Burgeoning 'Baller League' offers zany remix of Beautiful Game
LONDON :An enthusiastic announcer rallies the crowd inside London's Copper Box Arena for a noisy five-second countdown to Santan FC vs MVPs United, the former managed by rapper Dave, the latter by popular player Alisha Lehmann and TV host Maya Jama.
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg tosses the ball in the air to begin a 30-minute, six-a-side game but before he can take his position on the side, MVPs score in six seconds: the quickest goal yet in the fledgling Baller League UK.
Twelve minutes later, it is time for a twist - the "Plus One" rule reduces the teams to one-versus-one plus goalkeepers with the rest allowed back after next goals.
Social media-focused soccer tournaments like the German-founded Baller League and Spanish-origin Kings League have sprung up in Europe and elsewhere to offer young consumers a cheaper, crazier and shorter version of traditional 90-minute soccer.
Some older fans scoff at these formats as a gimmicky distortion of what Brazilian great Pele called "The Beautiful Game", and predict they will quickly fade.
But for now, ex-professionals, online influencers and entertainment figures are piling in. Viewing figures are soaring and investment is mounting into what supporters see as a back-to-roots, playground-style version of the sport.
"The way they play the game is the way that kids on the street play it all over the world," EQT Ventures' Partner Ashley Lundstrom told Reuters. 'The ecosystem of fans is so open-minded to a new sport, a new style of sport.'
Her company led an investment round for Baller League that raised $25 million in early December 2024.
'SOCIALS BLOWING UP'
The UK league, in its inaugural season, has drawn a multitude of personalities including some who could not quite make it in mainstream professional football.
"It's so close to being what I've always wanted with being a pro footballer and just having that recognition of, okay, this kid can play," said midfielder Harry Cain, 27, who plays for Yanited managed by YouTuber and Twitch streamer Angryginge.
"My socials (were) absolutely blowing up from friends, family. 'Can't believe we just watched you on Sky Sports'."
Cain, who produces soccer content for 1 million-plus TikTok followers, said one of his highs was scoring in front of former England international and Baller League UK coach John Terry.
The Baller League expanded to the UK this year, with 12 teams, after its founding in Germany in 2023 where games were livestreamed from an old plane hangar in the city of Cologne.
The Kings League, established by former Spanish player Gerard Pique, has a growing fanbase, with 80 per cent of its 30 million social media followers under 34.
Founded in 2022, the seven-a-side Kings League has expanded to Italy, France, Germany, Brazil and the Americas.
"Investors also see that we have a disruptive, creative new product, that is solving perhaps the biggest problem in sports: attracting and retaining the attention of young audiences," Kings League CEO Djamel Agaoua told Reuters.
"The increasing competition for audience attention means that it's harder and harder to get younger fans to watch a 90-minute live game."
The Kings League raised $60 million in its last funding round last year and is in partnership with Surj Sports Investment, the sports arm of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, to launch Kings League MENA (Middle East and North Africa). With the majority of Saudis under 30, the synergy is obvious.
As pay-TV fees increase, the young are increasingly watching sport for free on platforms like YouTube, Kick and Twitch.
According to a Deloitte study, about 90 per cent of Generation Z and Millennials consume sport via social media.
On the day Santan FC played MVPs United, matchday 8 drew more than 900,000 viewers on YouTube.
'I don't think it's as simple as the older generation watches sports over linear channels and the younger generation does it over social channels,' said Pete Giorgio, global and U.S. sports leader for Deloitte.
"Both generations are moving towards a mode where they do not consume sports monolithically."
OLD CLUBS TAKING NOTE
European clubs have taken note, trying to work with new leagues rather than treat them as rivals.
In Italy, Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo has cast it as a 'cross-marketing" opportunity.
Juventus, for example, offer facilities to Zebras FC, a Kings League Italy side led by content creator and Juventus fan Luca Campolunghi. Zebras had 2.5 million engagements across social platforms in its first season.
"Collaborating with content creators helps us speak a native digital language that truly resonates with younger audiences,' Juventus' head of brand Gianmarco Pino told Reuters.
In France, Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille have teamed up to help Kings League France club Wolf Pack FC, founded by former Olympique de Marseille player Adil Rami.
However, one football insider in a major European league told Reuters he thought the proliferation of new mini-leagues may prove too much, with one likely to dominate eventually.
With the Baller League UK reaching its season finale on Thursday and the Kings World Cup Clubs culminating in Paris on Saturday, the hype is reaching fever-pitch.
But not all are convinced.
"I just don't think it's particularly entertaining," said a 30-year-old Englishman who supports Premier League team Arsenal and tried the Baller League on YouTube.
"Beyond an influencer or a former footballer's team winning, there's no emotional investment in any of these teams which makes it difficult for us to care," he said.
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