La Liga Air First Match On Tiktok
La Liga has broadcast the first ever Spanish match to air in a vertical 9:16 format on TikTok during a Real Betis and Real Sociedad 0-0 draw.
Using a production crew of more than 30 people, the 9:16 broadcast reached 733,000 total viewers, 506,000 unique viewers on TikTok and received 1.2 million likes on the platform.
Additional engagement was offered via direct interaction with creators Nacho Hernáez and Carla Gabián, who hosted the live coverage on Mediapro-owned Spanish broadcaster Gol’s TikTok channel.
The goalless game played at the Reale Arena was also aired in a traditional format on Gol’s free-to-air channel.
The move is the latest in football’s efforts to attract younger audiences. European football’s major leagues have been experimenting with several different platforms and formats. In 2021, the German Supercup clash between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund was the first ever football match to air on TikTok.
Ahead of the game, Alfredo Bermejo, Director of Digital Strategy at La Liga, said, “This is another step for La Liga in the quest to build new audiences and bring football to viewers everywhere. This agreement with TikTok confirms the efforts of both LaLiga and Mediapro in recent seasons to continue creating value and innovating in match broadcasts.”
Soraya Castellanos, Head of Content, Community and Associations at TikTok Spain, added, “We are profoundly grateful that Mediapro and LaLiga have chosen TikTok to launch this pioneering initiative in Spain.
“TikTok is the place where football fans are and connect and we are proud to see how the sport’s big-name brands are inspiring the community through innovation.”
Image: Shutterstock
