Following the Club’s appointment of new Commercial Manager, Rebecca Hemming, at the start of January, we took the opportunity to sit down with Rebecca following what has been an eventful first month in the role and find out what she thought and what she has planned....
So Rebecca, what was your first impression of Newport County AFC?
My first impression of the Club was that there is a huge amount of potential to create a strong commercial offering. I really liked the sense of community around the Club and the hard work done by the other members of the team and the dedicated volunteers.
Starting a new job and receiving 300+ emails on my second day was a unique challenge, but one I feel very fortunate to be a part of.
Is it important to capitalise on the cup run?
When there is an opportunity like the Emirates FA Cup run, it is important to make the most of it. We had nearly 800 guests in hospitality for the Tottenham Hotspur game which is roughly 10 times the usual dining numbers. The replay also presented a unique opportunity for corporate guests. By allowing those who bought a table for a home league game the chance to buy Wembley tickets, we were able to gain additional interest for our regular fixtures for the remaining season.
What new approach will you be bringing to the role and the Club?
While Newport County AFC has a lot of potential commercially, there is need for a more digitally up to date and streamlined approach to engaging with our current and new corporate partners. This will include clear booking and payment instructions as well as a better system for promoting advertising and hospitality opportunities.
How's next season looking? Any new plans?
We will look to introduce a tiered system into next year's plans. This will include Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum packages and will enable us to create bespoke offers for the different tiers and optimise relationship management.
And beyond next season, what's your vision for County's future?
I’d like to see Newport County AFC as a business hub in South Wales with more Gwent based companies interacting with the Club.
However during the Emirates FA Cup run, we had sponsors such as Sunway University in Malaysia and 888 come on board so there's clearly an opportunity to seek global support for Newport County AFC.
___________________________________________
If you have any queries, are interested in booking Hospitality places, or would like to find out about marketing and sponsorship at the Club, Rebecca can be contacted at commercial@newport-county.co.uk.
