In partnership with Darlington Football Club Supporters Group, Northumbria University undertook a research project with Darlington FC fans across March and April 2025 designed to understand their attitudes towards Boost the Budget, with a particular emphasis on understanding what drives fans to contribute towards BTB.

To achieve this, an online survey was devised by Northumbria University and administered across the DFC fan base by DFCSG, just over one month before the club’s planned 2025 BTB campaign commenced on May 1st.

Study Focus

Boost the Budget is an innovative approach to fan crowdfunding that was first launched by DFCSG to supplement the team playing budget. Most previous examples of fan crowdfunding were specific to more critical scenarios, typically when a club was faced with liquidation and required assistance from the public to continue to operate.

BTB is more concerned with the ongoing performance of the club 'on the pitch'. Since BTB was launched by DFCSG, there have been numerous examples of other non-league football clubs developing a similar crowdfunding model, including Lancaster City, Chester, Kidderminster Harriers and Aberystwyth Town, demonstrating the interest among clubs for another financial tool that can enhance their competitiveness.

The project's key aims were to identify the key drivers that encourage (and discourage) BTB pledges, to explore the relationship between BTB pledges and other forms of financial support for the club, and to ascertain the extent to which pledgers perceive their contribution as a donation or an investment.

Executive Summary

A total of 550 DFC fans fully completed the survey.

DFC fans are primarily motivated to contribute to BTB to increase the team’s chances of on the field success, as well as a sense of responsibility to support the club financially and take great pride in doing so.

DFC fans overwhelmingly view BTB as a form of donation to the club (their only expectation in return surrounds team performance).

DFC fans have accepted BTB as part of the club’s long-term financing.

Sample Overview

92% of respondents were male, 8% female.

80% of respondents were aged 45+.

74% of respondents have supported the club for 30 years+.

50% of respondents were season ticket holders.

79% of respondents were DFC Owners/DFCSG members.

43% of respondents lived within five miles of Blackwell Meadows. However, 22% of respondents lived 100+ miles from Blackwell Meadows (28% 51+ miles, including those living 100+ miles).

Boost The Budget

77% of respondents contributed to BTB in 2024/25 (23% did not).

On motivations, the data strongly indicates that the main reason for contributing to BTB is to improve chances of on-field success, along with pride in DFC and a sense of obligation/responsibility.

The data indicates satisfaction with the club’s performance in the 2024/25 season. Interest in contributing to BTB is not heavily driven by fans' perception of the current team manager or the previous season’s performance.

On trust, the data paints a positive picture of how fans perceive club leadership, in particular perceptions of club integrity and dependability.

On donation vs. investment, the data suggests fans typically view BTB contributions as donations over 'an investment', and not something from which they expect to receive a tangible benefit (even with the BTB Reward scheme in place). However, BTB contributions do lead to an expectation of improved team performance (this is not a tangible outcome, but does demonstrate that fans expect their contribution to have a positive impact on the team).

The data shows that fans have accepted BTB as an ongoing part of the club’s financial planning.

The strongest factor behind a 2024/25 BTB contribution was an individual’s perception that it would increase chances of on-field success. The same can be said for why fans will contribute again in 2025/26, alongside feeling a sense of responsibility for the playing budget and wider team pride, as well as believing that contributing is the "right thing to do" and being a DFC Owner/DFCSG member as other reasons positively influencing contribution intention.

Season ticket holders typically contribute more to BTB than those with other regular tickets, who in turn contribute more than those with no season ticket.

Additional Insights

DFC Fans who live further away from the stadium were likely to have donated a larger amount to BTB in 2024/25.

DFC Fans who volunteer for the club, purchase merchandise from Quaker Retail and/or who regularly take part in the Super 50/50 Draw, Quaker Lottery, etc, are more likely to donate to BTB.

How much an individual earns has only a weak association with how much they contributed to BTB in 2024/25 (and is not associated with their likelihood to engage in BTB in 2025/26).

There was a strong association between whether a person contributed to BTB in 2024/25, and how much an individual contributed, and their intention of contributing to BTB in 2025/26. 

Those who were satisfied with the team’s performance in 2024/25 are more likely to contribute to BTB in 2025/26.

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Northumbria University have made a number of recommendations to the DFCSG board and the Boost The Budget project team as a result of the findings from the survey report that will help to ensure the scheme's ongoing success in future years.

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the BTB survey and especially thank our friends from Northumbria University for their hard work, skill and collaboration with DFCSG across this excellent initiative.

You can contribute to Boost The Budget 2025/25 and make an impact on the squad we can build for next season by clicking here.