Athletic Bilbao players celebrate their win with their fans. Now North American LALIGA fans are … [+] being offered the opportunity to partake in the celebrations.
AFP via Getty Images
Access is everything for fans of professional sports. In recent years, the sports market has seen a boom in content, from F1’s Drive to Survive to the virtual reality-driven Messi Experience, and the new NFL Hard Knocks Offseason and In-Season series. With soccer’s popularity skyrocketing in North America, LALIGA is going to great lengths to provide fans with unprecedented access to Spanish soccer. Weeks ago, it released its LALIGA: All Access Netflix docuseries going behind the scenes with some of its most historic clubs. Now it is going one step further, offering North American fans membership to an exclusive fan club that will ensure they never miss any LALIGA-related content.
On August, 8th, 2024 the waitlist opens for LL12, LALIGA’s exclusive North American fan club. The club, which offers two tiers of access, emphasizes the importance of the fan, the 12th player, and seeks to bring them closer to the competition than ever before. LALIGA fans who purchase an LL12 membership can expect unique perks like welcome gifts, exclusive merchandise, “unforgettable game day experiences,” and virtual and in-person meet and greets.
LALIGA has been pushing for market prominence in the U.S. since back in 2018 when it opened its North American office in New York City. Season after season, the Spanish league has fought to carve out its piece of the lucrative American sports market. While it still trails the Premier League in viewership and popularity, it continues to push the envelope regarding fan interaction.
To provide the next level of access to U.S., Canadian, and Mexican fans, LALIGA North America enlisted the services of AnyRoad Lifetime Loyalty, the leading experiential marketing platform. Using data collected through micro surveys, interviews, and real-time monitoring of fans at LALIGA-sponsored events, AnyRoad worked hand-in-hand with LALIGA North America for eight months to develop the exclusive experience fans have been demanding.
Boris Gartner, CEO of LALIGA North America, said of LL12, “LALIGA fans are at the heart of the competition, and through LL12, we’ll bring them closer to the thrill and drama that exists inside the game,” adding, “Every soccer team has 11 players in the field, plus one more that remains in the stands supporting and leading the team towards victory, and we want to give that 12th player an unprecedented level of access that is reflective of their passion.”
What will fans get?
By signing up for the waitlist on the ll12.vip website before August 15th, U.S. fans will secure their spot in the LL12 exclusive fan club for the coming season. After August 15th, places will be offered up in a first come, first serve manner. Unfortunately, Canadian and Mexican fans will have to wait slightly longer before LL12 goes live in their countries, with no official launch date(s) as of yet. However, the access U.S. fans get will depend on how much cash they are willing to spend.
Tier one of LL12, the Player Tier, costs $299 for the season and must be paid up front. It grants fans access to a monthly virtual event with a LALIGA legend, current player, or expert insider. Fans at the launch event in New York City, on Wednesday, July 7th, got a teaser of this, speaking to former Atletico de Madrid striker, and LALIGA top goalscorer (pichichi) Diego Forlán.
Former Atletico de Madrid and Villarreal striker Diego Forlan, answers questions from fans at the … [+] LL12 launch event in New York City.
Courtesy of LALIGA North America
Player tier LL12 members can also expect custom merchandise, signed merchandise, and their own enhanced seating area if they attend a LALIGA “El Partidazo” live event. Moreover, fans will be encouraged to download the LL12 mobile app (only available on iOS currently) which will allow them to see exclusive content that no other fans have access to. They can also personalize their app to follow all exclusive LALIGA content or filter to see the content of their favorite team.
Fans who want even more LALIGA can elect to pay the $2,999 fee to enter the Champion tier. As a Champion, they will be allowed to interact directly with LALIGA legends on Zoom calls. Moreover, they will be offered the chance to vote on exclusive merchandise designs and can attend private events before “El Partidazo,” where they will meet former players and LALIGA staff.
The cherry on top of the LL12 Champion fan tier is the VIP experience offered twice per season. Fans will be treated like royalty as they travel to Spain to watch their favorite teams play in person. In Spain, not only will they watch the game in VIP seating, they will get a tour of the stadium, a VIP meal at a location determined by the club, a customized jersey and they will be accompanied at all times by a club staff member. Certain LALIGA clubs will even offer fans the opportunity to do a meet and greet with the players.
Speaking to me ahead of the launch of LL12, Bay McLaughlin, Managing Director at AnyRoad, said the experiences Champion LL12 fans will get are those that the families of players and sponsors have when they attend matches. He added, “Money can’t buy these experiences,” although for just over $2,000 it seems it can.
How was LL12 developed?
Soccer has never been so popular in North America, and Spanish soccer is in another golden moment. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo no longer grace the Camp Nou or the Bernabéu, but the national team just won Euro 2024 thanks to young talents like Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, the women are World Champions, and Real Madrid is the reigning Champions League winner thanks to stars like Vinicius Jr. and Luka Modric.
The combination of interest and success makes it the opportune moment to develop a new experience that plays to fans’ passion points and brings them closer to their favorite clubs and players. According to Patrick Lowe, Head of Partnerships at LALIGA North America, one of the value propositions the Spanish league has had in mind since opening its offices on American shores was adding value to the fan outside the 90-minute game.
LL12 is LALIGA’s latest attempt to offer something unique to North American soccer fans.
Courtesy of LALIGA North America
To find out exactly what content fans wanted, LALIGA North America surveyed thousands of them and interviewed peña (supporters clubs) presidents. With this data in mind, AnyRoad Lifetime Loyalty toured Spain, visiting more than ten LALIGA clubs to gauge their interest and see what they were willing to offer fans. McLaughlin, who headed the research trip, says clubs were surprised to hear how excited North American fans were to get more access and were shocked that they would be willing to travel so far for it. He says, “The clubs didn’t know the demand was there or how to activate it.”
According to him, the clubs were very receptive to the strategy and keen to open their doors to American fans. After eight months of work, the two entities put together the two-tiered fan membership club geared towards supercharging fan immersion into Spanish soccer and highlighting the history and unique character of every club in LALIGA.
At the time of writing, three clubs, Real Sociedad, Villarreal CF, and CD Leganes have confirmed their participation in LL12. These clubs see the rare opportunity to directly address their North American fans. McLaughlin and Lowe insist that more clubs will be added in the coming days, and certainly, the hope is the success of this venture will drive all twenty LALIGA clubs to eventually participate.
A recent survey published by the Men in Blazers Media Network suggests that U.S. soccer fans are fickle in their allegiances. They need to be consistently wooed through authentic storytelling. The unprecedented access to LALIGA clubs through LL12 might be exactly what fans are looking for. AnyRoad’s data suggests it is. However, LALIGA is still competing for eyeballs with the big four American leagues, LigaMX, the MLS, and most notably, the English Premier League.
Lowe insists that “there is space for everyone in North America,” but admits LALIGA “want to be better than every other league,” adding “everything we do is with the clubs, players, league, and fans in our minds and hearts.” With LL12 ready to launch, it is up to the clubs to provide fans with the best experience possible. Perhaps more importantly, it is up to North American fans to decide whether the price point is worth the access, especially if their club isn’t participating yet.
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Publish date : 2024-08-08 03:14:00
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