More than a Game: Lessons from Leeds United on the Power of Purpose

Sport is huge—and it’s only getting bigger. From the Premier League to Formula One and the booming rise of women’s sport, audiences and engagement are surging. But beyond goals and glory, something more interesting is happening: clubs, athletes and leagues are realising the commercial and social power of purpose.

Our latest webinar explored how sport can drive meaningful social change. We worked with the Leeds United Foundation to help develop their new strategy, so we invited their Chief Executive Frances Milner to sit down with Firetail CEO Andy Martin to discuss what happens when a club uses the power of its badge to stand for something more than football. 

Here’s what we took away from the conversation.

1. Everyone wins when sports organisations do good

In sport, ‘purpose’ describes the meaningful social impact a club creates which goes beyond results and entertainment.

It includes the way they serve their communities, engage fans, champion issues and use their platforms for good. 

For Frances, the focus at Leeds United is clear: using the power of the badge to keep kids active, safe, and learning.

Under Frances’s leadership, the LUFC Foundation is becoming a model for connecting a club’s identity with its wider purpose.

“We’re the heart of the club, but the soul of the city.” - Frances

2. Get leadership on-side

For the smartest clubs, leagues and athletes, a clear sense of social purpose is part of their core strategy. 

Clubs and athletes are baking social impact into strategy and sponsorships, because fans reward teams that stand for more than results. The upshot: centring purpose drives deeper loyalty, stronger partnerships and real change—on and off the pitch.

Frances made the point neatly: when senior leaders champion the Foundation, doors open. Leeds’ Chief Business Officer puts the Foundation in front of major sponsors and partners, showing that community impact is part of the Leeds United offer, not an optional extra.

3. Sport is about identity, community and belonging 

In turbulent times, sport gives people a reason to sit around the same table. The We All Love Leeds consortium, named after the famous chant, brings together businesses with a local footprint, like Burberry, Santander and Leeds Building Society to work for young people in the city.

In the capital, London United shows how rival clubs can pool their reach to tackle issues across the city.

These alliances work because sport has something few other sectors do: a unifying badge, a positive sense of belonging, and a platform to turn good will into measurable change.

To support this, we shared new research of fan identity from More in Common that showed the importance of sporting identity to community action and civic engagement. 

Ultimately, sport is about emotion, narratives and stories. A clear purpose can make those stories stronger.

4. Count what counts

Demonstrating impact is crucial  for making the case for purpose and to unlock funding. 

Measuring impact in this space is new to many clubs. It’s not the core business, and they are dealing with complex social issues like confidence, wellbeing and belonging. Leeds United Foundation has started small, working with the Premier League and Leeds Beckett University to build an evidence base of relevant data and insights. 

Partnership is key. No one changes a community alone. Sport sits inside a network of clubs, schools, councils and charities. What matters is understanding the role you play in the bigger picture. The foundations getting this right are the ones that treat data as a learning tool, not a scoreboard. 

At Firetail, we see purpose as a source of strategic advantage in sport — not a side project. It’s what connects clubs to their communities and turns values into value.

If you’re exploring how to embed purpose in your organisation, the Leeds United Foundation shows what’s possible. Whether you’re starting out or ready to prove impact, Firetail can help you take the next step.

Read more about our work in sport here, or us a message at mail@firetail.co.uk to explore how we can help.