Football can be anything you want. So much of raw emotion flows through football, if you want it, football can be a thriller, a romance, a sad story, an inspirational story, or a drama. The power of people attaches these sentiments with the game and being such a popular sport, it makes up for prime-time television. People are hungry to consume football. They will consume football from every source possible. Such is the demand and glory of the game. Live telecast is one way of consuming it. But football in the 21st century does not end after 90 min.
A football fan who might not have watched the 90 mins can still find relevant content on social media and stay up to date. social media sites like Instagram and TicTok have become a prime source of consuming football content. Almost all footballing related news first pops up on your social media feed and you are updated. So, the point of discussing all this was to establish the fact that football is a highly commercialized market, and well the documentaries are the product of that.
Producing sports documentaries is beneficial in two ways. First, the popularity of the club increases and it also acts as an advertisement to reel in new global fans for the sport and the club. Now the demand to consume football is never fulfilled and fans would just want more. Documentaries like the all-or-nothing series from Amazon prime let us have a closer look at the clubs on a very personal level. Recent trends in football reveal that the new age fan is more interested in following a player, rather than a single club. So, Player documentaries like Neymar: The Perfect Chaos, act as the perfect venture to boost the player image up.
The plan of the football clubs, when it comes to documentaries is simple. Create an exhilarating and exclusive series. Provide behind-the-scenes footage like dressing rooms talks or training ground footages. Let the viewers connect with the players on a personal, emotional level. Add all the ingredients of suspense, thrill, and adventure. Pack it all and serve it as if it’s a movie. When all of this is done effectively, a club has the potential to earn a lot of money.
A person who does not watch football or who is new to the sport may view the documentary created by a club. Upon viewing the individual might get invested emotionally with certain players and the club as a whole. Soon, the person will start viewing that club’s matches and after that potentially might buy a jersey of the club. All of this ultimately leading to an increase in revenues and reach.
Football in the twenty-first century is increasingly commercialized, and all clubs around the world are striving to diversify and expand their revenue streams. Documentaries serve as an ideal entry point into this ecosystem. Inviting newcomers to the game of football and keeping it by far, the best sport in the world!
