How Rematch Scaled to 13,000 Users with HubSpot
SmartBug Media® created a custom HubSpot CRM and data model to help the sports highlight app, Rematch, bridge the gap between users who download the app and those who regularly record clips and engage with the platform.
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The Need
Uncovering Blindspots in User Behavior
Rematch debuted in France as a successful sports highlights app and recently expanded into the U.S. market. At every turn, the French team could leverage product databases to measure KPIs, but the small U.S. team didn’t have the same luxury.
That’s because the new team was starting from scratch, without CRM visibility or effective methods to handle critical operations. Rematch U.S. had no way to understand app users—including passive downloaders, Rematchers (active users), and Influencers (VIPs). A centralized source of truth was the key to gaining marketing insights, tracking user behavior, and supporting decision-making to meet the company’s growth goals.
What the team really needed was a solution to understand and engage its monthly activated users (MAUs) beyond simply capturing match highlights. HubSpot stood behind door No. 1, backed by SmartBug Media’s team of experts, ready to support Rematch’s goals for the U.S. market.
I knew that to have the success we ultimately envisioned, we had to implement the foundation, the structure, the skeleton for a CRM system that was built the right way out of the gate and would scale with us as we grow. The main motivation for hiring SmartBug was to set us up for long-term scalability as we entered the U.S. market.
Phase 1: HubSpot CRM
Kickoff (Week 1)
SmartBug’s journey with Rematch U.S. began with the project kickoff. The process enabled both sides to get acquainted and aligned, sharing basic introductions and high-level client goals. During this preliminary meeting, the Rematch and SmartBug teams also defined timelines, roles, and expectations.
Discovery (Week 2)
SmartBug gathered our assigned account team in a series of discovery calls to meet and better understand Rematch as a client. Creative, marketing, and technical discussions are crucial to discover client preferences and technical requirements, providing our team with a baseline for goals, reporting, and the initial HubSpot Marketing Hub implementation.
Strategic Plan (Week 3)
By week three, the engagement was well underway, wrapping up discovery by collecting finalized details and priorities and building a roadmap for the remainder of the project. SmartBug provided Rematch training to understand and navigate its buyer’s journey before collaborating on a deeper strategy, from paid media opportunities to broad campaigns.
Implementation (Week 4-6)
The second half of this first phase centered on one thing: execution. Taking a tag-team approach, both the SmartBug and Rematch marketing teams collaborated across content, PR, paid campaigns, and opportunities to adjust and enhance the client’s strategic plan.
The Results
Exceeding Goals with Data-Driven Engagement
I told [SmartBug] from day one that I wanted open, honest conversations […] I want people who are linking arms with me and are invested in the Rematch journey. They’ve been incredibly receptive to my leadership style, and the success of this partnership is a direct result.
