A new 24/7 soccer streaming service, Barça TV+, part of the FC Barcelona club, is kicking off this spring. It will air video content — matches, interviews, game footage — from La Liga, the Spanish professional sport league.
The decision to launch a subscription-based platform is part of a larger strategy for Spanish soccer clubs to own their digital platforms without intermediaries, Sports Pro Media reported.
In addition to FC Barcelona, the platform will live stream first-team press conferences, B-squad matches and all women’s team home games from Spain’s Primera Iberdrola. Non-live content will include basketball and roller hockey, the club’s other assets.
“Our competitors are no longer only the clubs playing football — there are new players we may not have expected 10 years ago, such as Netflix, YouTube, Fortnite, MindCraft. Traditionally, we have been working with the biggest platforms in the world,” FC Barcelona board member Dídac Lee told journalists at an event promoting the launch.
“We want to have a direct relationship with our fans, we want learn about them, including what they like, and on what devices, so we can improve the fan experience,” he added.
Sports Pro Media said “the club’s new Culers Membership will include unlimited access to Barça TV+ on a freemium basis via the club’s official website and mobile app.” No financial terms have been set, but price will vary by country.
However, FC Barcelona’s CMO Guillem Graell doesn’t expect live first-team matches to stream globally, something UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, is weighing for its UEFA.tv streaming service.
Photo credit: FC Barcelona Facebook page