FC Barcelona recently issued a limited edition jersey promoting Catalan pop star Rosalia’s “MOTOMAMI” album for the March 19th LaLiga Clasico. The event-driven promo is just one more step in Spotify’s efforts to woo creators and ink new brand partnerships while presenting new opportunities to brand marketers. Here are three key takeaways.

#1: 1.5 Billion Viewers Can’t Be Wrong

The world is still engaging with soccer on multiple platforms—even in the midst of economic and political uncertainty. According to SportsProMedia:

  • More than 550 million viewers tuned in for the FIFA 2022 opener.
  • Across 93.6 million posts during the 2022 series, the event launched 5.95 billion social media engagements.
  • FIFA reported record-breaking revenue of US$7.5 billion for the tournament’s four-year cycle.

In comparison, 113 million people, a record, watched the 2023 Super Bowl, per Statista. 

According to S&P Global Intelligence, soccer is the most-watched sport on live TV.

in eight of 10 major global markets. Although just 26 million Americans watched the world cup in 2022, marketers seeking to build a global presence will find a unique opportunity in marketing through soccer-related content.

#2: American Soccer Fans Are The Youngest Sports Fans And The Most Diverse 

According to data from The Morning Consult

  • Over half of the respondents who identified as soccer fans are under 45 (54 percent). This is a higher share of young fans than the NBA, NFL, college basketball, tennis, NHL, and MLB.
  • Soccer fans are the most diverse of all sports, with 40 percent of those surveyed identifying as people of color.
  • Young soccer fans are now transmitting their love of soccer to their Gen Alpha children, with 63 percent of Gen Alpha parents stating that they encourage their children to be sports fans.

That presents a key opportunity for brand marketers seeking access to audiences of younger families and diverse communities. 

#3: Like Spotify And FC Barcelona, Brands Should Have A Strategy To Connect With Audiences Everywhere, Including At The Stadium

Spotify’s recent deal with FC Barcelona, worth over $320 million for the initial sponsorship, per Reuters, reflects more than a marriage of convenience. According to Alex Norström, Spotify’s Chief Business Officer, in a 2022 interview announcing the partnership, the brand wants to leverage soccer’s fan culture to deliver new Spotify artists to an online and in-person audience. In addition, Spotify will use targeted ads—and presumably new brand partnerships—to engage diverse global audiences.

“Barça’s games attract a huge, global viewership per season, and we’re looking forward to working with them to connect artists to this audience,” said Norström. “For example, using the dynamic digital displays to showcase and geo-target relevant artists to Barça’s global TV audience. While European viewers may see a message about one artist, TV viewers in India could be served a different and locally relevant message.”

According to Spotify, the company experienced record audience growth in 2022. 

“Our approach to our earned, our pitches, and how we want to reach external audiences and the press is as important as how we’re approaching our owned editorial channels,” said CJ Stanley, Spotify’s Global Head of Communications, in a 2022 interview.