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Q & A with Charlie Roach, Commercial Executive from Notts County FC
Starting at 16 in the ticket office, Charlie Roach has climbed the ranks to play a key role in shaping the club’s commercial future. From fan engagement to hospitality innovation, he shares insights on how partnerships, digital evolution, and fresh ideas are transforming the matchday experience.
Q: Charlie, can you share some highlights from your journey in the sports industry and the pivotal moments that have shaped your career?
A: I started my career in the ticket office at Notts County selling tickets and merchandise from the age of 16 which led to me being offered a full-time role as commercial assistant at Notts. Since then, I have worked within multiple roles at the club such as events, fan engagement and now, hospitality sales & partnerships.
A vital moment for me in my career was my time in fan engagement, this was pivotal in understanding that working in the sports industry you are a massive part of peoples lives and have the opportunity to make a difference not just in sport and the experience they have whilst they are at the stadium but in the city and wider community.
Q: The fan experience is crucial in football. How do developments in hospitality and commercial partnerships contribute to enhancing it at Notts County?
A: Gaining partners is crucial to the fan experience in sport, through our partners we have hosted multiple events to gauge new audiences in the city, we have multiple new food offerings around the ground through our partners and the money they put into the club is vital to improving all aspects of the matchday experience.
For supporters, football is more than just the 90 minutes played on the pitch, within hospitality we have a duty to go the extra mile and make the day special for them which can often lead to commercial gains later down the line.
Q: The sports industry is seeing a growing number of young professionals like yourself entering the field. How crucial do you think this new generation is to the future of sports business, and what fresh perspectives can they bring to drive further improvements?
A: In an ever changing and high intensity environment, its important that fresh ideas and perspectives are brought into industry. An aspect that young professionals can bring into the industry is the knowledge of technological developments and data. Since coming into the Notts County the data collection development has been a key to success off the pitch.
Q: How have you seen the ticketing and commercial landscape evolve in recent years?
A: Over the past few years ticketing is becoming more digitalised and accessible as ever. People are coming away from wanting to input lists & lists of details when checking out which has subsequently led to Notts County introducing a guest checkout for our hospitality to drive sales for our more casual supporters and tourists visiting Nottingham.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges clubs like Notts County face in the commercial space?
A: The biggest challenges we face as a 4th tier of English football club is getting national brands on board as partners. The resources we have, is reaching out to local businesses and getting them on board which has been a great success for us. However, when it comes to national brands it can be a struggle to get to speak to top level employees and understand their strategy on a regional level.
Another challenge is getting the supporters to believe in the big changes they are seeing off the pitch. A big part of getting them on board is being transparent with them, always keeping them in touch with what is happening, we do this through regular fan advisory board meetings which are held multiple times across the season.
Q: How important is digital innovation in shaping the future of football ticketing and commercial operations?
A: At Notts County we are building foundations on being the most innovative club in the country, through this we partnered with the Uni of Nottingham to create an innovation centre at the ground where we will see more and more students enrol on to courses through Notts County, which are not just sport related but across the board from catering to business.
The world of ticketing is one of the most fast paced industries you can be in and staying innovative is vital, observing what other clubs are doing and keep learning along the way.
Q: Finally, what’s your vision for the future of commercial operations at Notts County FC?
A: For us, we have to keep evolving, in what is an ever-changing environment, we have to keep assessing our offering, looking at ways to advance the club off the field and maximising commercial gain.
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