ClearCourse (“the Group”), a leading group of innovative technology brands providing software solutions and an integrated payments platform, today announces the acquisition of Club Systems International (“the Company”), a major sports club management software provider.
Established in 1982 and based in Manchester, Club Systems International provides leading sports management software to more than 1,750 sports clubs across 17 countries. Its vast customer base is comprised predominantly of golf clubs, but also includes rugby, cricket, and leisure clubs, for which it designs systems to streamline memberships, manage club competitions and process payments.
By joining ClearCourse, Club Systems International will receive increased investment to develop its product offering and reach thousands more customers worldwide. Furthermore, the business will benefit from integration with ClearCourse’s full spectrum of software businesses and ClearAccept, a payments solution designed by ClearCourse that gives specialist brands full control over their payments process while easing the challenges of security and compliance. This deal represents ClearCourse’s growth in the sports, payments and leisure sectors.
As part of this deal, ClearCourse has also acquired HowDidIDo Media, the leading advertisement and publishing entity connected to Club Systems International and owned by the same shareholders. The business operates HowDidIDo.com, Europe’s largest golfinRichard Peabodyg network, which caters for more than half a million golfers who have recorded seven million rounds of golf on the platform, as well as a number of golf media outlets including Greenkeeping and The Golf Business. Club Systems’ managing director, Richard Peabody, and its chairman, Glyn Roberts, will continue to lead the company.
ClearCourse was founded to support the growth of UK businesses that provide software and payment processing services to a variety of membership organisations including non-profits, trade associations, trade unions, sporting bodies and charities. It acquires innovative businesses with strong management teams and complementary offerings, facilitating operational and commercial synergies. The Group has undergone remarkable growth since its foundation, expanding from a standing start to now having over 800 employees and serving upwards of 20,000 customers with more than 30 solutions.
Gerry Gualtieri, CEO of ClearCourse, commented: “Sports and leisure is an exciting sector which continues to be invigorated by great software designed with clubs, organisers and members in mind. Club Systems has seized this opportunity by creating clever, purpose-built sports club solutions, amassing a vast and diverse customer base as a result. We are delighted to welcome Glyn, Richard and the wider team to ClearCourse.”
Richard Peabody said: “This is a very exciting time for sports clubs as life begins to look more like the normal we experienced before the pandemic and clubs are able to operate at full capacity once again. Joining ClearCourse and having access to its pool of talent, knowledge and software expertise will help us to ensure that Club Systems can remain at the forefront of the sports club management sector.”
The financial terms of the deals are undisclosed.
