training and management tool in the Future Lions Academy Management Software. The software is also available as a mobile app, which was launched during their first appearance at Soccerex.
At the inaugural Soccerex USA in November 2018, a meeting was arranged at the Future Lions exhibition stand with Just4Keepers (J4K), who offer goalkeeper-specific coaching sessions, camps and goalkeeping equipment. The meeting highlighted the need for a goalkeeper-specific section of the app, which led to a partnership being discussed. The idea behind the partnership was to expand Future Lions’ audience, targeting goalkeeper coaching through the use of the J4K global network, and to provide J4K with more exposure and a direct route to consumers for their goalkeeping products through the Future Lions app. The app is currently available in 3 languages (English, Spanish and Chinese) in 42 countries, covering over 200 clubs with over 18,000 app users.
Soccerex USA 2018 was the platform upon which the partnership was born, and Soccerex China 2019 was the platform upon which it was publicly announced. When asked about the partnership, Founder & CEO of Future Lions, Ritchie Jeune, explained that with the mutual benefits that the partnership creates, the deal is an absolute no-brainer for all involved.
Speaking on the benefits of exhibiting at Soccerex, Jeune comments:
“Exhibiting at Soccerex provides a fantastic platform for companies like us to meet potential business partners. Everyone you could hope to meet from all parts of the industry – clubs, leagues, buyers, suppliers, coaches, etc – are gathered in one place. To have a stand at Soccerex events allows us to show off our product to all the people we are trying to reach but maybe wouldn’t have had the chance to meet otherwise”.
As a result of exhibiting at Soccerex, Future Lions have been in talks to expand further into other markets. Once again through Soccerex USA, a contact was made in South America, which resulted in positive conversations towards the company partnering with a women’s football club in Argentina. Following their recent success at Soccerex events, Future Lions will be exhibiting at Soccerex USA 2019 this November.
