The AFL’s live watchalong experiment with Dan Gorringe highlights a potential evolution in sports broadcasting.
The Australian Football League (AFL) will experiment with a new digital fan experience this weekend, following in the footsteps of the Bundesliga..
Announced September 17, one of Australia’s top sports content creators, Dan Gorringe, will host a live second-screen watchalong of the Collingwood vs Brisbane preliminary final on September 20.
The “Ultimate Footy Watchalong” will run from 4.30pm to 8.30pm AEST on the AFL YouTube channel and AFL Live Official App, alongside the televised broadcast on Channel Seven, 7plus, Kayo and Fox Footy.
Gorringe, known as DanDoesFooty, will be joined by fellow content creators, AFL and AFLW players as well as ‘footy-focused’ celebrities, offering live commentary, reactions and fan engagement throughout the game.
The former Carlton and Gold Coast player turned podcaster said the initiative represents “the beginning of modernising how fans experience footy – especially for younger generations who want to immerse themselves in the game differently.”
Why leagues are experimenting with creators
“The AFL is excited to present a new and innovative product to a younger and socially engaged audience for the highly anticipated prelim final on Saturday,” AFL Executive General Manager of Customer and Commercial Bec Haagsma said.
“The Ultimate Footy Watchalong is all about providing an experience that is in tune with younger audience consumption habits, encouraging the connection between the game and the ever-increasing online audience.”
Last month, Germany’s Bundesliga awarded a split of 20 live games to YouTube channels Mark Goldbridge’s That’s Football and Gary Neville’s The Overlap.
Vadim Drozdovski, VP Strategy & Growth at WSC Sports, told Insider Sport these initiatives reflect a shift driven by changing fan behaviour. He also noted new technology which empowers “content creators and rights holders to build diverse, engaged, and segmented audiences” has played a key role.
During the interview, Drozdovski predicted this strategy from the Bundesliga would become the norm, in part proven by the AFL following suit.
“The smartest leagues see creators as collaborators, not competitors,” he said. “At the end of the day, as they say in football, it’s about meeting fans where they are, and letting the story of the game travel in every format, on every platform, in real time.”
To read the full interview and learn his insights on this new trend, click HERE.
