With the 2014 FIFA World Cup around the corner, and if 2010 is anything to go by; brands, publishers, broadcasters, advertisers and the fans themselves, will be lining up to take advantage of the world’s biggest sporting spectacle.
But, fans and brands don’t want just brand awareness or associative spin-offs, they want to be part of the action.
Understanding this, digital sports content specialists TEAMtalk Media will have their eyes on the ball, monitoring all the action – on the field and off – with the creation and commercialisation of custom Word Cup content.
The consumption of sports news is no longer confined to traditional print and broadcast mediums (often after the fact). Instead, the digital ecosystem provides a two-way street and an incredible opportunity for rights-holders and brands, as well as online publishers, to engage directly and instantly with the fans.
Digital provokes not only meaningful experiences and association to ‘good times’ with the brands involved, but also benefits brands with the generation of big data and new revenue streams as a result of these interactions.
“Sport is a universal language and making fans a part of the action, as it unfolds, with the provision of customised content that engages, is informative, retains, builds loyalty and communities of like-minded people, is quickly attainable through the digi-sphere,” says GM of TEAMtalk Media, Anthony Pascoe.
Echoing this, Deseré Orrill, CMO of the Ole! Media Group (TEAMtalk’s holding company), commented: “Live and aggregated sports news and content is a key to revenue generation for digital publishers, and taking advantage of big events like the FIFA World Cup, is essential if they want to be in the game and even ahead of it”.
Digital sports content as a marketing medium, answers growing audience fragmentation taking place across a myriad of distribution channels. It appeals to men and women, young and old, and is harnessing huge multi-cultural, diverse followings.
Accessed via Internet and text message on mobile, PC and tablet and even while watching games, on the television, the multi-screen experience is being driven by ardent sports enthusiasts. These fans are also reaping the benefits of subscription services dedicated to bringing them up to the minute news.
Football, known as the beautiful game, is no different. As experienced in 2010 when South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup, Brazil is expected to garner a broad international audience who will access information at all hours. Keeping fans in the game and giving publishers the means to do so, TEAMtalk Media will provide multi-tiered coverage and tailored content that can speak to multiple types of devices covering all income groups.
It would seem therefore, that to score and ensure the goals turn to profits, the perfect match is a combination of the right digital strategy which has the power to reach mass audiences, and sport, already followed by the many.
Every match from the 2014 World Cup will be covered by Teamtalk media editorial team and this means that, the fans will have access to an unmatched level of daily news, match reports and match reviews for all games.
That also includes stadium details, group previews, team and key player profiles. Teamtalk media will showcase live shows, such as an overview of all the games being played on a given day, including match status, score line, goals scores, substitutions and cards.
It will also give fans a chance to view fixtures and results, the match listings for the tournament, detailing match date, teams and scores. A further tier of information is also offered, such as the shows log position and overall breakdowns for all points, games won, lost, drawn and also goals scored or conceded.
Highlights of games via SMSes, breakdown of the key events via automated text upon a goal, goal attempt, booking, substitution, foul, outside, corner and free kick that will be available in a range of languages.
Users can choose their favourite team at the World Cup and option for Standard Match pass, where they have to 6-10 SMSes per week, including Team news, pre-match line-ups, half-time and full-time scores as well as match reviews. Brazil is but a click away.
