Sidemen and BBC take World Cup viewing into the watchalong era
BBC Sport teams up with the Sidemen for a live watchalong of Ecuador v Germany, blending influencer reaction with public-service coverage.
Sophie Bennett
Writer ·
BBC Sport is testing a new way of presenting World Cup football to younger online audiences by teaming up with the Sidemen for a live watchalong of Ecuador v Germany.
Background
The stream is due to run across BBC Football's YouTube channel, MoreSidemen and BBC iPlayer, alongside the traditional BBC One coverage, bringing influencer-led reaction and social video habits into mainstream sports broadcasting.
On the pitch, Germany have already secured control of their group, while Ecuador need a result to keep their tournament hopes alive.
What happens next
For UK viewers, the experiment shows how public-service sport is trying to stay visible where football fans already gather online, and could shape how future tournaments are covered.
Referenced coverage: Our reporting and analysis draws on coverage first reported by The Sun. The NE Times publishes original reporting and independent analysis written by our editorial team. We credit and link the outlets whose primary reporting informed this article.
The NE Times is an independent news and analysis publisher. Our articles combine factual reporting with clearly-written, impartial analysis. Content is for general information and does not constitute professional advice. Disclaimer.
You may also like to read
BBC podcast outpaces Lineker's Netflix show in World Cup digital battle
Early figures suggest the BBC's Football Daily is drawing bigger audio and video numbers than Gary Lineker's Netflix-backed daily tournament show.
ITV builds a World Cup ratings lead over the BBC
Reports say the commercial broadcaster is drawing larger audiences than the BBC for key tournament moments, raising the stakes for advertisers and rights buyers.
BBC and RTÉ commission two series of dark comedy Tall Tales & Murder
Love/Hate creator Stuart Carolan and Veep director Chris Addison team up on a crime drama starring Aidan Gillen and Ella Lily Hyland, with a rare two-season order from the outset.
Backrooms Goes Home: The Viral Horror Hit Faces Its Streaming Audit
A24's $81.5m internet-born horror phenomenon arrives on premium VOD on 7 July — the next test of whether viral fandom can outlast the opening weekend.