Manchester City extends Qualtrics deal as campus grows

Manchester City has extended its partnership with Qualtrics, continuing a relationship that began in 2021.

Under the renewed deal, the Premier League club will continue using Qualtrics software to collect and analyse feedback from supporters, visitors and commercial partners across matchdays and the wider Etihad Campus.

The arrangement covers post-match surveys, experience measurement programmes and engagement activity across club operations. The technology has helped Manchester City identify feedback trends and use that information to inform decisions on matchday operations, fan engagement and commercial activity.

It has also been used to assess how partners view their association with the club and how brand activations are received, giving Manchester City more data on the impact of sponsorship activity and helping shape its commercial planning.

Campus expansion

The extension comes as the Etihad Campus expands its offer beyond football fixtures. Qualtrics will be used across a broader range of supporter and visitor experiences as Medlock Square opens as a year-round entertainment destination.

The club also highlighted new food and beverage outlets and the Medlock hotel as part of that expansion. It added that greater use of AI-based analysis will help process larger volumes of feedback and allow staff to respond more quickly to what visitors say about their experience.

Manchester City has been expanding the campus in recent years, combining stadium activity with retail, hospitality and leisure offerings designed to attract fans and visitors throughout the year. The broader use of feedback tools indicates the club wants closer measurement across those touchpoints as the site grows.

For sports organisations, fan data has become a bigger part of both operations and commercial strategy. Clubs are looking beyond ticket sales and attendance figures to understand how supporters move through venues, respond to services and judge the wider matchday experience.

That information can influence decisions on staffing, food and drink provision, transport flows, hospitality products and sponsor activity. It can also shape how clubs measure returns on investment from partnerships and non-matchday attractions.

Partner comments

Mark Lambert, Vice-President, Partnerships Marketing & Operations, City Football Group, said: "We are delighted to extend our partnership with Qualtrics. Since joining us in 2021, they have provided valuable expertise and insights that have helped us better understand the experiences of our supporters, partners and visitors, enabling more informed decision-making across the Club.

"Creating exceptional experiences is central to our approach, and Qualtrics' technology has helped us turn feedback into action. As the Etihad Campus continues to grow, with our new food and beverage offerings, Medlock Square and the new Medlock hotel, the data and understanding we gain will play an important role in shaping the future experiences we deliver."

Qualtrics has positioned its work with sports teams around experience data drawn from multiple audiences, including fans, guests and commercial stakeholders. In Manchester City's case, the software is used across both front-of-house visitor interactions and back-end commercial assessment.

Jason Maynard, Chief Executive Officer, Qualtrics, said: "Manchester City is setting the standard for how great sports organisations turn insight into action. Together, we're creating more meaningful experiences and better outcomes for fans, visitors, and partners across every interaction that matters."

Manchester City's physical footprint at the Etihad Campus includes the 61,000-capacity Etihad Stadium, the 7,000-capacity Joie Stadium and the City Football Academy, which houses the club's men's, women's and academy teams.