WHERE FOOTBALL, CULTURE AND INFLUENCER CONVERSATION COLLIDE

THE BRIEF.

Soapbox was appointed by Baller League to develop and oversee the communications strategy across Seasons Two and Three, helping to raise the profile of the fast-paced, game-changing football format and establish Baller League as one of the fastest-growing sporting properties in the UK.

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With a unique blend of football, entertainment and creator culture, Baller League brings together an all-star roster of managers, legends and influencers. Across the two seasons, teams have been managed by high-profile names including KSI, Angry Ginge, Niko, Sharky, Alan Shearer, John Terry, Idris Elba and Chloe Kelly, creating a powerful platform at the intersection of sport and wider popular culture.

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STRATEGY.

Our communications strategy focused on building sustained awareness of Baller League beyond the match itself, positioning it as a cultural property as well as a football competition.

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We provided ongoing communications support across the seasons, using key announcements, new partnerships and innovative collaborations,  including the partnership with Fortnite  to create fresh media hooks and keep Baller League at the centre of the sporting conversation.

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A key part of our approach was remaining reactive to the fast-moving nature of Baller League and identifying opportunities to turn viral moments and cultural stories into wider media narratives.

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From Angry Ginge’s return following his appearance on I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! to Petr Čech turning out in goal for John Terry’s 26ers, we consistently looked beyond the football itself to identify moments capable of generating conversation across sport, entertainment and culture.

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We also looked to use Baller League as a platform to explore the changing relationship between sport and influencer culture. We arranged interviews between Niko and Sharky and BBC Newsbeat, using their perspectives to examine the rise of influencer involvement in sport and how creators are increasingly shaping the way younger audiences engage with football.

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The masked baller provided another distinctive storytelling opportunity, creating intrigue and speculation in the sports press around the identity of the mystery player while generating additional conversation and engagement around the league.

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EXECUTION.

We secured high-profile sports, lifestyle and culture media to attend Baller League gameweeks at the Copperbox Arena, giving journalists and creators an opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere and energy of the competition first-hand.

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Alongside matchday media management, we organised and oversaw interviews with Baller League managers, using their profiles and personalities to bring additional depth to the competition and generate coverage beyond the action on the pitch.

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A major focus of the campaign was also humanising the players at the heart of Baller League. We developed stories around academy graduates and semi-professional footballers using the platform as a springboard for their careers, including Alfie Matthews, Kaz Sterling and Danny Atherton. These stories helped demonstrate the league’s wider role in providing opportunities for emerging talent and gave audiences a reason to invest in the players as well as the personalities managing the teams.

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We also secured significant national and international media opportunities for Felix, including interviews with talkSPORT, Reuters, CNN and the Press Association, extending the reach of Baller League beyond the UK sports media landscape.

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Through a combination of proactive storytelling, reactive communications, high-profile talent access and on-the-ground media engagement, Soapbox helped position Baller League at the intersection of football, entertainment and internet culture,  turning the moments happening inside the league into stories that travelled well beyond the pitch.