I’m not a professional writer, so this is me talking straight—from one guy who loves sports and marketing, sharing what I’ve learned after nearly a decade in this business. When I built Guf+Souls, it wasn’t just about building an agency. It was about building something bigger: a community. And that community would turn out to be one of our most powerful tools.
Looking back, long before Guf+Souls was even a name, I had the chance to be part of the Minutes of Manager group—marketing managers from Jakarta who shared a passion for sports marketing and a vision to push the Indonesian sports industry forward. But honestly, there wasn’t really any dedicated forum or community where these conversations could consistently happen. That’s a huge gap because sports marketing isn’t just about individual brands or campaigns—it’s about people coming together to share, learn, and grow.
That’s why we created Club de Soul. Think of it as our way to gather everyone who shares a passion for sports marketing and sports business. It’s not just for football fans; it’s much broader than that. Our community includes sports marketing professionals, practitioners (from brands, teams, federations, or agencies), career switchers, students—anyone who wants to make a difference in Indonesia’s sports scene.
And it works. Our biweekly forum discussion, Guf+Hub, draws about 30 people regularly. MInimum. These aren’t just casual fans—they’re active professionals exchanging ideas, debating trends, and problem-solving real industry challenges. Then there’s Guf+Futebol, our monthly football meetup, where more than 50 people come together—not only to play football but to connect on a human level. We’re also into tennis and padel, because community is about shared experiences beyond work.
What really makes Club de Soul special is the deeper connection it creates. Offline and online, through events and our WhatsApp group of 400+, people feel part of something meaningful. And let’s be honest, that connection fuels loyalty and passion—it’s what turns a one-time contact into a lifelong supporter or partner. It’s the heartbeat of true sports marketing.
Community Management: Beyond Fans, Toward Growth
Many might think sports communities are just about fans cheering their favorite teams. That’s only part of the picture. For sports marketing agencies like ours, community means building a network of people who share knowledge, opportunities, and support. It’s about collaboration and elevating the entire sports ecosystem—athletes, brands, media, and marketers alike.
In fact, literature and case studies in sports marketing emphasize this: successful community management leads to stronger brand loyalty, deeper fan engagement, and sustainable business growth. We create value for everyone involved with nurturing real relationships rather than just transactional ones.
The journey hasn’t always been easy. Starting from scratch meant building trust slowly, organizing events that felt relevant, and creating a space where people felt safe to speak up and connect. But these efforts have paid off.
Club de Soul is a living example of how community management can change the game—lifting individual careers, launching new partnerships, and igniting creative ideas that push the sports marketing industry in Indonesia to new heights.
Why This Matters
Why do we do it? Because the sports industry in Indonesia has tremendous potential, but it needs more than just talent—it needs a community. A place for ideas, support, and growth. It’s not just about our agency or even just sports marketing. It’s about building something lasting that benefits everyone involved in sports.
For me and the team at Guf+Souls, Club de Soul is the soul of our work. It’s the reason we keep pushing forward, not just for business, but for the people who make sports what it is—the marketers, the athletes, the fans, and everyone in between.
So if you’re thinking community is just fans and cheers, think again. Community in sports marketing is the invisible force powering the future of sports in Indonesia—and we’re proud to be part of it.