THE Infinity Sports Project (ISP) was founded in September 2020 in response to the lack of tailored support that exists across the club game.
Its founder, Mossley resident and former vice-chair of Mossley AFC Callum Irving, explained why he set this up.
He said: “During the Covid crisis, I think there was a lack of consultation and even basic knowledge sharing with clubs, particularly from leagues.
“Outside of some signposting towards Government grant schemes and highlighting platforms such as JustGiving, I felt there was a mentality of closing eyes, crossing fingers and hoping clubs would make it to the other side.”
Callum, whose works as an international football consultant with FIFA, UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the United Arab Emirates FA, also brings in a global view of how best clubs can be supported.
He continued: “Our consultancy projects across the world have given us access to some brilliant and not-so-brilliant models that operate in the grassroots and semi-professional football levels across the globe.
“Through ISP, we have created a model which is simple, bespoke and utilises the existing spending power within clubs.”
The model is simple. ISP uses existing club spend and the margins created to offer back consultancy and operational services to clubs around whatever aspects are the most useful. These could be grants, facilities, commercial planning and implementation, technical development, video analysis, community development and club wide strategy development.
No fees would be charged, clubs would simply be asked to purchase kit, equipment, trophies and other products through the ISP supply network. These are the margins that would then be used to support the wider work.
Callum added: “We know there are a lot of good companies supplying clubs who deliver good service. However, there are also some not-so-good ones.
“Even those supplying well cannot offer a wider range of services to help grow clubs as businesses across a number of areas and this is where we want to help – we don’t want you to spend more, we actually think we can probably save you some money, we want to make your existing spend work harder.
“My roles at FIFA, UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation encompass the full gambit of club development from technical development systems to commercial and facilities, we also have a team of associates who operate in several areas who we can utilise in specialised areas.
“We genuinely think we can help and support clubs without putting more burden on volunteers or having to bring in expensive consultants, but by simply using the power of their existing spend.
“Our supplier network has a range of wholly owned companies, licenses and suppliers we have worked with for a number of years in different parts of the world. Our global reach has enabled us to bring this group together and offer further savings to clubs, as we grow our club partners any discounts from larger buying power will be offered directly to clubs.
“We are also creating a wider benefits package for clubs which will involve events for coaches, chairs and wider access to a range of global experts.”
The aim of ISP is to begin in Tameside, where clubs have already joined, with the aim of working across Greater Manchester and further afield from next season.
Callum concluded: “We know clubs are already tied into long deals with suppliers, please get in touch, as there are many ways to partner, there really is nothing to lose and potentially this could be a way to unlock some of the potential within clubs.”
Clubs can get in touch with Callum by email callum.irving@infinitysp.co.uk