4GBL 4global Plc

4GLOBAL PLC

("4GLOBAL" or "the Group")

New Market Entry

4GLOBAL, a provider of data and technology for sports, fitness and wellness organisations to optimise operational and investment decisions, is pleased to announce the launch of 4GSportsPulse, a new offering targeting sports and sports-related brands.

Overview

4GSportsPulse combines advanced data analytics with strategic consulting to empower sports brands not only to understand where and how people engage in sports but also how to act on these insights. 4GSportsPulse helps brands uncover growth opportunities, optimise targeted campaigns and drive sales while increasing sports participation - ultimately contributing to a healthier society.

The breadth and depth of 4GLOBAL's 4+ billion data point sports participation database combined with the Group's proven ability to leverage it effectively provide 4GSportsPulse with a significant competitive advantage.

One example of the many potential use cases for 4GSportsPulse is a sports brand planning new retail store openings. By incorporating 4GLOBAL's participation and movement insights, the brand is able to gain a far more detailed understanding of local demographics, their activity preferences, and behaviours compared to traditional footfall data. This enables more strategic decisions on store placement and marketing, serving local communities better and driving improved commercial outcomes.

4GSportsPulse will be led by Alasdair Lloyd-Jones as Senior Vice President of the division, reporting into the Group CEO. Alasdair, who joined 4GLOBAL in the second half of calendar year 2024, brings over three decades of experience across brands and data-driven marketing. He has deep expertise in turning insights into impactful strategies and has worked with brands including Nike, Adidas, Unilever, Mars and Diageo.

4GLOBAL has strong existing relationships with blue-chip international brands through its presence in the sports, fitness and wellness ecosystem. The first 4GSportsPulse customer, the European Volleyball Confederation (Confédération Européenne de Volleyball), has already been secured and the Group remains in commercial discussions with several more.

Strategic Rationale

Already trusted by governments, cities, sporting bodies, trade associations, health & fitness operators and sports clubs, 4GLOBAL's expansion into brands is a natural progression.

Under Alasdair's leadership, the launch of 4GSportsPulse also brings the potential for 4GLOBAL to expand its role in its existing customers' data journeys, going beyond providing actionable insights to actively helping organisations with implementation - identifying adjacent opportunities, developing strategies and supporting delivery.

In summary, 4GSportsPulse not only unlocks a new vertical with significant commercial potential, but it also creates new opportunities to deepen relationships with existing customers and increase lifetime values across all target segments.

Market Opportunity and Next Steps

Spherical Insights reports the global sporting goods market size was valued at $534 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.97% to $788 billion in 2033. Concurrently, the global sports sponsorship market was estimated by Statista to be worth $97.35 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.68% until 2030, reaching a value of almost $190 billion. The global sports analytics market, meanwhile, was estimated by Grand View Research to be worth $3.52 billion in 2023 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 21.5% to $14.41 billion in 2030.

4GSportsPulse sits at the intersection of these large and rapidly expanding industries, with demand from brands for the offering expected to be driven by:

·    Significant increases in digital marketing spend and a greater emphasis on data-driven decision-making

·    Growing adoption of AI and machine learning technologies

·    Requirement for ROI tracking and audience insights to support major sponsorship deals

While 4GSportsPulse is globally relevant, the initial focus will be on building traction in North America as the most mature market with the largest near-term potential. This aligns with 4GLOBAL's strategic shift towards focusing its new business efforts on the region where, as previously reported, the Group has already seen early success.

Financial Model

4GSportsPulse is designed to generate a mix of project-based (Insight.Labs) and recurring revenue (Insight.Solutions & Insight.Platform), complementing 4GLOBAL's broader strategic shift towards a more predictable sales model. While the initial focus will be on bespoke engagements with brands, over time, the Group intends to integrate subscription-based functionality, such as access to dashboards and analytics.

Current market forecasts do not factor in revenues from 4GSportsPulse. While revenues are expected to be modest in year one, they are expected to become a meaningful contributor to overall revenue within three years.

Eloy Mazon, CEO of 4GLOBAL, said:

"To date, we have largely focused on leveraging our data to help organisations create and optimise sports and fitness spaces. With 4GSportsPulse, we are extending our focus to the equipment, apparel, and other essentials that enable participation, helping brands better understand, target and capitalise on market opportunities.

"With the vast range of applications for our data and insights, expanding our addressable market and diversifying our customer base in this way makes good strategic sense. It complements our existing business, not only by introducing an exciting new revenue stream and elevating our profile but also by enabling us to deliver even greater value to our existing customers through partnering with them to execute the actionable insights we provide.

"We continue to build strong momentum in North America, and the launch of 4GSportsPulse marks a significant step forward in expanding our footprint and presence in the region. The opportunities for 4GLOBAL in this market were already considerable, but with 4GSportsPulse now part of our offering, they have become even greater."

Contacts

About 4GLOBAL

4GLOBAL empowers sports, fitness and wellness organisations to make faster, smarter decisions about their operations, customers and investments through data and actionable insights.

It operates the largest sport participation and facility database in the world, with more than 4 billion data points.

Sourcing data from health & fitness operators, community programmes and other structured activities through its DataHub while drawing on information from GPS location updates and wearable devices, 4GLOBAL's unique combination of data assets provides a holistic view of physical activity patterns. 

4GLOBAL is at the forefront of predictive modelling and advanced analytics, with the insights it generates empowering customers to drive efficiencies, improve customer relationships and make more informed strategic decisions.

Its customers span both the public and private sectors, including central and local governments, cities, sporting bodies, trade associations, health & fitness operators and sports clubs.

Key markets include North America, the Middle East and Europe. Its headquarters are in London with offices in Miami and Istanbul.

4GLOBAL was founded in 2002 and listed on AIM in 2021 under the ticker 4GBL.