Live streaming platform iFollow unveiled for global EFL fans
Innovative new service will enable overseas EFL fans to follow their team’s entire 2017/18 season
The EFL has today unveiled iFollow, an innovative digital live streaming and content platform that will revolutionise the way football fans overseas can follow their EFL teams.
iFollow will, for the first time in English football, enable EFL fans based outside the UK and Ireland to watch their team during the regular EFL season. With an estimated 270,000 EFLfans based outside the UK, iFollow will allow clubs to enable their supporters to follow the action wherever they are in the world.
Kicking off at the start of the 2017/18 EFL season, overseas subscribers will pay the equivalent of £110 per season for the service which will provide coverage of up to 46 livegames per club. More than 1,500 matches will be available in HD quality, with iFollowshowing every EFL league match live unless that match has been selected by the EFL’s overseas broadcast partners.
Fans based in the UK and Ireland will still also have access to live audio commentary, highlights packages and exclusive content as part of the new offering, rebranded to replace theEFL’s existing PlayerHD platform.
At launch, the vast majority of EFL clubs have opted in to utilise the iFollow platform andthose who have not will have access to the same live streaming opportunity and will provide their fans with access through their own club digital services.
Research commissioned by the EFL suggests that there is significant demand for a service like iFollow amongst fans based overseas. A survey of over 1,600 such fans showed that 73% would be very likely or quite likely to subscribe to a live match streaming service and almost half would be happy to pay an annual subscription fee to do so. The findings suggest over 55% of the EFL’s fans are located in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand where the potential audience for the iFollow platform could reach into the hundreds of thousands.
EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey commented: “The launch of iFollow is a notable development and will revolutionise the access thousands of overseas fans enjoy when following their EFL team.
“The new iFollow platform represents a potentially significant new revenue stream for Clubs, while enabling enhanced engagement with existing fans now living abroad.
“iFollow will also present the EFL with an important opportunity to stimulate the interest of new groups of supporters who follow our clubs overseas, which in turn will help support the growth of our competitions on the international stage.”
The live streaming of matches will be available from the start of the 2017/18 season in conjunction with a brand new digital presence for clubs via official websites and apps, together creating the largest sporting digital network in the world. US-based company NeuLion, a market leader in online video delivery, whose clients include the NFL, NBA and the Premier League, have developed the integrated streaming service alongside UK company Realise who have built the club websites. The two suppliers were appointed by the EFL in July 2016 following a competitive procurement process.
ABOUT IFOLLOW:
Background
The EFL has been working with partners Realise and Neulion to provide the EFL and ourClubs with an exciting new digital platform to replace the current club websites and PlayerHDproduct. All clubs within the EFL Digital family will have their player platforms rebranded,retaining the ability to have the product directly associated with their Club name or nickname – ie iFollow Wigan Athletic or iFollow Bees
Live Streaming
· The biggest change to the product is the ability for clubs to stream full live video coverage of matches for fans based overseas only (e.g. outside of UK and Ireland);
· Not every game will be available for live streaming purposes via club websites - 148 ofthe 1,656 games per season will remain the exclusive right of the broadcast partner in each country;
· Live streaming to overseas fans operates on a paid-for subscription model through club media services – e.g. website and app.
Audio Commentary
· As part of the iFollow product, live audio commentary for those within the UK & Ireland will continue to be available;
· Audio commentary is also available internationally.
The Costs
· The cost of a season pass for the live streaming product will be £110;
· For clubs that sit outside of EFL Digital, the ability to stream live games to overseas fans still exists; it will be delivered through their own website provider rather than theEFL Digital provision;
Which Clubs Are Involved
· 61 of 72 current EFL clubs have signed up to adopt iFollow;
· There are currently 11 EFL clubs who will have the opportunity to deliver a similarservice through their existing digital offering, these clubs are Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Fulham, Bristol City, Birmingham City, Queens Park Rangers, Derby County, Charlton Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Accrington Stanley.
About EFL:
With 72 member clubs across three divisions, the EFL (English Football League) is the world’s original league football competition. It is the largest single body of professional clubs in European football and is responsible for administering and regulating the Sky Bet EFL,Carabao Cup and Checkatrade Trophy, as well as reserve and youth football. The EFL, EFL Trust and our member clubs are at the heart of communities across the country, providing shared experiences for all and using the power of sport to improve lives.