Other Media: Driving fan engagement and club presence in the online space

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Other Media
Image credit: Other Media

For over 20 years, London-based digital sports agency Other Media has been a pioneer in developing digital strategies for their clients and partners.

The company’s approach, which they have labelled Creative Intelligence, is based on three key pillars combining creativity and technology: data driven transformation, creative and technical solution, and continuous optimisation. The company embraces the consistent change and challenges that arise from working with digital technology, striving to help their clients to create business advantage and meet rapidly changing customer expectations.

Other Media work closely with their partners to understand problems and establish long-term solutions. Through a series of interviews, data analytics and workshops, they tailor and shape their methodology to match the unique context and requirement of each of their clients. Websites, mobile apps, social and wearables are key to their audience engagement theory. In order to better understand and envision how a product or service will operate once it is launched, the company also develop prototypes to ensure their work and partnerships are sustainable and beneficial. The fluid and fast-paced nature of the digital space demands an approach that is malleable and adaptable. Other Media seek to establish solutions for their clients that advance with new innovations in mind, not only to keep up with the latest in technological developments but also to stay on top of pressure from competitors.

The company’s services include, but are not limited to, digital strategy consultancy, eCommerce strategy and development, and CMS strategy development. Most notably for football clubs and businesses, they also specialise in app strategy development, customer experience design and digital insights and optimisation. Clubcast, the company’s own fan experience platform, was developed to create a general online space that fans and clubs can utilise.

Through one comprehensive CMS, football organisations can efficiently and easily manage, personalise and share content to websites, apps and more, making it an effective digital space for clubs of all sizes to reach fans near and far, thus driving strong engagement and revenue. Clubs are given the freedom to choose and customise colours and themes in a gold standard UX design, seamlessly optimised for mobile use as well. Centred on creating the best web and in-app experience for fans and users, Clubcast boasts a number of features including a match centre with live statistics from fixtures, news and articles, ticketing, video and audio streaming, quizzes, polls and predictors, customised notifications and integrated retail.

In addition to benefiting fans, Other Media has ensured that clubs are also able to monitor the effectiveness of their Clubcast investment through a data dashboard that showcases real time fan behaviour and engagement, and KPI tracking. Clubs also have the option to personalise their dashboard to monitor relevant campaigns, including segmenting fans by location or demographic, personalising communications through push notifications and recognising and delivering relevant content to bolster fan engagement. The FXP is aimed at maximising affordability and profitability and is available with zero up-front payment. Instead, it operates through a monthly payment plan, encompassing the costs of the design and delivery of digital products, and hosting and support.

The company’s vision is clear and effective – to accelerate and foster successful fan engagement through the digital space, whilst also working closely with clubs to design unique platforms that are modern and user friendly and stay true to their individual fan base and history. Other Media have a plethora of successful partnerships with Premier League clubs, including West Ham United, Arsenal, Swansea FC and Chelsea FC, as well as being a key player in devising National League TV, a direct-to-consumer online video platform for the Vanarama National League, to be officially launched later this year.

Other Media’s success and efficiency in bringing quality digital solutions to their partners has been recognised in the sports business industry through a number of different awards. In 2018, they were named a Finalist for the Innovation Award at the Football Business Awards, for their work on the Swansea FC Sports App, which also saw them recognised as a Finalist for Innovation and Best Design/UX at the UK App Awards. In 2017, they were a Finalist at the BIMA Awards, a prestigious recognition of work in the UK digital sector, for their development of an immersive 3D Stadium Viewer for Chelsea FC.

To find more information on Other Media’s partnerships, services and more, click here.

Auckland FC adds three All White legends to ownership group

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Three former All Whites—Winston Reid, Tim Brown, and Noah Hickey—have joined the ownership group of Auckland FC, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience from their time as top-level players.

With over 580 professional and international appearances between them, the trio is united in their passion for New Zealand football and is committed to helping the club succeed.

About the three owners

Winston Reid

The former All White and captain of West Ham brings vast experience from his time in the Premier League, where he played over 150 games. Born in Auckland, Reid is particularly excited about supporting the club in his hometown.

“Getting involved as an investor with Auckland FC feels like the perfect opportunity for me. I love what the club has to offer, what it represents to Auckland, as well as the coaching and development pathways available to help players achieve their very best,” he said in a statement.

“Becoming a professional football player is one of the hardest things to achieve; it takes more than just talent. I’m humbled by the opportunity to give back some of my own experiences as a professional footballer, to the next generation.”

Tim Brown

Brown is now better known as the co-founder and co-CEO of sustainable footwear brand Allbirds and played over 100 times in the A-League and 30 times for New Zealand. His extensive professional career is complemented by his success in business.

Brown shared his ambitious vision for Auckland FC.

“Considering the number of people locally who are playing it and its global appeal, football is massively under-represented in New Zealand,” he said in a statement. 

“Auckland FC represents an opportunity to change that for the benefit of players as well as the wider NZ football community.

“I’m pleased to be joining an ownership group with such experience and expertise. We have some serious ambitions for this club, and with a world-class network of global investors, I’m confident they can be achieved.”

Noah Hickey

Hickey is another former All White and now serves as CEO of fleet maintenance software company Whip Around and co-founder of the fashion brand Asuwere.

After a professional football career spanning Auckland, Europe, and the All Whites, Hickey has built a successful corporate career.

Reflecting on his involvement with Auckland FC, Noah is confident he can unite the city of Auckland and pathways for future players.

“I’ve played football in Auckland, Europe, and internationally. Being overseas, you really notice the cultural behemoth football is and its ability to bring people from all backgrounds together,” he said via statement. 

“There’s a great opportunity here to do that in Auckland, to unite the city and create better pathways for future players to make it professionally. Having people like Tim and Winston involved is vital to that success, and I’m delighted to join them, Ali, Anna, and Bill and become a part of it.”

The reason behind this move 

The new additions join existing local owners Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray, while American businessman Bill Foley remains the majority owner.

Together, the group is focused on the long-term success of the club and creating clear pathways for young Kiwi talent to reach the professional level.

Auckland FC’s strong corporate foundations are further strengthened by the appointments of Tim Brown and Noah Hickey who have sustained success in the business industry.

Whereas for Winston Reid, the chance to give back to the city where he was born is a significant motivation, and he is determined to help the next generation succeed at the highest level.

Auckland FC CEO, Nick Becker, emphasised the club’s vision and how they plan to tackle the near future.

“All of us at the club, players, staff, and our owners share a clear vision for Auckland FC. We are proud to represent New Zealand’s biggest city, and we are working hard to build a club that has its fans at the core of our decision-making, and we’re investing in genuine talent pathways for young Kiwi boys and girls,” Becker said in the club statement.

“We are incredibly lucky that our owners recognize the growth trajectory that football is on in New Zealand and can see the opportunity that having a professional club in Auckland offers. When I look at the calibre of the ownership team now in place, I’m incredibly confident of what Auckland FC can offer, whether that be fans, players, staff, sponsors, and Auckland at large. This is great news for us, but also great news for the city.”

Conclusion

This move by Auckland FC is brilliant, combining the experience and expertise of three footballing legends to try and propel them up the table as quick as possible in this tough transitional period.

With a myriad of fantastic on-field signings, an experienced coach and now this new ownership group, Auckland FC are very carefully building a solid and sustainable foundation to launch themselves as a top club.

AFC sign a deal with Earthlink for AFC Asian Qualifiers

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Image credit: AFC website

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed Earthlink, a telecommunications provider, as an Official Regional Partner for the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26.

This sponsorship covers key AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 matches in Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, and Kuwait.

As part of the collaboration, Earthlink will work closely with the AFC to deliver unique fan activations during home matches in Iraq, as the Lions of Mesopotamia strive to secure their place at the global stage.

The partnership was confirmed during a meeting held at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where representatives from Earthlink, including CEO Dr. Alaa Jasim, met with AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John.

Both parties emphasised their shared commitment to utilising the partnership to achieve mutual objectives and enhance the fan experience across the MENA region.

AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John expressed his excitement about the collaboration.

“The AFC is delighted to welcome Earthlink as an Official Regional Partner of the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26, which is a clear reflection of the world-class appeal and stature of the AFC’s national team competitions,” John explained in an AFC statement.

“The expanded and revamped format has undoubtedly paved the way for greater engagement in more territories than ever before and we thank Earthlink for sharing our belief in Asian football, and we look forward to strengthening our ties to create more lasting memories for the passionate fans across the MENA region.”

Earthlink CEO Dr. Alaa Jasim also shared his thoughts on the new partnership.

“We are happy with this partnership, and we are looking forward to continue supporting the Iraqi national team for what it represents for us as Iraqis, which is an icon and symbol that we all rally around and a source of joy in the hearts of the people,” Jasim said in a statement.

“Our link-up with the AFC is part of Earthlink’s strategy that aims to support and empower youth in related sectors, including sports. The sponsorship with the AFC complements Earthlink’s initiatives in supporting Iraqi sports, and we have confidence in the team that will continue to represent Iraq in the best way and honour Iraqi football all the way to the World Cup Finals.

“We thank the AFC for being one of our international partners, and I express my gratitude for the warm reception at this great establishment.”

It is always a positive to see a large company partner with a football federation to innovate fan activations and improve the experience during matchdays.

This is certainly a first for the AFC, the Iraq National Team and the MENA region, and the success with Earthlink could spark a new way to connect to fans in stadiums.

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