Football fans consume content in a variety of ways, influenced by changes in social media trends, platform features, and the demand for on-the-go access.
To keep up with changing habits, content creators balance short-form and long-form video and focus on engagement and return on investment (ROI) using data-driven approaches.
In an interview with James Lindsey, Asia Football Group’s associate vice president of creative production, he says short-form videos have become important for fan engagement, particularly on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Goal highlights, behind-the-scenes footage, and player interactions perform well in these formats, keeping audiences engaged and serving as promotional tools for longer content.
Despite the growth of short-form content, “match highlights will forever be the main type of content for football audiences to consume regardless of geography or language,” Lindsey said. “We’re constantly looking at how to optimise these match highlights to ensure audiences engage as much as possible while also creating them in the most economical way.”
Longer content remains important for deepening fan engagement. Aside from game footage, documentary-style features, in-depth interviews, and match analyses provide additional storytelling opportunities. For example, the ACL Elite: City Stories series delves into the cultural and footballing significance of cities participating in the AFC Champions League Elite, providing a much larger perspective on the tournament.
To maximise reach, content teams use a cross-promotion strategy, with short-form videos as teasers that direct viewers to long-form content on YouTube or dedicated platforms. Data analytics help determine which content formats and topics resonate with audiences, allowing for more strategic content planning.
AI and generative AI in football content production
AI and generative AI are used in sports content production to streamline workflow efficiency. The technologies are helpful in three key areas: ideation, automation, and localisation.
AI-powered tools help with content ideation by generating initial concepts, letting teams explore creative directions. While AI can speed up brainstorming and content planning, human oversight ensures that brand identity and storytelling objectives are met.
According to Lindsey, automation is another area where AI is enhancing efficiency. Automated editing tools can identify key match moments, generate highlight reels, and optimise content formats for different platforms, reducing post-production time. “The AI tools still require human input to tweak and finesse, but they are the worst they will ever be right now and are always improving,” he said.
Localisation is also benefiting from AI advances. Automated translation and AI-generated subtitles enable sports organisations to produce multilingual content quicker, reaching a wider audience. AI-assisted dubbing and voiceovers further support localisation efforts by making content more accessible for different markets.
Balancing production costs and quality
Sports brands and content creators continue to struggle to maintain high production values at low cost. A sustainable content production model utilises match footage and creates additional content to engage people outside of games.
“Strategic partnerships with clubs, sponsors, and digital platforms allow us access to additional distribution channels. For example, AFC sponsor content, collaborating with clubs and athletes gives content more reach than just AFC channels and can be as effective as paid media strategies but incurs no additional spend,” Lindsey said.
A way to save money is to repurpose content in different formats. A single documentary can be edited into a number of shorter videos, social media clips, and behind-the-scenes segments, maximising production efforts.
Lindsey also mentioned that AI-driven production tools, including automated graphics and virtual production techniques, can contribute to cost efficiency. The technologies decrease the need for big production teams and post-production expenses.
Content localisation and maintaining brand consistency
“With AFC’s reach extending across the world, localisation is important to ensuring our content resonates with different audiences while maintaining a consistent brand identity,” Lindsey said. “Our approach to localisation is twofold: cultural adaptation and local language.”
Cultural adaptation goes beyond translation – it involves understanding regional preferences, storytelling styles, and engagement patterns. Football fans in different markets consume content in distinct ways, and tailoring content to reflect local football cultures enhances its impact.
AI-powered localisation tools can assist in scaling such efforts. Automated dubbing, real-time subtitling, and AI-generated voiceovers enable quick content adaptation, ensuring that videos reach international audiences quickly.
Lindsey cites the AFC Champions League Elite digital activations as an example of effective localisation. By aligning localised content with AFC’s broader brand narrative, the approach maintains consistency and increases fan participation.
(Photo by Unsplash)
See also: The shift from ads to influence: What marketers need to know after DMWF Asia day 2.
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