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Football fan app PitchDMM aims to raise £150k to help it sell data on supporters to clubs and broadcasters
11:10, 13 March 2018
A football fan app backed by former England international John Salako is aiming to raise nearly £150,000 from investors.
PitchDMM, based in Kings Hill, near West Malling, aims to sell data revealing what supporters think about their teams to broadcasters and clubs after collating opinions on its interactive forums.
The company's founder Susannah Schofield believes it can "change the way that fans engage with their clubs and each other fundamentally".
The Sevenoaks-based entrepreneur, who also runs her own consulting firm, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for marketing, PR and development of the app.
She secured former Crystal Palace winger Salako, who hails from Westerham, as an ambassador for the business, who said he was "excited" to hear about the concept.
So far, more than £52,000 has been pledged by 27 investors on crowdfunding website Seedrs, which is offering 7% equity in the business, valuing it at nearly £2 million.
Mrs Schofield said: "Fans are the lifeblood of any club, so how is it that currently they don't have a voice unless it's on social media or a forum?
"We aim to change all of that.
"With PitchDMM users will finally have a collective voice, building a community.
"The app provides hard facts about what fans really think about team selection, player performance, manager and boards.
"They even get to vent their frustrations if the ref has a diabolical game.
"Let's say that 90% of fans were happy with the transfer activity or 70% of fans want a certain goalkeeper playing and he's not being selected. Commentators need that information."
The app will also allow broadcasters to put out questions to fans and receive video responses which can be broadcast.
Ambassador John Salako, who is a commentator for Sky Sports, said: "Susannah talked me through the concept and with all my years of commentating at football games on the TV, I couldn't believe this didn't exist already.
"It's such a simple yet great idea, plus the video element will be a great addition, as will not only the fans get to talk and engage with their much-loved players and teams, making this the platform to be on, but imagine the value of these videos to the likes of the BBC and Sky? Authentic video content is priceless.
"Who wants to read a tweet when you can watch it in real-time in all its glory? I'm delighted to be involved."
After researching the concept from January last year, PitchDMM launched a test version of its app in August and fully launched earlier this month.
Mrs Schofield added: "The scalability of our business is huge because not only global football but cricket, rugby, MLS and NFL will all benefit from the app.
"We would go as far as to say any sport would gain benefit from what we can offer."
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