Fractional CMO UK: The Complete 2026 Guide for Sports Startups and Agencies
The UK fractional CMO market has grown 35% year on year since 2020. Sports startups and agencies need senior marketing leadership but can't justify £120,000 salaries for full time CMOs. The fractional model gives you experienced leadership at a third of the cost.
Most fractional CMOs are consultants who couldn't get hired full time. They write strategy decks and disappear. This guide explains what actually works in the UK market, how to avoid the common mistakes and when fractional CMO leadership makes commercial sense for your business.
| Topic | Key Points |
|---|---|
| What It Is | Senior marketing exec working 1-2 days per week. Board level leadership without full time costs. Not a consultant, agency or interim. |
| UK Pricing | £750-£2,000/day or £3,000-£15,000/month retainers. London 20-30% higher than regions. Entry level £750-£1,000, senior £1,500-£2,000. |
| IR35 Reality | Must stay outside IR35 or lose cost advantage. Contract must specify deliverables not hours. Legal review costs £500-£2,000 but essential. |
| When You Need This | Post Series A startups, agencies in feast/famine cycles, scale ups replacing founder led marketing. Need strategy more than execution. |
| Red Flags to Avoid | Consultants rebranded as fractional CMOs. No sector experience. Can't prove revenue outcomes. Write strategies without implementation. |
| What to Ask | How do you structure contracts for IR35? What revenue have you driven in last 24 months? What happens when engagement ends? |
| Porter Wills Edge | 15 years launching Formula E, E1, SailGP, RunGP. Sports sector specialist. £500k+ revenue driven. Custom AI systems. Revenue focus not decks. |
| Cost vs Full Time | Full time CMO: £120-£150k + benefits = £180k package. Fractional 1 day/week: £72k annually. 2 days/week: £144k. Half to two thirds saving. |
What fractional CMO actually means in UK context
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing executive who works with your business part time, typically one to two days per week. You get board level marketing leadership without the full time salary, benefits package or long term commitment that comes with hiring a permanent CMO.
The UK market is different from the US model. IR35 regulations mean you need proper contract structures to avoid your fractional CMO being classified as a disguised employee. Get this wrong and you face unexpected tax liabilities that wipe out the cost savings.
A fractional CMO is not a consultant. Consultants deliver reports and recommendations. A fractional CMO embeds in your business, makes decisions, builds systems and takes responsibility for outcomes. They join leadership meetings, manage budgets and drive strategy like any C level executive.
A fractional CMO is not an agency. Agencies execute campaigns you approve. A fractional CMO sets the strategy, decides what gets executed and builds internal capability so your marketing works when they're not there.
A fractional CMO is not an interim. Interims fill gaps during recruitment. Fractional CMOs are a permanent solution for businesses that need senior expertise but not five days per week of executive time.
How UK contracts work without triggering IR35
IR35 tests three things. Control, substitution and mutuality of obligation.
If your fractional CMO can't send a substitute, if you control how and when they work and if there's an expectation of continuous engagement, HMRC treats them as an employee. You deduct PAYE and National Insurance, which kills the cost advantage.
Proper fractional CMO contracts are outside IR35. They specify deliverables not hours, give the CMO autonomy over methods and make clear there's no obligation for continued work beyond agreed periods. You pay their company, not them personally.
Legal fees to get this right cost £500 to £2,000. Pay them. The alternative is a tax bill that makes hiring a full time CMO look cheap.
When UK companies need a fractional CMO
You need fractional CMO leadership when you have real revenue to protect or grow, marketing that isn't driving results and no one internally who can fix it at board level.
Post Series A sports startups
You raised capital. You need traction. Your founder is still running marketing because you can't justify a £120,000 hire when the team is eight people. Marketing feels reactive, campaigns don't connect to revenue and investors are asking uncomfortable questions about customer acquisition costs.
This is the classic fractional CMO scenario. You need someone who has built marketing systems before, who can embed with your team two days per week and who measures success by revenue generated not vanity metrics.
Agencies stuck in feast and famine cycles
Your agency does great creative work. New business happens when the founder has time to chase leads, which means it doesn't happen consistently. You swing between too much work and not enough pipeline.
A fractional CMO builds systematic business development. They create repeatable outreach, nurture relationships when you're busy with clients and generate conversations that turn into revenue without the whole company stopping work.
Scale ups replacing founder led marketing
Your founder ran marketing through Series A. Now you're scaling, the team is 50 people and marketing needs systems, strategy and leadership the founder doesn't have time to provide. But you're not ready to commit £150,000 to a full time CMO when the role might evolve in 12 months.
Fractional leadership bridges this gap. You get senior expertise now, time to see how the role develops and flexibility to adjust as the business changes.
Red flags that you need fractional not full time
You need a fractional CMO rather than full time hire when:
Marketing needs board level thinking more than hands on execution. If you need someone writing emails and building campaigns, hire a marketing manager. Fractional CMOs set strategy and build systems.
Your business model doesn't need five days of marketing leadership every week. Event based companies, seasonal businesses and startups with long sales cycles don't need constant executive attention on marketing.
You can't define the full time role clearly. If you're not sure whether you need a CMO, growth marketer, brand director or commercial lead, bring in a fractional CMO to diagnose what's actually needed before committing to permanent headcount.
Your budget won't stretch to a good full time CMO. Better to hire excellent fractional leadership than mediocre full time executives. Marketing that doesn't work costs more than marketing that does, regardless of the day rate.
UK market pricing reality
Fractional CMO rates in the UK range from £750 to £2,000 per day, depending on experience, sector expertise and location. Most work on monthly retainers of £3,000 to £15,000 rather than day rates, which gives both sides predictability.
London versus regions
London rates run 20% to 30% higher than regional markets. A senior fractional CMO in London charges £1,500 to £2,000 per day. The same expertise in Manchester or Edinburgh costs £1,000 to £1,500.
This isn't just London premium. The capital has higher talent density in specific sectors like fintech and sports marketing, which drives rates up. If your business needs niche expertise that's concentrated in London, you pay London rates regardless of where your office is.
What you get at different price points
Entry level fractional CMOs charge £750 to £1,000 per day. You get someone who has held marketing leadership roles but probably in smaller companies or less complex sectors. They can audit your current marketing, build basic strategy and set up systems, but they won't have experience scaling global properties or managing seven figure budgets.
Mid tier pricing is £1,000 to £1,500 per day. This gets you someone who has built marketing functions from scratch, managed teams and driven measurable revenue growth. They bring proven frameworks, established processes and credibility with investors or clients.
Senior fractional CMOs charge £1,500 to £2,000 per day. These are executives who have launched major brands, worked at board level in venture backed companies and have specific deep expertise. If you need someone who has built marketing for sports properties, managed global launches or integrated AI into marketing operations, this is the bracket.
How it compares to full time CMO costs
A full time CMO in London costs £120,000 to £150,000 base salary. Add employer National Insurance at 13.8%, pension contributions and other benefits, you're at £150,000 to £180,000 total package.
A fractional CMO working one day per week at £1,500 per day costs £72,000 annually. Two days per week is £144,000. You get senior expertise for half to two thirds of the full time cost, with no benefits, no notice period and no permanent headcount.
The trade off is time. One day per week gives you strategic direction and system building. It doesn't give you someone managing campaigns daily or sitting in every meeting. For businesses that need thinking more than doing, this is optimal. For businesses that need constant hands on marketing leadership, fractional won't work.
Hidden costs to factor in
IR35 compliance adds £500 to £2,000 in legal fees upfront. This is not optional. Get the contract wrong and you face tax bills that eliminate the savings.
Onboarding takes time. A fractional CMO needs to understand your business, customers, competitive landscape and internal dynamics before they can add value. Budget for a month of learning before expecting results.
Tools and systems may need investment. If your fractional CMO identifies that your marketing infrastructure is broken, fixing it costs money. This isn't a hidden cost, it's just reality, but factor it into your budget.
How to evaluate fractional CMOs in UK market
Most fractional CMOs in the UK are ex agency leaders or consultants who rebranded. Few have actually held C level positions in businesses where they were accountable for revenue outcomes. Your evaluation process needs to filter for real leadership experience versus consulting with better branding.
Credentials that actually matter
Look for at least 10 years in marketing leadership roles. This means head of marketing, CMO or equivalent positions where they reported to the CEO or board and held budget accountability.
Check for sector relevant experience. A fractional CMO who built marketing for SaaS companies won't understand event based revenue models or sports property launches. Generic marketing expertise doesn't translate across sectors as easily as people claim.
Ask about revenue outcomes. Any fractional CMO worth hiring can tell you specific revenue numbers they drove, customer acquisition costs they improved or commercial results they delivered. If they talk in vague terms about brand awareness or strategic positioning without hard metrics, walk away.
Chartered Marketer status from CIM indicates professional credibility in the UK market, but it's not essential. Real world outcomes matter more than qualifications.
Questions to ask when vetting
How do you structure contracts to stay outside IR35? If they can't explain control tests, substitution clauses and mutuality of obligation clearly, they haven't worked properly in the UK fractional market. You'll end up with compliance problems.
What revenue have you actually driven for clients in the last 24 months? Push for specifics. If they delivered £500,000 in new revenue for a Series A sports startup, they can tell you how. If they improved marketing efficiency without concrete numbers, they're guessing.
How do you measure success beyond strategy documents? Fractional CMOs who see their job as writing plans will give you plans. Fractional CMOs who see their job as driving outcomes will talk about KPIs, attribution, revenue reporting and system effectiveness.
What happens when the engagement ends? Good fractional CMOs build systems that keep working when they leave. Ask what documentation, training or handover processes they provide. If the answer is vague, you're hiring a consultant not a fractional CMO.
Have you worked with UK sports or events companies before? Sector experience matters more than people admit. Sports marketing is different from B2B SaaS or consumer goods. Event based revenue models need different thinking than subscription businesses. If your fractional CMO hasn't worked in your sector, factor in longer learning time.
Common backgrounds of effective fractional CMOs
The best fractional CMOs typically come from three backgrounds.
Former agency leaders who ran their own shops or led major accounts. They understand client relationships, delivering under pressure and building marketing that drives commercial outcomes not just creative awards.
Ex startup CMOs who scaled companies through Series A to exit. They know what works in high growth environments, how to build marketing with limited resources and how to think commercially about customer acquisition.
Corporate marketing leaders who left to work with multiple businesses. Less common, but some corporate CMOs realise they can add more value working fractionally with five companies than full time with one. These tend to bring strong systems thinking and process discipline.
Avoid consultants who rebranded as fractional CMOs without holding real leadership positions. The skills are different. Consulting is about recommendations. Executive leadership is about decisions, accountability and outcomes.
How to structure a trial period
Start with a one month pilot. Define three clear deliverables you need in month one. This could be a marketing audit, a revised go to market strategy or a campaign performance framework. Pay for the month, assess the output and decide whether to continue.
Good fractional CMOs will propose this structure themselves. They know that fit matters and that a trial period protects both sides. If they push for six month commitments upfront, question why.
During the trial, watch for three things. Do they ask good questions about your business? Do they challenge assumptions constructively? Do they deliver work that your team can actually use?
After the trial, extend for three months minimum if it's working. One month isn't long enough to see system changes deliver results. Three months lets you see whether their strategic thinking translates into measurable improvement.
Why most fractional CMOs fail to deliver results
The UK fractional CMO market has grown fast. Quality hasn't kept pace. Many fractional CMOs are consultants with better marketing who deliver the same disappointing outcomes under a different label.
They write strategies that never get implemented
Most fractional CMOs deliver PowerPoint decks. They audit your marketing, identify problems, propose solutions and hand you a 40 page strategy document. Then they move to the next client while your strategy sits unread in a shared drive.
This happens because consultants get paid for recommendations not results. A fractional CMO who charges for strategy delivery has no incentive to ensure implementation. They did their job when they handed over the deck.
Real fractional CMO leadership means staying until the strategy is working. That means building the first campaigns, training the team to execute, setting up measurement systems and proving the approach generates revenue before stepping back.
They lack sector specific expertise
Generic marketing expertise is worth less than people think. A fractional CMO who built marketing for a B2B software company won't understand how to launch a sports property, drive ticket sales for live events or manage the unique dynamics of sports sponsorship.
Different sectors have different economics, customer behaviours, competitive dynamics and revenue models. A fractional CMO who hasn't worked in your sector is learning on your budget for the first three months.
They can't prove commercial outcomes
Ask fractional CMOs what revenue they've driven and most give vague answers. They improved brand awareness, increased engagement, optimised the funnel or built strategic clarity. None of these are outcomes.
Revenue is an outcome. New customers is an outcome. Reduced customer acquisition cost is an outcome. Everything else is activity that may or may not lead to outcomes.
Fractional CMOs who can't tell you the exact revenue uplift they delivered for their last three clients are guessing about their impact. You need someone who knows their commercial value precisely.
They don't build systems that last
The point of fractional leadership is to build systems that keep working when you're not there. Most fractional CMOs don't do this. They become a dependency. Marketing only works when they're in the room making decisions.
This defeats the purpose. You hired fractional leadership to get expert thinking without full time costs. If nothing works unless they're present, you've hired an expensive part timer not a fractional CMO.
Good fractional CMOs document everything, train your team, build repeatable processes and measure whether the systems run without them. When they leave, your marketing is stronger than before they arrived.
The Porter Wills difference for sports and events companies
Porter Wills is not a typical fractional CMO service. We don't write strategy decks and disappear. We build marketing systems that drive revenue, embed those systems in your business and measure success by commercial outcomes not deliverables.
15 years launching global sports properties
Formula E became the fastest growing motorsport in the world. E1 Series generated 619 million video views in its first season. SailGP transformed and expanded globally. RunGP went from a PowerPoint deck to a global event featuring Mo Farah and generated £500,000 in earned media with zero paid spend.
These outcomes came from marketing systems designed to drive revenue, not creativity for its own sake. When you hire Porter Wills, you get 15 years of building sports properties from zero to global scale, not generic marketing theory applied to sports.
Sports and events sector specialisation
Most fractional CMOs come from agency backgrounds or B2B marketing. They don't understand event based revenue models, how to build demand for live experiences or the dynamics of sports sponsorship and broadcast rights.
Sports marketing is different. Your customers make high involvement purchase decisions, often months in advance. Your product is experiential and time limited. Your revenue model combines tickets, sponsorship, broadcast and commercial partnerships. Generic marketing frameworks don't work.
Porter Wills specialises exclusively in sports marketing systems. We understand how to build demand for live sports and events, how to position sports properties for sponsors and broadcasters and how to create commercial models that work for both mass participation and premium hospitality.
Revenue focused systems not attention focused campaigns
Marketing that doesn't drive revenue is just expensive content production. Porter Wills builds systems that connect marketing activity directly to commercial outcomes.
This means attribution frameworks that show which campaigns drive sales, not just awareness. It means tracking customer acquisition costs by channel and optimising based on revenue efficiency. It means measuring success by customers acquired and revenue generated, not impressions or engagement.
We work with your finance team to prove marketing ROI. If marketing spend can't be connected to revenue impact, we fix the measurement systems before spending money on campaigns.
Custom AI systems for scalable execution
Porter Wills builds custom AI systems that let small teams execute like large departments. We've built AI tools that reduced proposal writing from three days to one hour, maintained brand consistency across hundreds of assets and automated competitor research that previously took weeks.
This isn't generic ChatGPT prompts. This is custom built AI workflows designed for your specific marketing needs, trained on your brand voice and integrated into your processes. Your team gets scalable execution without headcount, which matters when you're a 10 person sports startup competing with established properties.
Embedded approach that builds internal capability
Porter Wills doesn't work separately from your team. We embed with you, join your leadership meetings, make decisions collaboratively and train your team to run systems after we leave.
When the engagement ends, you keep the systems, processes, frameworks and capability. Your team doesn't lose knowledge when we step back. This is the difference between consulting and fractional leadership.
Proven track record with UK sports companies
Porter Wills has driven over £500,000 in revenue for clients in year one of engagements. We've built marketing functions from scratch for Series A sports startups, repositioned established sports properties and created systematic business development for sports agencies.
Our clients describe the difference as having someone who understands both the commercial pressure and the unique challenges of sports marketing. Most fractional CMOs have one or the other. Few have both.
If you're a UK sports startup, sports property or agency needing fractional CMO leadership that actually drives revenue, book a 30 minute consultation to discuss whether Porter Wills is the right fit for your business.
Practical next steps for hiring a fractional CMO
You've read the guide. You understand what fractional CMO leadership means, how the UK market works and what separates effective fractional CMOs from consultants with better branding. Here's what to do next.
Diagnose whether you need fractional or full time
Assess your needs honestly. Do you need strategic thinking or hands on execution? If your marketing team can execute well but lacks direction, fractional makes sense. If you need someone building campaigns daily, hire a marketing manager not a fractional CMO.
Can you define the full time role clearly? If you know exactly what a full time CMO would do in your business every day, hire one. If the role still feels unclear, bring in fractional leadership to diagnose what you actually need before committing to permanent headcount.
Does your budget allow for a strong full time hire? If you can afford a £120,000 to £150,000 CMO package, compare that to £72,000 to £144,000 for fractional leadership at one to two days per week. The right choice depends on how much executive time you genuinely need.
Define your evaluation criteria before starting search
Write down what success looks like. Be specific. Is success defined as £200,000 in new revenue in six months? A complete marketing function built in 90 days? A repeatable business development system that generates five qualified leads per month?
List sector experience you need. If you're launching a sports property, don't consider fractional CMOs without sports or events background. Generic marketing experience won't translate as easily as candidates claim.
Set your budget range. Know what you can afford before talking to fractional CMOs. London based senior expertise costs £1,500 to £2,000 per day. Regional mid tier expertise costs £1,000 to £1,500. Entry level is £750 to £1,000. Choose your bracket based on budget and complexity.
Run a structured vetting process
Interview at least three fractional CMOs. Don't hire the first person you speak with. Compare approaches, evaluate chemistry and assess who actually understands your business challenges versus who's just good at pitching.
Ask every candidate the same core questions. How do you structure contracts for IR35 compliance? What specific revenue outcomes have you delivered in the last 24 months? How do you measure success beyond strategy documents? What happens when the engagement ends?
Check references properly. Ask references what revenue outcomes the fractional CMO delivered, whether systems kept working after they left and whether they would hire them again. If references are vague about commercial impact, that tells you something.
Structure the engagement for success
Start with a defined pilot. One month with three clear deliverables. This protects both sides and lets you assess fit before committing to longer engagement.
Set clear KPIs from day one. What metrics will improve in month three? What revenue outcomes do you expect in month six? How will you measure whether the engagement is working?
Plan the handover from the beginning. What documentation, training and processes will transfer to your team? When will you know the engagement has achieved its goal? Good fractional CMOs plan their exit from their first day.
Get the contract structure right
Hire a lawyer to review IR35 compliance. This costs £500 to £2,000. It's not optional unless you want potential tax bills later.
Ensure the contract specifies deliverables not hours. This is essential for staying outside IR35. Your fractional CMO delivers outcomes, not time at a desk.
Include clear termination clauses. You need ability to end engagement with 30 days notice if it's not working. Good fractional CMOs expect this because they're confident in delivering results.
Budget realistically for the full cost
Factor in legal fees for contract review. Budget £500 to £2,000 for IR35 compliant contract structure.
Plan for system and tool investments. If your fractional CMO identifies that your marketing infrastructure is broken, fixing it costs money. Better to know this upfront than be surprised by expenses.
Allow time for onboarding. Your fractional CMO needs four to six weeks to understand your business well enough to drive meaningful change. Budget for this learning period in your timeline expectations.
Common mistakes UK companies make with fractional CMOs
Even businesses that choose fractional CMO leadership for the right reasons often structure engagements poorly. These mistakes reduce effectiveness and waste money.
Treating them like consultants instead of executives
Fractional CMOs need access to board meetings, financial data, strategic planning and leadership decisions. If you treat them like external consultants who get briefed on need to know information, they can't function as marketing leaders.
This mistake happens because businesses aren't used to part time executives. It feels strange giving board level access to someone who works one day per week. But that's the model. If you're not comfortable with this level of integration, hire a consultant instead.
Not giving them decision making authority
A fractional CMO who needs approval for every marketing decision isn't a CMO. They're an expensive advisor. The point of hiring executive level leadership is that they make decisions, not recommend them.
If you're not ready to let someone make marketing decisions, you're not ready for a fractional CMO. Wait until you trust your own judgement enough to hire someone whose judgement you trust.
Expecting full time availability at part time rates
One day per week means roughly eight hours of focused work plus response time for urgent questions. It doesn't mean unlimited access whenever you need input on a marketing question.
Businesses that expect fractional CMOs to be available constantly either need full time leadership or need to be more realistic about what one day per week can deliver.
Measuring success by activity instead of outcomes
Your fractional CMO produces a detailed marketing plan, runs a brand workshop, restructures your website and launches three campaigns. None of this matters if revenue doesn't improve.
Measure fractional CMO success by commercial outcomes. New customers acquired, revenue generated, customer acquisition costs improved, marketing systems that work without them present. Everything else is just activity.
Not planning for knowledge transfer
When your fractional CMO engagement ends, what stays behind? If the answer is unclear, you didn't structure the engagement properly.
Good fractional CMO engagements include documentation of every system built, training for your team to run those systems and measurement frameworks that prove the systems work. Plan this from day one, not when the engagement is ending.
Is fractional CMO leadership right for your UK business?
Fractional CMO leadership works for specific business situations. It doesn't work for everyone. Here's how to know if it's right for you.
When fractional CMO makes sense
You have revenue to grow or protect. Fractional CMO leadership is an investment in growth, not an experiment with marketing. If you're pre revenue or very early stage, hire a marketing manager who can build and execute. You don't need executive level strategy yet.
Your marketing needs strategic direction more than hands on execution. If campaigns run fine but don't connect to business goals, fractional CMO leadership adds value. If no one is actually building and running campaigns, hire executors first.
You can afford £3,000 to £15,000 monthly investment in marketing leadership. This is not cheap. It costs less than full time CMO hire but it's still significant investment. If this feels unaffordable, your business isn't ready for fractional CMO leadership yet.
You're comfortable giving part time executive access to financial data and strategic decisions. Fractional CMOs need integration into leadership to add value. If you want to keep someone at arm's length, hire a consultant.
When fractional CMO doesn't make sense
You need someone executing campaigns daily. Fractional CMOs set strategy and build systems. They don't write emails, design ads or manage social media posts. If you need daily hands on marketing work, hire a marketing manager or agency.
Your business is too early stage to need executive level marketing strategy. Pre product market fit, your founder should run marketing. It's the fastest way to learn what customers actually want. Bring in fractional CMO leadership when you need to scale what's working, not figure out what works.
You can afford a strong full time CMO and need someone present five days per week. If budget isn't the constraint and your business genuinely needs constant marketing leadership attention, hire full time. Fractional works when you need senior expertise but not five days of executive time.
You're not comfortable with part time executives making real decisions. Some businesses prefer advisors who recommend and internal people who decide. That's fine, but it's not fractional CMO leadership. Know which model you actually want.
The honest assessment
Most UK businesses considering fractional CMO leadership should do it. The hesitation is usually about trusting someone part time with executive decisions, not about whether the model works.
If you need senior marketing leadership but can't justify the full time cost, fractional CMO is the right choice. If you're not sure what you need, bring in fractional leadership for three months to diagnose it. If you know you need someone present every day managing campaigns, hire differently.
For UK sports startups and agencies, fractional CMO leadership is particularly effective. Your marketing needs are episodic. You need intense strategic thinking around launches, funding rounds or major campaigns, but you don't need constant executive attention between these moments. Fractional gives you senior expertise when you need it without paying for presence when you don't.
Ready to discuss whether fractional CMO leadership makes sense for your business? Book a 30 minute consultation with Porter Wills to explore fit, outcomes and next steps.
Related resources
For more detailed guides on fractional CMO leadership:
Fractional CMO Cost UK: The Complete Pricing Guide for 2025 breaks down actual rates, regional variations and how to budget properly for fractional leadership.
What is a Fractional CMO: The 2026 Guide to On Demand Marketing Leadership explains the model in detail, how it differs from other marketing resources and when it works best.
Fractional CMO Retainer vs Full Time Salary compares the two models directly with cost breakdowns and scenarios where each makes sense.
How to Choose Fractional CMO: Buyer's Guide 2026 provides detailed evaluation frameworks and questions to ask when vetting fractional CMO candidates.
7 Signs It's Time to Hire a Fractional CMO identifies specific business situations that indicate you need fractional marketing leadership now.
Fractional CMO ROI: CFO Guide 2026 explains how to measure and justify fractional CMO investment to your board or investors.
Fractional CMO Cost & Pricing: Global Guide 2026 compares UK rates to US, European and Asia Pacific markets with detailed pricing data.
Fractional CMO vs Agency vs Consultant breaks down the differences between these three options and helps you choose the right model for your needs.
