Christmas is a time for giving. Fans will be able to enjoy a lot of games over the festive period, especially in England. The watching experience, be it via Sky or DAZN, is even optimised and holds some specials for all the supporters. But as the fans are treated to a nice time of entertainment, clubs, companies and brands look to merge fetive cheer and charity with their own monetarisation strategy.
Boxing Day is a fan’s favorite
On Boxing Day, December 26th, football fans around the globe will probably be watching the Premier League. For about 130 years there have been games at Christmas in Britain and they’re a tradition which pays off for fans and clubs alike. Since 1966 games are played on Boxing Day alone to accommodate the experience to the festive family doings on Christmas Day. Fans of the English first tier can expect a flood of games until the new year. Some moan about the packed fixture list and not having a break at the time. The Premier League will have its first winter break next season, albeit in February; so watching football from Anfield to Old Trafford is not yet in jeopardy for Boxing Day.
And there are even benefits for those sports enthusiasts. DAZN will stream all of the Premier League matches that day live and will do so likewise for the Serie A. There’s even more appeal there now as Cristiano Ronaldo made his way to Turin and the league is having games on Boxing Day for the first time. In Britain people can even watch three Premier League games –
Fulham v Wolves, Brighton v Arsenal and Watford v Chelsea – on Television or via streaming service without a Sky Sports subscription. Anyone who has a basic Sky, VirginMedia or TalkTalk package as well as those who have a NOW TV entertainment pass will be able to see these games. So fans are encouraged not only to watch football during the festive season but to spend their potential earnings or coupons etc. on a subscription, too.
The experience they’re likely to witness will represent a picture as lovely as their Christmas mood should be. Because stadiums are packed on Boxing Day and in the days after Christmas, fans are eager to impress and be impressed. In the light of these annual commitments supporters, streaming services and broadcasters might be just about to receive some more gifts. The clubs though will be expecting additional income, too.
The good cause and the Christmas shopping
Around Christmas some teams, like Werder Bremen, even play their last home game of the year in a special kit. Bremen’s Christmas tree shirt won’t be sold this year, but it still generates some awareness.
In England, teams across the country participated in the initiative Christmas Jumper Day. That day was on December 14th and it suggests you wear a striking Christmas jumper to show your support for charity, while you donate to help save children’s futures worldwide. AFC Bournemouth, Chelsea London, Manchester City, Arsenal London etc. – they all took part as players and managers wore Christmas jumpers.
But of course they were pictured wearing officially branded club jumpers, be it with a big badge on it or just a tiny reminiscence.
So after all the clubs will hope to showcase that wear in some noble context and sell it for Christmas then. At this time of year the club shops do offer quite a lot anyway; reduced due to Christmas, of course. That’s the same stroke the companies like DAZN or SKY or actually any other are using. Giving with a glimpse of a real gift, but for the sake of taking, eventually.
In the end Christmas is a time to revel in all the sports shown and made accessible through various other channels such as Social Media. You can sit back and enjoy. But as there is even more money in the market, that joy might trickle down – financially – to companies and brands, to the clubs and even to those who need it most. Maybe in the future there’ll be a way to make donating an even bigger part of that festive football business, there’s enough money in it to spare the odd Euro or pound. For now, let’s just enjoy the sports and its many-faceted opportunities for all concerned parties. And Merry Christmas to all of them, too.