Burnley FC has partnered with Romanian startup Nordensa to leverage the company’s technology and data-driven scouting platform.
Nordesna’s solution factors football fans into the scouting process by allowing followers of partnered clubs to support trials of prospective talent via its app.
The platform uses sportstech and data to scout up-and-coming footballers who are then analysed by its team of Premier League and Bundesliga scouts.
App users are then given the opportunity to invest in a player’s future by purchasing a stake of up to 8% of the player’s salary for the next five years, and also gain access to exclusive content.
“I’m happy to announce our collaboration with Nordensa, as we continue to find innovative ways to discover exciting player talent,” stated Alan Pace, Chairman of Burnley FC. As a football team, we are enthusiastic about nurturing future talent, and we find it fascinating how Nordensa is bringing players and fans together in a novel way. I’m excited to work with Nordensa and watch more football players who are supported by their fans leave their impact on the game.
The Burnley alliance follows on from Nordensa’s €1.65 million capital raising in a financing round. The owners of the Lancashire club took part in the investment round and are currently members of the advisory board of the company, together with Chris Kay, the CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi and the head of marketing at Manchester City.
Burnley is no stranger to sports data and technology. Marcus Mellor, the head of commercial for the team, discussed the club’s goal of being more “savvy” in this area in an interview with Insider Sport’s Behind the Badge podcast last year. Additionally, it has actively pursued Web3 collaborations.
Nordensa is now hopeful that its platform and technologies can make an impact in English football after a successful year in which Cameroonian midfielder Joseph Lyendjock became the first player backed by fans to sign for a European team, joining Dinamo Tbilisi’s reserve team.
“We are ecstatic to have Burnley FC as our inaugural Premier League partner,” Nordensa CEO and Founder Adrian Docea stated.
“We’re not taking for granted that the club shares our vision to give over five billion ardent fans a genuine chance at meaningful involvement in football, so we’re continuing to work on our mission to reach as many people as possible and give them the chance to change a young person’s life.
“We think that kind of power in the hands of the fans is not only the future of the sport, but it is also incredibly rewarding in and of itself.”
With three games left, Burnley is presently ranked 19th in the Premier League standings. Even though relegation is certain, this might be Nordensa’s chance to help the team possibly recover if it makes it back to the EFL Championship.
