Grassroots Goes Global 🌏
This week we're looking at why Top Baller resonates so deeply with the football community + the opportunity in grassroots football for brands.
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TopBaller has gone global. The 1v1 format is being transported to the United States. TopBaller are hosting events in Miami and New York. A smart move as the brand looks to capitalise on the Copa America hype. As well as the increasing in popularity of ‘soccer as the US World Cup is on the horizon.
TopBaller have built an engaged following of 223K subscribers on YouTube. Amassing 82m+ views on YouTube alone. The concept features one attacker and one defender facing off. The aim being for the attacker to beat the defender and score in the goal. This format is brought to life by the crowd. They bring the energy that takes us back to the playground or our local park. The hype when the attacker nutmegs the defender? We Cannot Replace. 😮💨
TopBaller have captured the essence of the playground 1v1 format we all love. Transported across cities in the UK initially before tapping into Portugal and now eventually cracking the US. This allows the platform to create a competition amongst cities as well as the players. Cities attempt to stake a claim for who has the best ballers. Whilst the format is built on live experiences between the contestants. The TopBaller message transcends the in-person experience. The simplicity and accessibility of the format, means its one that resonates globally.
TopBaller is the epitome of football culture. TopBaller is what every football fan lives for. We all love watching a winger vs defender battle on pitch. We all love taking this and replicating it at the cages wth friends. The 1v1 format is one which was has no boundaries. It deeply resonates with football audiences. In some ways, it can be argued that it’s not an experience native to just football. It exists in Tennis, basketball and outside of sport as well. The underlying 1v1 experience permeates football culture and lives in many realms.
In recent months, the TopBaller experience has infiltrated the Pro Clubs community. The video shows the 11 v 11 scenario in a pro clubs game but in a unique scenario. Players are congregating around two individual players, replicating the TopBaller crowd. Whilst the two individuals take each other on in a TopBaller-like scenario. As you can hear from the party chat atmosphere, the energy is still in-tact. ‘1v1 me’ a message synonymous with most gamer’s dictionaries. The toxic Mw2 lobbies with the 1v1s on Rust. Or if you’re Stormzy, smoking someone on FC before dashing the pad in-front of their mum.
The beauty of TopBaller, is that the format is accessible to everyone. It reinforces why grassroots reigns supreme. This is where the opportunities will open up within brands wanting to tap into football. Especially for brands to who access to younger generations and positively impact communities. Grassroots platforms can translate a brand's message to a highly-engaged community.
The Premier League is out of touch with reality. The average PL fan is a 41 year old male. And I can only see this increasing YoY. The cost of going to live games combined with the cost of living crisis is peak. This makes it impossible for a young fan to access the beautiful game in-person at it’s so called ‘pinnacle’. As a result, young fans are becoming increasingly disconnected with the Premier League. The new pinnacle for young fans are grassroots organisations who give them access. The Premier League has become so inaccessible to young fans. Grassroots formats are the medium that still connects us to the beautiful game.
These in-person experiences are what drives the feeling for a fan. And the best brands make you feel. As someone who’s been an avid fan of SE Dons and Baiteze. The relatability of Sunday League is another positive. It allows the teams involved to tell stories that engage their audiences. In a previous post, I mentioned going to watch the London Cup Final game between SE Dons and Baiteze. The game was at AFC Wimbledon’s stadium and only £5 for a ticket. It was no surprise to see young fans fill the stadium. Despite the tired narratives on Gen Z fans not wanting to watch live sport. SE Dons vs Baiteze disproved that.
The advert below from Baiteze is for lip balm Carmex, and titled ‘Where’s my Carmex’. It's content that can compete with most Premier League clubs. More brands should start looking at grassroots organisations. Brands will be able to utilise their agile nature and creativity. With increased investment these grassroots platforms can produce quality content consistently. It shows that PL clubs should be scared. It will be a tougher ask to get a brand to spend 6 figures with a PL Club for LED mins and a shit activation. Grassroots platforms offer access to an engaged community of Gen Z consumers. Whilst also giving brands a greater space to communicate their feeling. Initial awareness is cool. But if you want long-term consumer adoption it’s always about feeling.
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