U.S. HISPANIC
It is difficult for a soccer team to have an OTT in markets like Mexico
Maribel Ramos-Weiner| 19 de mayo de 2021
Charla Equipos OTT NextV Sport Latam
Within the framework of NEXTV Sport Latin America, executives from different soccer teams in the region analyzed if they need to launch an OTT or not. Fernando Ibargüen, Commercial Director of Club Bolívar de Bolivia, said that in 2016 they launched their own OTT, where they broadcast the matches live and that has allowed them to reach fans around the world, and incorporate new sponsors.
“In 2020 the main clubs pushed to increase the value of Bolivian soccer, achieving that the TV rights quadruple the value of the previous contract; With the pandemic, we transformed it into a digital platform that combines everything that has to do with the ecosystem of the fan’s relationship with their club, exclusive content and access to the internal life of the club – leaders, and players-, and that the fan can live soccer from their home, so you generate content that the public values and, at the same time, it includes brands, creating a virtuous circle of loyalty and value,” explained Ibargüen.
Luis Baraldi, VP of Grupo Pachuca, owner of four soccer teams in various countries, acknowledged that launching an OTT in Mexico is very difficult because television networks pay a lot of money for broadcasting the games.
“We are not prepared and we have other objectives,” he said.
Deportivo Cali de Colombia does not have an OTT, rather they decided that a program on DIRECTV Sports was enough, since they seek to get closer to the fan and have a commercial revenue with the support of the sponsors through information, raffles, and activations.
During the pandemic, they carried out several projects such as a digital virtual stadium where fans could see their images in the stadium.
“The objective was to bring the fans closer, generate proximity and support the sponsors so that in such a difficult moment they could have a place of exposure and scope replacing the lack of public in the stadiums and we have already had results in terms of engagement and income level,” explained Nicolás Borrero, Marketing Director of the team.
Container Media and Box, from Brazil, created Gremio Play, an entertainment platform that includes soccer content, but also series and movies from Hollywood studios and TV channels.
“We launched it on April 8 and we had great acceptance among all the fans, with more than 1,000 new users every day,” said Cicero Aragón, CEO of Container Media.
