BBC iPlayer is celebrating how football ‘belongs to all of us’ in a campaign aimed at highlighting the unifying nature of sports in the wake of the upcoming football season.
The 60-second spot begins with a voice-over that declares football will ‘never be a closed club’, while a collage of images videos and news clips relating to different football clubs, stars and fans are shown.
Produced by BBC Creative, it focuses on poignant, shared feelings among football fandoms, by stitching together material, while stating ‘we lose as a team and are only rivals until the whistle blows’.
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The campaign also highlight the role the British broadcaster has within the sports; one news clip is heard saying “the BBC is committed to fighting online hate”, another shows a young child watching sports on Cbeebies, while another shows a fan receiving multiple BBC Sports updates.
Emphasising the importance of inclusivity and ending stereotypes within the sports, the film features a diverse selection of individuals including women and young girls, people from different cultures and religions, and visibly disabled fans engaging with football.
The film includes fan portraits taken by My Honey, the first female sports photographer in the UK and photos by Michael Kirkham.
Directed by Lisette Donkersloot through Caviar Productions, it concludes with the image of a goal with a yellow and black flag that reads, ‘This Game Belongs To All Of Us’.
Showcased across channels including YouTube, the film was uploaded with a description reminding how the broadcasters TV channels are available free across iPlayer, with a note “football will never be a closed club”.
The campaign comes after Sky Sports kicked off its sponsorship and upcoming coverage of the Women’s Super League with a campaign video featuring Nadia Rose, Stormzy’s cousin.
