1. IntroductionClose2Sports is a Sports & Entertainment company,.docx

1. Introduction
Close2Sports is a Sports & Entertainment company, based in
Barcelona, specialized in
teaming corporate hospitality with premier international sports
events. The company offers all included packages to private
groups and multinational companies, combining the access to a
wide range of sports events, with cultural and gastronomic
experiences, seeking innovative formulas to continuously reach
and exceed their client´s expectations.
They are devoted to take care of all details, including tickets,
VIP hospitality arrangements, lodging, transfers, restaurants, to
ensure their clients receive the highest quality of service, while
enjoying the sporting event.
Close 2 Sports was established in 2006 by Frank Hendrickx and
Alberto Bernaldo. The office is located in the centre of
Barcelona.
Tailor made packages and personal services of high quality are
the core competence C2S wants to disseminate. As almost all
packages are composed together with the final customer,
through a process of continuous reviewing, and while C2S aims
to give a very personal service, the company can distinguish
itself from other sports hospitality companies in the market,
which often sell only standard packages.
Vision:
“The sports market is one of the fastest growing businesses
since the benefits from sport rise every year. 60% of the
European citizens participate in sporting activities on a regular
basis within or outside some 700.000 sporting clubs in Europe.
Sport is universal; it has no boundaries of colour and

nationality. Sport is the perfect combination of fun and
excitement. Sport brings people closer to each other and C2S
wants to bring the people closer to the sports, in an original and
different way.
In the next five years Close2Sports wants to become a leading
company in the sports hospitality market in the Spanish market,
by offering exclusive (VIP) packages to (sports) events all over
the world.
“By learning from our clients and trying to be innovative
through the whole process, as well as by offering a very
personalized service to our customers, we think we can
distinguish ourselves from our competitors, and through steady
growth achieve our final goal”
2. Organization
Close 2 Sportsis a young and dynamic company. The team of
Close2Sports is composed of the 2 founders, with close
cooperation with freelancers (professionals specialized in the
organization of events), travel agencies (take care of the
logistics: flight tickets, hotels, etc), sports agencies (based in
different countries, these agencies give support in
commercializing the products of C2S in the different countries),
ex- top athletes who function as ambassadors (they give
notoriety to the company), and interns from mainly Belgium and
Holland (from Universities specialized in sports or tourism
studies).
3. Products and Services
The activity of Close 2 Sports can be dividend in different
segments. Some services can overlap different segments. The
four main areas are:
1. Sports hospitality
2. High end Tourism packages (Combination of sports,
gastronomy, culture, art)

3. Ticketing for sports events as well as events related to
Entertainment
4. Customized sports events
3.1 Sports hospitality
The core business of C2S is the corporate sports hospitality.
The goal of C2S is to become one of the leading companies in
this segment in Spain. The intention of C2S is to cover a wide
range of sports, but with mainly focussed on Football, Formula
1, Moto GP, Tennis, Basketball and Sailing. Other sports which
C2S can arrange packages for are Golf, Rugby and Cycling. The
sports arrangements are divided in three main packages: Gold,
Silver and Bronze in function of the exclusivity of the
experience. All the packages can be tailor-made for every
customer´s wish.
Recently C2S also organized a VIP package around an
important music concert in Barcelona. In the north of Europe
this kind of VIP ´entertainment´ is very common. In Spain the
corporate clients are not yet very used to this kind of events to
invite their customers or employees.
The objective through sports hospitality is for the companies to
built a relationship with their customers (or employees), or do
business with them in a friendly environment. ´Networking´ is
the key word.
VIP hospitality is the core business of the company. Many
investments have been made to offer the costumer real VIP
experiences. Due to the contacts C2S has built up over the
years, it has achieved to sell exclusive tickets and packages in
many different sports. A wide network of contacts in the world
of sports has been developed, but only a small number of
companies have been visited. Some of them are very loyal
customers already but the growth strategy should now focus on
the commercial part, by visiting actively the decision makers of
the large companies in Spain. A commercial plan should be

developed, as well as a communication plan to create brand
awareness.
3.2 Exclusive Tourism
Barcelona is one of the most popular destinations of Europe.
C2S combines the interest in the city with the interest of sports.
During the ´City a la carte´ weekends, people can experience
the local gastronomy, the art, culture and history of the city,
combined with a sports event. C2S has the extra advantage of
having a skybox in the Nou Camp in Barcelona and the Santiago
Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, as well as at the F1 Circuit in
Barcelona (Montmeló). C2S organises ´a la carte´ packages for
mainly the city of Barcelona, but as well Valencia (F1,
America´s Cup, Moto GP) and Madrid (Real Madrid Football
and Basket).
´Barcelona a la Carte´ is a stable product. Several groups
mainly from Belgium and Holland have tried it out and have
been very excited about it. Nevertheless no promotion
campaigns have been launched and so far mouth to mouth
publicity has been providing the costumers. The company is
convinced that if it would actively promote the product in the
European countries, it could be very successful. Nevertheless
the company currently does not have the headcount structure to
cope with this potential demand.
Barcelona offers a wide range of possibilities to combine sports,
gastronomy, culture, art, etc in the city.
Ex.:
Golf practice + gastronomy + FC Barcelona
Wine experience (Priorat) + gastronomy + FC Barcelona
Formula 1 + FC Barcelona + Cava experience

´Madrid and Valencia a la Carte´ are the latest product of C2S.
Real Madrid has high quality VIP products and the city of
Valencia has invested lots of money in sports infrastructure,
attracting main sports events.
The main challenge for C2S in this area is to promote its
product abroad.
A good communication plan should be elaborated in order to
create name and product awareness in some target markets.
3.3 Ticketing
C2S provides tickets for the main sports events in the world, but
only on request, to companies, private groups and agencies.
There is no proactive selling of tickets through the website or
other channels. The customers are mainly sports agencies in
Northern Europe (FC Barcelona and Real Madrid packages), as
well as multinational companies, based in Spain (Formula 1
Barcelona, Valencia; Moto GP Barcelona, Valencia, Jerez);
NBA; Roland Garros, Wimbledon, etc.).
Also music concert tickets are provided for on request.
Ticketing is a product on which C2S would like to focus more.
It’s a growing business with many potential costumers. C2S
sells tickets of several price ranges to business groups and
private groups. Nevertheless the company would like to avoid to
enter in sales of individual tickets, and prefers to buy tickets on
request of corporate customers or companies. To sell individual
tickets it should create structure, adapt its website and create
the necessary information systems.
3.4. Customized Sports events
C2S designs small sports events for their corporate customers,
unique experiences which these companies want to share with
their employees or their own customers. An ideal platform for a
company to invite its important customers, to do Networking or
to incentive employees.
Ex:

- A private sailing regatta in Barcelona or Valencia, with
presence of members of the
America´s Cup teams.
- A monitored private ´driving on ice course´ with the newest
models of a well known car
brand, in Andorra
- A day of tennis together with ex top ATP players
Customized sports events are still in development, but it’s on
the way to growth. Several companies have shown their interest.
A private company sports event is a way to entertain customers
or to motivate employees of the company. The ideas have been
worked out and there are working-plans for several weekend
trips. The level of costumer’s awareness on this product is still
low or inexistent.
4. Basic financial info
SALES: relative numbers
Actual
% of Total
Projected.
% of Sales

Sales
Sales
Sales in 3 y.
in 3 years
Sports hospitality:
60
60%
150
43%
x 2.5
Tourism:
20
20%
100
22%
x 5.0
Ticketing
15

15%
60
13%
x 4.0
Pers. Sports Events:
5 5%
80
22%
x16.0
GROSS MARGIN:
Sports Hospitality:
15%
Tourism:
12%
Ticketing:

20%
Pers. Sports Events:
20%
5. Close2Sports and Growth
C2S is active in different markets. Their products are situated in
different stages on the Life Cycle Curve. To find out which
growth strategy is best for each segment, it first should be
determined in which stage their products are.
Sports hospitality:
VIP, tailor made packages and Business packages
Tourism:
Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid á la carte
Ticketing:
Sport events and matches worldwide
Pers. Sports events:
Company events
GOALSThe most important goals in the next year for C2S are:
1 Product; Improving and redeveloping existing products and
increasing the market
share of the growing products.
2. Maintain the current level of service and distinguish itself
from competitors by offering high quality products and

personal service
3. Create a loyal customer base of important multinational
companies
4. Organisation: Improve, professionalize and enlarge the
company’s structure in order to be able to make sustainable
growth.
5 Increase the brand awareness of C2S through quality
communication.
Questions:
General question:
1. In your opinion, would it be recommendable for the company
to focus on 1 segment or should it try to develop the 4 different
segments at a time?
Specific questions:
Sports Hospitality:
2. Which kind of commercial actions would you take to promote
sports hospitality in Spain? Have a look at companies such as
http://www.thgsports.com/ as a reference.
3. Through which communication channels should the company
communicate in order to create brand awareness (direct
marketing, press, website, positioning in google....)? How
would you operate? A reference in Barcelona:
http://www.passionevents.eu/
Tourism:
4. How would you promote the company´s products to European
customers? Barcelona is the favourite city trip for North
Europeans. How can you attract them?
5. Could you give a few examples of products/services which
could attract potential customers Barcelona? Think about a 3
day experience, including sports, gastronomy, leisure, culture…
Ticketing:

6. Should the individual ticket market be an alternative for the
company in a B2C format, such as
http://www.spainticketbureau.com/
Company´s management structure
7. What could be the growth strategy: create structure first to be
able to grow, or grow steadily to be able to create structure?
8. The company has a very limited headcount structure. Which
structure and which profile of people would you recommend the
company to include, supposing the company can hire 1 or 2
persons?
9. Would it be interesting for the company to open a small
subsidiary in a key country or to enter into a Joint Venture with
some of the sports hospitality agencies in the world at a certain
point of time?
10. Which other actions would you like to propose to the
company to get more scale?
THANKS AND GOOD LUCK!!!!!!
Close2Sports * Balmes/C 200, 7, 3a * 08006 Barcelona *
[email protected]
Tel: +34 932 377 421 * Fax: +34 932 377 303 *
www.close2sports.com
Close 2 Sports
Freelancers
Travel Agencies
Sports Agencies

Frank Hendrickx
Alberto Bernaldo
Sportsmen and women
Interns
Close 2 Sports
Sports hospitality
Tourism
Ticketing

Events
VIP, tailor made packages,
Business packages
Barcelona, Valencia
and Madrid
a la carte
Fc Barcelona
and other events
Company events
Products of C2S

Development
Growth
Maturity
Decline
Madrid/ Valencia a la carte
VIP hospitality
Company event Sport
Barcelona a la carte
Ticketing Football

Ticketing other sport events
Company events Culture
*
Close to where the action is!
*
*CLOSE2SPORTS
Flash Presentation
*

*
Index
Modus Operandi and corporate structure
¿Why Close2Sports?
Introduction
Conclusions
Questions
Sports in a global world
Sports tourism
Close2Sports: About us
Programs and events
*
*
INTRODUCTION
*
*
Everything started 8 years ago…..

From there on everything went very quick…….
1. JC Academics
2. Campus USA
3. Close 2 Sports:
*
Introduction
Impact of the globalization in the Sports sector:
A major offer of Sports events
Lower costs: Planes, Accomodation, etc.
Increased accesibility to Sports in almost all parts of the world
(Internet, TV)
Specialists in the branch: example Close2sports
Following Sports events has become a lot
easier

*The Sports Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the
Tourist Industry on a global base, generating an estimated 52
Bio $ in revenue, representing aprox. 10 % of the Total Tourist
Revenue in the world.
Source: Sports Businees Report
Introduction
*
Introducción
El turismo deportivo
Passive Tourism
Active Tourism
Source: Sports Business Report

Tourism
10%
Sports tourism
50%
Active Sp. Tourism
50%
Passive Sp. Tourism
(presential)
*
C2S was created with the intention to become a leading
company in the Sports Tourism sector.
Introduction
Positioning of Close2Sports
Service:
Very Personal
Integrated
Exclusive and distinguished
What do we offer?
International Profile:
Collaborators: Benelux, Spain, China, Corea, HK
Partners: Benelux, Spain, Switzerland, Russia, UK
Our sports ambassadors: active and retired sportsmen

Coverage: All important National and International Sports
events
Integrated, tailor-made packages to Sports events for companies
and private groups
*
Introduction
Positioning of Close2Sports
Why Hospitality through Sports events?
In today´s e-business environment, it is becoming hard to find
quality time with the company´s customers.
Entertain the customers while enjoying the most unique sports
events is an excellent way to demonstrate the importance of the
relationship with the customer, sharing memorable and exciting
moments
*
Why Close2Sports?
*

*
Why Close2Sports?
EVENT
The events are unique and passionate moments… an
unforgettable experience for the customer
IMAGE
Satisfaction of the customer to be a privileged eye witness of
the event, sharing his experience a posteriori with colleagues,
friends, other businessmen
NETWORKING
During the event many contacts are made. An ideal way of
networking for yourselves and your customers.
QUALITY
TIME
An atmosphere of hospitality, relax and enjoyment. An ideal
environment to spend quality time with your customers.
FIDELIZATION
An experience that will be recorded in the memory of the
people, who will always relate the event with the company,
which results in an important added value to the relationship
*
Bronce
¿Why Close2Sports?
Our services
Sumo
F1

Moto
GP
Basket
Tennis
Soccer
Other
sports
Golf
Sailing
For each type of sports we offer 3 kinds of programs:
Gold
Silver

*
MOTO GP
*
We take you to the passionate world of Moto GP, in a special
and distinguished way, making you breath the asphalt and
vibrate with the roaring of the motors during the 3 days of a
Grand Prix.
Budget : 100-200€/ person.
Ticket for 3 days GP
-Training sessions (Visit Paddock) + Race day
¿Why Close2Sports?
Our services
Budget: 400-700€/ person.
VIP Village for any GP.
3,2 o 1 days of competition.
Visit to Paddock

Walk along the Pit Lane
Catering
Personalization Village
Budget (*)
Access to one of the teams boxes
(including teams hospitality)
Access to one of the pilots
VIP Village, Paddock, Pit Lane, Catering.

*
FORMULA 1
*
Un unforgettable experience for anyone, where a few thousands
of seconds can make the difference. C2S offers a wide range of
possibilities, from which you can choose to make it become an
unique moment.
¿Why Close2Sports?
Our services
Budget : From 4000€/ person.
GP Monaco:
Entrance Ticket for 3,2 o 1 days of competition
VIP Village:
From a Private Boat
- From Hotel Paris (Room with Balcony with view on circuit)
- Hotel Hermitage (Penthouse with view on circuit).
Hospitality: Full package
Montmeló Circuit (Barcelona):
Possibility to drive a Formula 1 car

*
¿Why Close2Sports?
Our services: F1
Budget: +200€/ person
Entrance Ticket for 3 days of GP
Training Sessions + Race Day
Incentive day session in Montmeló circuit (Barcelona):
Combination of activities on grouplevel: Karts, Driving
Techniques, Guided visit to Circuit, Slots, ´Changing of
wheels´- sessions
Budget: 1000€/ person.
VIP Village for any GP.

3,2 o 1 days of competition
Visit to Paddock
Walk along the Pit Lane
Catering
Personalization Village
Formula Renault: Drive a F3000

*
FORMULA1
ASCARI
*
Private Circuit Ronda
An exclusive circuit in an uncomparable location, in the south
of Spain
Tailor-made packages:
For companies min 15, max 60 persons
Reduced groups: min 2 max 10 persons

Weekend: activities upon your request
Sports fishing, Wine tasting, Horseback riding, Airballoon trip,
etc
A day on the Circuit:
4 Driving sessions. (Different levels up to F1)
Catering: Breakfast, lunch, cocktail and refreshments
Closing ceremony and certificates:
Security on the circuit (Ambulance, Medical service, security
team)
*
SOCCER
*
Live the emotions of the most popular sport in the world…
Budget: 50-150€
Entrance Ticket for a 1st League game in Spain
¿Why Close2Sports?
Our services: Soccer
Budget: 600-1500€
Final Champions league.
First round WorldCup

Budget: + de 1500€
Quarter finals, semis and Final World Cup.
- First category seats + Transfers + Gala dinner

*
Sky Box VIP Close2Sports - Camp Nou
¿Why Close2Sports?
Our services: Soccer
Champions League games, National League and Kings Cup
Categories:
A+: ex. Barça-Chelsea
A: ex: Barça – Valencia
B: ex. Barça - Sevilla
C: ex. Barça – Zaragoza
D: ex. Barça - Racing
Private Box at Second Level: includes
12-14 VIP seats
Cava and refreshments
Private Catering
2 VIP Parking lots
Flat screen with satellite TV
Possibilty to personalize Box
FC Barcelona newspaper
Line up
*
BASKET

*
*
Ferrán Martínez guarantees exclusivity in the world of Basket
…..
Budget: 40 -150€
Entrance Ticket for a 1st League game
Kings Cup weekend
¿Why Close2Sports?
Our services: Basket
Budget : 300 - 600€
Final four in Athens
NBA game
Basket: + 600€
All Star Game
NBA Game + ´Follow your favourite star´

*
SAILING
*
An unique experience…….Technology and man´s ability

challenged by nature.
¿WhyClose2Sports?
Our services: Sailing
Budget 1200 – 2000€
America´s Cup 2007:
Access to the Exclusive Club “La Goleta”
Close assistance to the race on a private catamaran
VIP Hospitality including exclusive Catering
Races:
Act 13 Fleet Race: 03-07 April.
Luis Vuitton Cup: 18 April – 12 June.
America´s Cup Match: 23 June- 7 July.
C2S: Official agent for the 2007 America´s Cup hospitality

*
Other Sports
*
Cycling:
Tour de France + “Meet & Greet” + Exclusive experience
Why Close2Sports?
Our services: Other Sports
Tennis:
4 “Grand Slams”
Davis Cup.
Master Series.
Golf:
The 4 “Majors”.
An unique experience in Pebble Beach
Ryder Cup
A whole range of Sports are within our reach, from Golf to a

Sumo battle in Japan
*
Padel:
Exhibition or Company´s tournament with the current World´s
nº 1 (Fernando Belasteguín).
Why Close2Sports?
Other sports
Sumo:
Assist to a Sumo competition in Japan. 4 “Major Tournaments”
Rugby:
6 Nations Cup and World Cup.
Beijing Olympics 2008:
Packages to assist to Beijing 2008
*

Modus Operandi and Company structure
*
*
Modus Operandi and Company Structure
Our company can count on the support of different people in the
world:Elite Sportsmen and ex-sportsmen: Our ´ambassadors´.
They help us in bringing you as close as possible to where the
action is
Collaborators: ´Freelance´ people that help us to promote our
product in different countries.
Partners: Sports agencies of our trust (DMC´s), which guarantee
the good functioning of the local event
For Logistics matters we have the support of our Travel Agency
“Bontur”
*
Modus Operandi

Central Office
Partners
Collaborators
*

Modus Operandi
Contact
We listen to your specific needs
We design a proposal together with our customer and our
agency
Presentation of the proposal. As many modifications as needed
Closure of the proposal
Organization of the event
Closure Event/Evaluation with the customer
*
Conclusions
*
*
CONCLUSIONS
Sports events are experiences with a very high degree of

satisfaction and by consequence represent a very attractive
formula to incentivate people.
Close 2 Sports, with a very international profile, is very well
situated to approach its customers to these events on a
worldwide level.
Customer-made packages, for any profile and for any budget,
from incentives to employees to VIP packages for company
executives or important customers.
Great flexibility to adapt to any of the customer´s needs or
suggestions.
*
*
Summarizing: after 3 years the concept to be worked to has
become clear. Now a next step has to be taken in order to
communicate the product and position it in the market
4 Development areas1. Sports hospitality: tailor made packages
for companies or private groups to asist to sports events of
reference all over the world. paquetes a medida para empresas o
grupos privados para asisitir a eventos OUTGOING
2. BarcelonA la Carte: An offer of unique experiences in the
world of sports, combined with gastronomy, culture, art, music,
etc. in the cities of Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid.INCOMING

*
3. Ticketing: Tickets for sports events in the world. Main target
group: sports agencies, companies, or private groups. No direct
sales to the public via website.
4. Personalized sports events: mini events, tailor made for the
corporate customers. Private Saling regata, golf tournament,
tennis with ex top players.
1. Sports hospitality1. Sports hospitality:
Tailor made packages for companies or private groups, in
the world of sports.
Main challenge:
Communicate the product
- Commercialize the product
2. BarcelonA la Carte
Unique experiences in the world of sports, in combination with
gastronomy, culture, art, music, etc.

2. BarcelonA la Carte
Main challenge:
- Complete the offer
- Communicate the product
- Create internal or external structurer (freelancers)
3. Ticketing
FC Barcelona
Real Madrid
Champions League
Formula 1 Montmeló/Valencia
Moto GP in Spain
NBA tour
Masters Series
Main challenge:
- Improve contacts
- Define a clear target

4. Personalized Sports events
Tailor made Mini events. Sailing regata, golf tournament,
Tennis with ex top players.
Evento Desafío Español Desafío Duravit.pdf
Main challenge:
- Communicate the product
- Commercialize the product
Finance
Growth
Questions
MANY THANKS

*
*
Turismo
deportivo
10%
Totalidad
Turismo
90%
Hospitality
Ticketing
Paquetes
completos
Sumo
F1
Moto
GP
Basket
Tenis
F
ú
tbol
Otros
deportes
Golf
Vela
Sumo
F1
Moto
GP

Basket
Tenis
F
ú
tbol
Otros
deportes
Golf
Vela
Sumo
F1
Moto
GP
Basket
Tenis
Fútbol
Otros
deportes
Golf
Vela
Sumo
F1
Moto
GP
Basket
Tenis
Fútbol
Otros
deportes
Golf
Vela
Sumo
F1
Moto
GP
Basket

Tenis
F
ú
tbol
Otros
deportes
Golf
Vela
Sumo
F1
Moto
GP
Basket
Tenis
F
ú
tbol
Otros
deportes
Golf
Vela
SALES: relative numbers
Actual % of Total Projected. % of Sales
Sales Sales Sales in 3 y. in 3 years
Sports hospitality: 60 60% 150 43% x 2.5
Tourism: 20 20% 100 22% x 5.0
Ticketing 15 15% 60 13% x 4.0
Pers. Sports Events: 5 5% 80 22% x16.0
GROSS MARGIN:

Sports Hospitality: 15%
Tourism: 12%
Ticketing: 20%
Pers. Sports Events: 20%
Products of C2S
Development Growth
Maturity Decline
Madrid/ Valencia a la carte
VIP hospitality
Company event Sport
Barcelona a la carte
Ticketing Football
Ticketing other sport events
Company events Culture

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