Sky and Whistle Sports launch new social content
September 18, 2015
By Nik Roseveare
Sky Sports and Whistle Sports have announced the launch of a new social media channel dedicated to creating original football content for young fans around the world. Using Sky’s Soccer AM brand, it will go live on September 19th and be available to watch on multiple platforms, with its own YouTube channel and a presence on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Vine.
The content produced will feature new faces such as England Women’s footballer, Alex Scott as well as bringing together existing Sky Sports on-screen talent Adam Smith (AKA Frankie Fyer) from Soccer AM and Laura Woods. There will be original programming, videos and posts covering football topics, such as gaming, fantasy football, stats and skills.
It is the first collaboration since Sky’s $7 million investment in Whistle Sports in October 2014. Since then the two companies have been working together on creating exciting new content, aimed at ‘young millennials’.
Dave Gibbs, director of digital media at Sky Sports, said: “Whistle Sports has led the way in producing entertaining digital sports content in the US for some time now with hugely engaged audiences. The new Soccer AM channel on social media is going to do something very different to what football supporters are used to from Sky Sports. We will produce new types of content, with new presenters for new audiences. By combining our expertise and talent, we hope to produce something that will really excite young football fans.”
Whistle Sports CEO John West said: “Young millennial sports fans increasingly use social media to drive their engagement with live sports. Our community of compelling creators have grown to serve that need and engage a growing generation of global sports fans,” pointing out that Whistle Sports recently broke an aggregate 100 million global fans and followers across social platforms.
“Sky makes a perfect partner for our international expansion due to their commitment to innovation. This new brand, new content and new approach around the world’s most popular sport is a great new offering.”