When It Becomes More Than a Sport: Soccer-Themed Entertainment
This claim is supported by numbers: on top of its more than 240 million registered players, soccer has an estimated global fan base of four billion, way ahead of second-ranked cricket with 2.5 billion.
Aside from boasting some of the highest-paid athletes in all of sport and generating massive revenues for the elite clubs, soccer has spawned an ecosystem where countless ventures capitalize on its popularity. Here are some industries reaping benefits courtesy of this sport.
Apparel
Given the sportswear and athleisure boom in recent years, it was only logical that soccer would make a grand entry into this market. Fans around the world have been splashing on soccer jerseys and assorted merchandise for a long time, but this has now become a business where even high fashion houses are involved.
Some of today’s biggest celebrities are soccer players, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar drawing millions of followers on social media. As their talent and influence drive further the popularity of soccer, the market for related apparel is only expected to grow bigger.
Events/Leisure Activities
While adults in the United States may prefer home-grown sports like baseball and American football, kids and teenagers are emerging as huge fans of soccer as well as active participants. This has led to a boom in soccer-themed birthday parties and summer camps.
Gambling
When it comes to betting, soccer has grown into one of the biggest allies of the gambling industry. The two have forged a strong bond through sponsorships and advertising, but soccer also provides inspiration for many games found in casinos.
Slot games offer patrons the greatest variety, with popular names including Goal, Global Cup, and Football Fever. Most of the games developed have become available for playing online, reflecting the ever-growing popularity of online casinos.
Esports
One of the fastest-growing industries of the past decade, esports has proved a natural fit for soccer. Not only are major clubs investing in esports, but soccer-based games are steadily rising in the popularity charts.
The potential of soccer in the esports market was highlighted in a recent article that stated the following:
“In 2019, there were 206 million hours of live non-esports viewership for FIFA 19 and FIFA 20. This number represents almost a 50% increase from 2018 and points to a trend of increased interest in soccer as a vehicle for gaming. Fun fact: FIFA is the only sports game in the top 25 of most-watched games.”
TV/Film
With Hollywood studios dominating the global TV and movie market, it should come as no surprise that the most beloved titles deal with sports other than soccer. Baseball, American football, basketball, boxing, and car racing seem to be the most commonly tackled sporting themes in television shows and films, but soccer is steadily gaining ground.
One reason for the growing focus on soccer is the rising popularity of the sport in the United States, which is forcing production companies to pay attention. Moreover, the explosion in streaming services has created ample opportunity for independent TV and film makers to shine a light on the king of sports.
The predominant genre at present is documentary, with plenty of material available on Netflix, Amazon, and ESPN. As soccer continues to win hearts worldwide, it should not be long before TV shows and movies related to this sport become common and grow to be as beloved as titles like Rocky, Field of Dreams, Raging Bull, A League of Their Own, and Chariots of Fire.