FIFA's partnership with TikTok aims to make the upcoming World Cup more accessible than ever, but it also raises questions about the role of influencers in sports coverage.
The deal will give digital creators a platform to produce content around the tournament, granting them access to exclusive footage and archive material. In return, FIFA is expecting an avalanche of posts that will drive the World Cup into every corner of TikTok.
This partnership comes as no surprise, given the growing importance of social media influencers in sports marketing. The NFL has already integrated creators into its coverage of major events, including the Super Bowl. However, the full potential of the creator economy is still being explored by sports organizations.
Last summer, Dazn launched a creator network for FIFA's Club World Cup, enlisting 50 creators to produce behind-the-scenes content, interviews, and promotional stunts. The platform drove significant engagement, with over 500,000 fans discovering Dazn's service and 90% of viewers taking an off-platform action after watching sports content.
FIFA's new creator platform is designed to achieve similar goals, such as directing new viewers to its match coverage and potentially generating a new revenue stream through advertising partnerships. The partnership also establishes a relationship with TikTok, which may be attractive to the tech giant looking to expand its reach in sports broadcasting.
However, not everyone is convinced about the effectiveness of influencer-driven content in driving audience growth for sport. François Godard, a media researcher, notes that viewership of traditional TV among 16-34 year olds has collapsed over the past decade, but sports viewing remains unique due to its live nature and lack of alternative.
The deal also raises questions about sublicensing rights, with reports suggesting that TikTok would need to negotiate an agreement with broadcaster Fox. In the UK, the BBC and ITV jointly hold rights to linear and digital broadcasts.
Ultimately, FIFA's partnership with TikTok may be a strategic move to disrupt the media landscape and create new revenue streams for the organization. As creators continue to shape the way sports content is consumed and produced, it remains to be seen whether this partnership will lead to significant growth or further fragmentation of sports broadcasting.
The deal will give digital creators a platform to produce content around the tournament, granting them access to exclusive footage and archive material. In return, FIFA is expecting an avalanche of posts that will drive the World Cup into every corner of TikTok.
This partnership comes as no surprise, given the growing importance of social media influencers in sports marketing. The NFL has already integrated creators into its coverage of major events, including the Super Bowl. However, the full potential of the creator economy is still being explored by sports organizations.
Last summer, Dazn launched a creator network for FIFA's Club World Cup, enlisting 50 creators to produce behind-the-scenes content, interviews, and promotional stunts. The platform drove significant engagement, with over 500,000 fans discovering Dazn's service and 90% of viewers taking an off-platform action after watching sports content.
FIFA's new creator platform is designed to achieve similar goals, such as directing new viewers to its match coverage and potentially generating a new revenue stream through advertising partnerships. The partnership also establishes a relationship with TikTok, which may be attractive to the tech giant looking to expand its reach in sports broadcasting.
However, not everyone is convinced about the effectiveness of influencer-driven content in driving audience growth for sport. François Godard, a media researcher, notes that viewership of traditional TV among 16-34 year olds has collapsed over the past decade, but sports viewing remains unique due to its live nature and lack of alternative.
The deal also raises questions about sublicensing rights, with reports suggesting that TikTok would need to negotiate an agreement with broadcaster Fox. In the UK, the BBC and ITV jointly hold rights to linear and digital broadcasts.
Ultimately, FIFA's partnership with TikTok may be a strategic move to disrupt the media landscape and create new revenue streams for the organization. As creators continue to shape the way sports content is consumed and produced, it remains to be seen whether this partnership will lead to significant growth or further fragmentation of sports broadcasting.
FIFA's got me thinking... why do we need influencers in sports coverage? Can't they just focus on actual matches instead of making a buck off ads? 
I mean, what's next? Sponsored goals and penalty kicks? 
Like, totally on point that FIFA's getting all cozy with TikTok 
. It's about time they joined the 21st century, right? 
I mean, who needs traditional TV when you can have a bunch of influencers screaming into a camera for millions of dollars 
. But hey, at least we'll get to see some fun, creative content from our favorite creators... as long as it doesn't feel like they're just trying too hard for clout 
.
. On one hand, I get it - social media creators can bring a fresh vibe to the World Cup 
. But on the other hand, won't all that influencer content just end up clashing with traditional sports fans who are more into the actual games 
️? And what about those who don't have TikTok or prefer watching sports on their own terms? 
? i think its a genius move, but at the same time im a bit skeptical... like what if all these influencers just post pics of their feet during the game 
but seriously, its interesting to see how this will play out... will it help grow sports fanship or just be another way for ppl to consume content without actually watching the game? idk, but im excited to watch and see what happens 
They're gonna make the World Cup more accessible than ever and I know it's gonna be lit! 
Dazn did a great job last year and this is just another step in the right direction. The creators are gonna bring so much energy to the tournament and I'm here for it! 
It's like they're more interested in getting those likes and followers than actually promoting the actual sport. 
...I mean, think about it, a bunch of creators making content around the tournament, and we're all gonna be glued to our screens like never before. But what does this say about our viewing habits, right? We're already seeing a decline in traditional TV viewership among younger folks, so are we really gonna turn to TikTok for our sports fix? 
. And what about the quality of the content? Will it even be any good? I'm not convinced that just throwing some influencers at the problem is gonna solve anything 
But at the same time, I'm a bit worried about how much of a role influencers are gonna play in all this. I get that they can bring new energy to sports coverage, but don't wanna see them overshadowing the actual games themselves 
. And what about those sublicensing rights? That's some confusing stuff 
gotta watch this space tho!
We've seen how it went down last summer with Dazn's creator network 
...it might not be all about social media influencers after all 
and we'll have to wait and see how it all plays out 
!
. It's all about making sports more accessible and interactive for younger generations. The idea of digital creators producing content around the World Cup is pretty exciting 
. I'm worried about those sublicensing rights and how that's gonna affect the broadcasters like Fox and the BBC. Not to mention the fact that sports viewing is still a pretty unique beast - live events are what make it special, but now we're gonna have to see if creators can deliver on that.