Following on from my first post, ‘Football – A Transmedia Example – Post #1‘, this second one takes a closer look at the transmedia elements in football.

Assuming we are still seeing the football industry as the storyworld, here are some more examples of story content generated from within that storyworld, and how they feed off the Main Linear Story which is a football season.

Let The Games Begin

Gambling – betting during a live game is a new development made possible by the internet. This kind of live betting is a deep form of engagement with the unfolding action/drama as there are stakes at risk. Live bets can be made on a variety of in-game events such as next goal scorer, result, next red card etc.

Social Media – fans can follow their favourite star players on Twitter or friend them on Facebook. They can create club sites for chat and comments and blogs to express opinions.

Games – game simulations like Pro-Evolution Soccer, Championship Manager and FIFA (add a year), the most popular football game of them all. FIFA now has a basic management simulation incorporated into its gameplay – an attempt to merge genres; sports action and sports management.

Another very interesting development in FIFA is the ‘My Live Season’ mode which allows a player to download weekly updates of stats and club records for their club. These include real-time player performance stats, injuries, transfers and suspensions. There are online games with leader-boards and league tables. So in many ways the videogame is shaped by real events happening in the real season, the main story.

Before Digital there were many football games including blow football, flick football and Subbuteo. And of course, anyone can pick up a football and have a kick-about.

Film – a wide range of fiction and documentary films including ‘Goal!’, ‘When Saturday Comes’ and ‘Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait’.

TV – broadcasting live games, highlights, football news, documentaries and punditry. Many also offer apps with live scores and breaking news.

Print – newspaper sports pages offer match reports, tactical analysis, opinion, interviews and profiles of key figures in the game. Tabloid front pages go for ‘kiss and tell’ stories from ex-WAGS (Wives and Girlfriends) and other off-pitch dramas. Football magazines like ‘442’ cover similar territory to the papers but in more detail. Many now have app versions of their magazine.

Several comics used to carry strips about football, most famously ‘Billy’s Boots’ and ‘Roy of the Rovers’.

All of the above can be seen as story content generated from within the expansive football storyworld.

Full Time

This post concludes my look at the transmedia elements of football as an example of how a rich, detailed and dynamic storyworld can generate a multitude of different story content that is ready to spread across multiple platforms.

In the case of football the stories just keep coming both on and off the pitch, and at all levels from amateur grassroots to the professional leagues.

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