Latest news with #BallerLeagueUK
Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Burgeoning 'Baller League' offers zany remix of Beautiful Game
A penalty is taken during a Baller League match at the Copper Box Arena in London, Britain, May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Streisand Neto/File Photo A general view of players in action during a Baller League match at the Copper Box Arena in London, Britain, May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Streisand Neto/File Photo 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% 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% 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. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Soccer- Burgeoning 'Baller League' offers zany remix of Beautiful Game
* Baller League among various new Gen Z-focused soccer formats * Players and influencers join together in six-a-side teams * New rules shake up traditional 90-minute game format * Investors pour in millions, viewing figures rising * Some traditional fans deride new formats as gimmicky 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 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% 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 . 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% 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.
The Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Baller League UK predictions: Odds and betting preview plus £30 in free bets
THE Final Four contest for the inaugural Baller League UK crown this Thursday. We've taken a look ahead to the indoor action to see if we can pick out the best tips and odds for the big finale. Baller League UK - Final four After 11 grueling gamedays of Baller League UK action, it all comes down to this for the final four. One of Deportrio, MVPs United, Yanited or SDS FC will be crowned the winners of the inaugural competition which has gripped social media. Some big names in the world of sport, entertainment, music and influencing have been involved and now we'll find out the winner. As table toppers after 11 gamedays, Deportrio are rightly the bookies favourites to claim victory on Thursday night - yet strangely go into their semi final with SDS FC as the underdogs, so work that one out. The team managed by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards have just gone off the boil in recent weeks with just one win in their last five, including a thumping 8-3 defeat from SDS FC last time out. They did however just manage to cling onto top spot on goal difference after winning seven of their 11 games and scoring 42 goals in the process, though need to get back to their early tournament form if they want to win this. Semi final opponents, SDS FC have won their last four games on the spin and haven't tasted defeat since gameday five to finish just three points off the top. In the other semi final, MVPs United - second to Deportrio on goal difference - take on AngryGinge's team Yanited having also both won 7 of their 11 games. The sides met only a couple of weeks ago on the gameday 9 fixture list, with the well-fancied Alisha Lehmann and Maya Jama's side MVPs United coming out 4-3 victors. But Yanited finished the league phase with comfortably the highest goal difference in the competition with +17 after the 11 games - with SDS FC (+12) the only side close. So to sum up, the bookmaker odds are close for both semi finals and the outright markets and it's no wonder why - this is anyone's competition! Baller League UK - Latest odds Semi final odds Deportrio vs SDS FC Deportrio 27/20 Draw 4/1 SDS FC 21/20 MVPs United vs Yanited MVPs United 6/5 Draw 4/1 Yanited 6/5 Outright odds Deportrio 15/8 Yanited 15/8 SDS FC 7/2 MVPs United 4/1 Baller League UK predictions Final Four winner SDS FC lost out to MVPs United on gameday three and started the competition with one win from five games. So it's been an almost upward curve from that moment on and they're an attractive price to win this after last week's heroics. That thumping win over Deportrio to get them here was a big moment and that momentum could well carry them through two more games. *18+. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'A new era of football' - the stories behind the Baller League players
Love it or hate it, you can't avoid the debut season of the Baller League UK. Social media has been full of action and talk about the six-a-side tournament - set up in Germany by entrepreneur Felix Starck alongside footballers Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski - and which is now in its first season in the United Kingdom. The UK version of the competition is fronted by influencer KSI, the teams are managed by celebrities and the games are live streamed on Twitch. Rather than the players on the pitch, many of whom are free agents, semi-pros or former professionals, most of the attention is directed towards the multi-millionaire managers on the touchline. Angry Ginge, Maya Jama and Chunkz are the stars of Baller League. They attract the crowds. They sell the product. "Baller League - a new era of football" reads Starck's LinkedIn bio. Influencers are the draw for now, but his real goal is to futureproof football by making it more entertaining. The key is in the "hero storytelling", said Starck in an interview with Business of Sport. So what about the stories of the natural "heroes" playing on the Baller League pitch? A first look at Baller League - fast-paced & full of flair What is Baller League? Why are KSI, Lineker & Terry involved? Marvin Sordell is a name most football fans will recognise, He starred as a youngster for Watford, appeared for Bolton and Burnley in the Premier League, and featured in Stuart Pearce's Team GB squad at the London 2012 Olympics. But, after a 10-year career, Sordell retired from the professional game aged 28 back in 2019, citing the impact on his mental health. The pressure of the professional football industry was not worth the toll it was having on him. Instead of stepping away from football completely, Sordell runs a video production company focused on combining entertainment, art and sport, and a marketing agency which helps brands connect with the worlds of sport, music and entertainment. Already working in the intersection between sport and entertainment, the 34-year-old didn't hesitate to join Baller League when the opportunity arose - and now plays for Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards' Deportrio FC side. "Football has been something I've loved since I was a kid," says Sordell. "I was willing to hold on to that love that I have for the game and I knew that wasn't going to stay from being a professional. It just wasn't working, it just wasn't right. "I was potentially doing some work with them (Baller League) through my marketing agency. We had quite a few conversations before it was even announced and then in one of the meetings they asked if I'd be interested in playing." Without any trepidation, he jumped at the chance to have fun on a football pitch again. Sordell had already been playing at different levels and in different formats of the game since he retired from professional football in 2019. From five-a-side games with mates to semi-pro matches with Kettering Town, he was more than ready to roll back the years in Baller League. Despite the cameras broadcasting the action for Sky Sports, Sordell feels none of the pressure he did as a pro. The big talking points after matches usually surround the antics of the celebrities rather than the actual gameplay, allowing many of the players to enjoy their football under the radar. Timelines are filled with videos of ex-England defender Richards dancing, John Terry clashing with former referee Mark Clattenburg on the touchline or Troy Deeney receiving a red card for an unnecessary foul. "From my perspective, I get to go on Monday, play football and catch up with loads of people I know from the world of football," adds Sordell. "I don't feel like there's the same level of pressure or scrutiny as players in the professional level get because people are there to be entertained. " A lot of people have reached out to me who are interested in getting involved. I'm interested to see how the affiliation between people watching and clubs develop in terms of growing fanbases. It has the potential to be something quite big." Sordell on how he overcame his darkest days Remy Mitchell always dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. From the age of nine to 18, he progressed through the ranks as a goalkeeper at Arsenal's academy, but was released without the offer of a contract. He joined Swansea shortly after but, without a senior appearance, Mitchell was again released last summer and has since played non-league football while studying for a degree in business and football management. The 21-year-old is currently a free agent, but in goal for YouTuber and Sidemen member Tobi "TBJZL" Brown's team VZN FC. "I'm quite a big fan of a lot of the managers there," says Mitchell. "I've always watched them and it's quite a cool experience to see them all in person. I've watched [TBJZL] since I was 10 and it's quite cool to be coached by him every week." It's a familiar tale for many players who choose to chase the dream of going pro. It's a precarious path with no guarantees. Only 0.012% of boys playing organised youth football in the UK will ever play a minute of Premier League football. Lasse Lehmann, director of Operations and Sports UK for Baller League, reached out to Mitchell directly to offer him a chance to play ahead of former players, such as his idol Ian Wright. "It's the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of, 6,000 people," adds Londoner Mitchell. "And then there's hundreds of thousands of people watching on YouTube, Sky Sports and Twitch. "I think if you think about it (the media attention) too much, you'll get a bit inside your head and get pretty nervous. I just try to enjoy it as much as I can." Baller League is essentially fulfilling its promise - entertaining football that doesn't take itself too seriously. Mitchell, says: "It does put you in a good spotlight and I've had a lot of good things out of it, like I'm sponsored by a glove brand. "The football is a lot of fun so I'm happy to keep doing that. I don't know how it will work next season. There are a lot of unanswered questions but nothing bad has come out of it." Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast Get football news sent straight to your phone
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Ex-England international clashes with Baller League rival while playing for Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker's team on night six
Joleon Lescott was involved in a heated on-pitch scrap with a rival player during a flashpoint on night six of Baller League UK on Monday evening. The former England international features for Deportrio, making his debut for the side last month after being announced as a Week Two wildcard pick for the side. Deportrio is managed by fellow ex-internationals and Match of the Day pundits Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, and Gary Lineker, and currently sits top of the league table. But tensions flared during their sixth match of the Baller League season when the side faced off with Wembley Rangers AFC. Lescott receiving the ball by the dugouts was caught in a full-throated challenge by England six-a-side player Domingos Pires. Hit by Pires' trailing arm, the 42-year-old caught hold of his opponent and pulled him at him back, with both players locked on one another as they nearly fell into the pitchside crowd. Things get heated as a late tackle comes in on Deportio's Joleon Lescott 🤬 — Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 28, 2025 Lescott was separated from Pires by Baller League officials as well as Wembley Rangers players including Ben Long. Richards was also seen leading Pires away from his player. But h an argument between the former Manchester City man and Pires continued despite attempts to cool tensions. Pires told Lescott: 'I ain't scared of you bruv, I ain't f****** scared of you.' He later added that Lescott 'started that', with the former defender protesting his innocence as the referee attempted to resume play. Both Pires and Lescott were given two-minute sanctions before they could rejoin match action. But it was Lescott who ended the evening in happier circumstances at the Copper Box Arena, with his Deportrio side beating Wembley Rangers 4-1. Both of the players were sent to the sinbin for two minutes as punishment for the fracas Lescott retired from professional football in 2017 at the age of 34, and has since been working primarily as a broadcaster and pundit. But recent years have seen Lescott burnish his coaching CV, with the ex-Everton star now working alongside former team-mate Lee Carsley as an assistant coach for England's Under-21 side.
