‘facebook For Football Fans’ Set To Launch

11 Jul 2016 | tshego

Share on

Some of the biggest football clubs are teaming up on a new football-based social media network, backed by high street billionaire Sir Philip Green.

Clubs including Barcelona, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Cheslea and Bayern Munich are some of the clubs that have agreed to take part, alongside players including Gareth Bale and Harry Kane.

The free service, Dugout, will launch in the coming months and will provide behind-the-scenes videos and interviews. Clubs will be given equity in the business “in return for club and player access and regular weekly content.”

According to media reports, Green, who is the tycoon behind high street names such as TopShop and Dorothy Perkins, has taken a minority share, with no official figure released, although it is understood that the participating clubs will collectively own a majority of the shares.

Dugout will be run by two sport and communication executives James Hilton and Elliot Richardson, with the company also using a recruitment agency to fill a number of sales and content roles.

One club executive said the aim was to make the vehicle a “Facebook for football fans”.

“It will be a new way of following your favourite clubs and players all in one place away from the clutter of general social media,” said a deal insider.

The clubs and players already on signed up have a combined total of more than 1.2 billion fans on social media and plan to use their existing following to get users to interact with content.