Back in the day, a lot of fans simply supported their local club because they were able to easily attend in person.
Then, when broadcast came along, it made it easier for people to follow teams from further afield.
Now, digital realms are the battlegrounds for attracting new fans.
Premier League clubs have already upped their efforts to boost their presence on social media, but this may no longer be enough.
With so many people used to consuming entertainment on dedicated platforms, clubs may need to develop their own online entertainment platforms to connect with supporters.
Football Clubs Are Already Exploring Digital Entertainment
There are already some cases of football clubs experimenting with digital entertainment, suggesting that this could become a growing trend.
Burnley worked with Rezzil to create and broadcast a VR experience of attending a match against Lazio, offering global fans a way to experience being at Turf Moor.
Barcelona has developed its own digital entertainment ecosystem, including Barça Games and its newer audiovisual platform, Barça Play.
This is an excellent option for people who want to follow all aspects of the club, with access to past and recent matches, highlight videos, interviews, and other interactive features.
The platform is arranged in a similar fashion to online streaming services like Netflix, making it easy for users to navigate and find the content that appeals to them.
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What Could These Online Platforms Include?
Barcelona may have provided a useful blueprint for Premier League clubs to follow as the Spanish club’s platform is accessible and packed full of content.
Premier League clubs that want to reach more supporters should consider developing platforms that have a vast amount of archived content so that people can learn about the club’s history.
This can include old matches, highlight videos, and specials about former legends and documentaries that teach people more about the club’s history.
For example, while Leeds United currently have LUTV, providing access to live matches, they could go one step further.
A dedicated platform could have content about the club’s glory days in the 1970s, their Champions League exploits in the early 2000s, and documentaries about their recent return to the top flight after a 16-year absence with Marcelo Bielsa.
These platforms could also include games to give fans even more to do.
Football has found a place in almost every offshoot of the gaming industry, with everything from mobile titles like Score! Hero to casino options like Big Football Bonus.
Premier League clubs could adapt titles with their own branding and market them on their platforms.
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Is It Worth It?
The best thing about clubs going down the official platform route is that it would centralise all their content in one place and make it much easier for fans to follow everything about the club.
They’d no longer need to look around and find things for themselves.
It could also provide space for collaborations with influencers or well-known fans, drawing in a new audience that might previously have only interacted with unofficial content.
With entertainment platforms now commonplace for everything from television to music, it makes a lot of sense for football clubs to start developing their own.
These platforms could become the next frontier for attracting and connecting with fans.
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