An essential component of a succesful B2B strategy
Sports business media outlet Ecofoot published an in-depth feature exploring how sports organisations across France are using our B2B mobile application to transform their partner networks. We are proud to share their findings here, as told through the experiences of three of our clients: Castres Olympique, Boulazac Basket Dordogne, and JDA Bourgogne Dijon Basket.
A growing number of sports organisations are rolling out a dedicated mobile application for their business club. As Ecofoot reports, this new communication channel has firmly established itself as an indispensable tool for engaging partner networks, whilst generating incremental revenue streams in the process.
A genuine communication channel in its own right
As Vincent Manganiello, Director of Operations at Castres Olympique, told Ecofoot:
"Our mobile application has become a genuine communication channel in its own right. Thanks to this solution, we send far fewer emails to our partners. It allows us to separate communication flows and better target our messaging."
Adopted at the start of the 2025-26 season, the Bundeling-powered application has been a real game changer for Castres Olympique's business club, which now brings together more than 400 companies.
"At Castres Olympique, we regularly organise breakfast events and morning coffee sessions for several dozen partners. Now, with the Bundeling application, we simply create the event via the back office and immediately receive a list of registrants with all their contact details. The whole process flows seamlessly."
Johan Dufour, Commercial, Marketing and Communications Director at Boulazac Basket Dordogne, a Betclic Elite club that has been using Bundeling for three seasons, shared a similar perspective with Ecofoot:
"When we first became interested in Bundeling, we already had a relatively large number of partners. We were looking to better structure our ways of working, particularly around the network side. We also needed a digital solution that would allow our partners to register for events in just a few clicks. We quickly understood that the product developed by Bundeling was the ideal solution."
Samuel Usureau, Deputy President of JDA Bourgogne Dijon Basket, echoed these sentiments when speaking to Ecofoot:
"Before we launched our JDA Connect application, partners would contact our sales administrator directly. In the run-up to each match, he would receive hundreds of emails to confirm hospitality arrangements. As our network grew, this became unmanageable. The application has streamlined the entire process."
A powerful networking tool
As companies increasingly seek a tangible return on investment, particularly through network expansion, sports organisations must develop more touchpoints between their partners. As Ecofoot highlights, the B2B mobile app provides an ideal solution for meeting this demand.
Usureau told Ecofoot:
"The directory is, for me, the biggest asset of our application. Members of our business club can access their peers' contact details in just a few clicks and message them directly. This feature is extremely popular with our network." — Samuel Usureau
During a standard Betclic Elite season, JDA Bourgogne Dijon Basket welcomes 350 companies to its arena, of which 110 are business club members with access to the B2B mobile application. Manganiello confirmed to Ecofoot that partners no longer need to go through the club to reach other members: they can now access contact details directly via the app, which significantly accelerates introductions.
Karl Lefranc, International General Manager at Bundeling, summed up the value:
"The B2B mobile app transforms the partner relationship into an active experience 365 days a year, no longer limited to match days or events. Companies find exactly what they're looking for: a measurable return on investment, whether in terms of business, network, or visibility."
Rapid and natural adoption by partners
The success of any such channel depends on its level of adoption. Karl Lefranc explained to Ecofoot why uptake tends to be swift:
"A B2B application responds to an already established habit: today, everything goes through mobile. Over 95% of the population owns a smartphone, and the majority of interactions happen via apps, not websites. Adoption is natural, provided you offer genuine value: simple, fast access to the network, concrete business opportunities, and an exclusive space reserved for partners."
Manganiello confirmed that the Bundeling launch met with remarkable engagement, with the majority of Castres Olympique partners downloading the app within just a few days. Dufour highlighted ease of use as a key driver for Ecofoot:
"The application is genuinely very easy to use, which is one of the factors driving its adoption. Once partners have their login credentials, they can very easily update their profile, post offers on the marketplace, or register for events. They are fully autonomous."
On the question of whether organisations need to dedicate a staff member to managing the application, Karl Lefranc was unequivocal when speaking to Ecofoot:
"No, that is not what I would recommend. One of Bundeling's key objectives is precisely to save time. Clubs already use multiple tools daily: emails, WhatsApp, Teams. This ends up dispersing information and wasting time. The application brings a simple solution: centralising all communications and needs within a single environment, accessible across all departments via a shared back office, with tailored access rights for each user."
New revenue streams with significant potential
Beyond the operational and networking benefits, the B2B mobile application rapidly becomes a profitable channel. Bundeling's solution includes visibility spaces that clubs can commercialise to their partners. Manganiello gave Ecofoot a compelling example from Castres Olympique:
"Groupama sponsored our home match against Stade Toulousain in the TOP 14. We complemented our standard package with visibility on our mobile application. Throughout the week leading up to the match, Groupama benefited from banner placements with a click-to-action redirecting directly to their website. Through this activation, our partner was in front of a highly targeted pool of potential clients."
He added that as the application's user base continues to grow, selling advertising within it to a highly targeted, quality audience is becoming increasingly attractive, with strong potential as a revenue channel.
Regarding investment, Karl Lefranc told Ecofoot:
"Our model is designed to adapt to the reality of each organisation. In concrete terms, beyond the initial setup, the average monthly subscription is a few hundred euros, which includes the platform, support, and customisation."
Bundeling currently serves more than 1,300 clients across Europe, from Champions League clubs such as FC Barcelona, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, to regional-level basketball and rugby organisations, with strong, sustained growth.
