FC Barcelona becomes first sports club in the world to surpass 15 million YouTube subscribers
In its constant quest to set benchmarks for the creation of digital content, Barça has now become the first sports club in the world to break the 15 million subscribers mark on YouTube. The club has enjoyed unstoppable growth on the platform in recent years, both in terms of followers and views. In the realm of sports, only the NBA (20.2 million) and FIFA (19.2 million) can boast a bigger YouTube following than FC Barcelona, and for an individual sports club, it is the outright leader.
Barça ended the 2021/22 season with 13.5 million subscribers (1.6 million more than in 2020/21). This Monday 24 April it broke the 15 million mark. 76% of that audience is aged between 13 and 34 years, numbers boosted by the club's focus on native content aimed at the younger segment of the population, and using the visual language with which they identify. Rather than merely providing news items, the club produces creative entertainment with a personality all of its own, targeting Generation Z, which is already fully accustomed to digital consumption.
Barça are way ahead of the second club in the list, Real Madrid, which is about to reach 9.9 million subscribers. Liverpool are third with 8.2 million. By countries, Barça has its biggest followings in Spain, the USA, Indonesia, India and Mexico.
Short content
Based on the experience acquired in the conception, production and publication of long videos, Barça opted to adapt to the new trends on the channel itself, where the demand is shifting towards shorter duration material. In addition to such popular features as 'Barça Emojis', '7 Second challenge', 'Beat the clock', '90 Seconds challenge' and 'Behind the scenes', a large number of shorter, portrait format videos have been created to cater for that demand. There has also been a concerted effort to include more material about women's football.
Barça also produces content around matches. The 'Barça Live' show produced by Barça Studios combines news and views before, during and after the game with external collaborations and entertainment items, with a major focus on fan engagement. This is taken to the next level with the Culers Corner show, which is fundamentally all about audience interaction.
Breaking barriers
Barça was one of the first clubs to create a YouTube channel in February 2006. In June 2017 it became the first sports club in the world to reach three million subscribers. Then in September 2018, it broke the 5 million barrier, and in September 2020, Barça became the first club on the planet to reach the remarkable figure of 10 million followers. YouTube recognised this achievement by presenting the club with the Diamond Creator Award, a silver trophy with a play button, and which all channels receive when they reach that landmark figure.
