Challenge is adapting to technologies, not launching new competitions

SportsPro Media | 26 October 2022 | Steve McCaskill

Spaniard says main challenge is adapting to technologies, not launching new competitions.

• Tebas brands ESL assessment as “fake news”

• LaLiga says data shows more people than ever are watching soccer

• OTT, social media and new apps seen as important to capture audiences

LaLiga president Javier Tebas says claims made by the proponents of the European Super League (ESL) that younger people are abandoning soccer in favour of other forms of entertainment are “fake news”.

Speaking at the Sportel sports business conference in Monaco, Tebas said more people than ever were watching soccer in some form and that the real challenge for rights holders was to adapt to changing consumer habits and new technologies.

“The people leading the ESL are spreading that [consumers] are more interested in things other than soccer. This is fake news,” he said. “People are watching more soccer, whether it’s live games or highlights, than they ever have before, and it is mostly young people [driving this growth]. It is just that they use methods other than TV.

“People are looking for excuses to say we need an ESL but you have to [look at the data] because this [misconception] is damaging soccer. Lies are being spread and people will believe these in good faith.

Tebas citd a study that claims 60 per cent of ‘Gen Z’ are interested in sport, a proportion that exceeds any other major demographic. He added that much of this consumption is taking place on mobile devices and social networks, rather than via linear television, while other young people were taking in live matches in public venues such as bars.

Tebas added that TikTok, which has the lowest average age of any major social platform, was delivering LaLiga’s fastest growing social media following. The 60-year-old said this, along with the fact that 60 per cent of TikTok’s user base consumed soccer content, was a key piece of evidence that disproved the ESL’s claims.

“It’s true that people on TikTok aren’t [necessarily] watching live matches, but they are watching goals and short-form content,” he said.

Tebas acknowledged that social media was important to engage younger fans so that they take out subscriptions when they become economically independent and said rights holders should adapt their content to reflect the nuances of each platform. He also stressed the importance of over-the-top (OTT) platforms in serving a more technologically demanding audience.

“If you don’t meet these demands, we’ll lose ground,” Tebas said. “And if the experience isn’t satisfactory, they’ll [go elsewhere].

“The data shows that young people are watching more soccer than ever before, whether it is live games or highlights, are extremely interested in soccer and watch via different platforms. The key is to correctly interpret the data.

“The problem is not young people watching soccer, the problem is soccer [not adapting]. The solution is not changing the format of a competition so that Real Madrid plays Manchester City 80 times a season.”

Source: SportsPro Media