Crusaders Football Club

“The reason we chose Future Ticketing was we know these were the guys we could be with forever. When the world changes, we as a club need to change for our fans and we know Future Ticketing is already one step ahead when it comes to new tech and new solutions. Future Ticketing software allows us to expand past the single football games to provide for hospitality, corporate events, club events, concerts and other events.”

Bernard Thompson, General Manager

Crusaders Football Club is a club playing in the NIFL premiership which was founded in 1898 and has since won 28 senior trophies including seven league titles. Based in north Belfast, it plays its home matches at Seaview where it has been based since 1921 and which features a 4G artificial pitch, endorsed by UEFA.

Challenge

In the 2019-2020 UEFA Europa League qualifiers, Crusaders beat FC Torshavn 5-2 on aggregate to reach the second qualifier. The club then faced the English Premier League side, Wolverhampton Wanderers, where after two legs it was sadly beaten. This period, however, led to an unprecedented demand for tickets and access to games that Crusaders could not manage within their existing infrastructure. The club needed a solution, and fast.

Solution

Future Ticketing began partnering with the team at Crusaders and set in place a new high-performance ticketing system that met the club’s needs including the capability to:

Manage high volumes of ticket demand
Offer a simple and efficient booking process flow for fans
Provide exclusive access for Season Ticket holders and club members
Expand ticketing to include hospitality, off-field events, concerts and thereby boosting revenues
Staff were fully trained to self-manage the dashboard to set up events and deliver access control
To process orders

Added-value

In 2020, Crusaders took the decision to go fully cashless at its stadium, streamlining operations and enhancing the fan experience. With Future Ticketing, the club implemented a Clover EPOS solution in the restaurant, supported by an RFID smart card system.

Using Future Ticketing’s OPEN REST API, Crusaders can now sell food and beverages alongside match tickets within its branded app. Through a partnership with Facilipay, the club can automatically reward fan loyalty with personalised offers, driving stronger engagement. Push notifications enable Crusaders to reach fans directly with discounts and campaigns tailored to their buying preferences, ensuring higher satisfaction and longer-term value.

By replacing paper-based ticketing with an end-to-end digital solution, Crusaders has also increased security and improved entry speeds on match days. Whether for single-use or season tickets, fans can purchase directly via the club’s website, with seamless digital delivery and validation at the gate.

The club was particularly interested in expanding its offering beyond individual match days and growing its franchise in the area of hospitality, corporate events, club events, concerts and other events.