• Loading stock data...
Thursday, March 28, 2024
2024 Best Venues nominations are open now through April 8! Submit Now

NBC Aims To Create ‘New Tradition’ With Premier League Fan Fests

  • NBC and Premier League Are Planning 'Premier League Mornings Live' fan fest in Miami from Dec. 14-15.
  • This will be the second NBC-Premier League fan fest this year. 'It's almost turned into Comic-Con," says NBC's Dan Palla.
NBC Sports and the Premier League will hold fan fest for American supporters in Miami on Dec. 14-15. This will be the sixth fan fest for Yank fans since 2017.
Photo Credit: NBC Sports

Being an American fan of the English Premier League can sometimes be a lonely existence, relegated to just watching matches on television. 

But If the Premier League’s U.S. soccer fans can’t get to Britain, then NBC Sports is looking to bring a bit of the British-style gameday experience to them.

NBC and the Premier League are teaming up to stage a “Premier League Mornings Live” fan fest at Miami’s Clevelander Hotel from Dec. 14-15. It will be the sixth fan fest overall that the network and the league have hosted, and the second this year. The first took place in Austin, Texas, in late October.  

The two-day Miami event will feature televised action from five Premier League matches, starting with Liverpool vs. Watford on Saturday, Dec. 14 and culminating with Arsenal vs. Manchester City on Sunday, Dec. 15.

NBC’s Premier League announcer team of Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, Kyle Martino, and Robbie Mustoe will broadcast live from the fan event all weekend.

There will be special guests like soccer fan Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat, who’ll appear on “The 2 Robbies” podcast, with Earle and Mustoe.

Soccer fans will also get to meet former players such as Jay DeMerit and Nigel Reo-Coker and pose for pictures with team mascots and the Premier League trophy.

Despite matches starting at 6:30 a.m local time, NBC’s October event in Austin drew over 8,000 fans. While the network doesn’t like to predict attendance, NBC expects a similar size crowd to descend on Miami’s trendy South Beach once things get underway Saturday at 7 a.m. E.T.

These NBC-Premier League fan fests are pure event marketing. The strategy? “Create a new American tradition to celebrate the Premier League stateside,” said Dan Palla, NBC’s director of consumer engagement.

American fans of the Premier League can’t attend live matches unless they hop on a plane. Holding live fan fests like this in the U.S. enables the Premier League’s American supporters to see, feel, and touch the property without flying across the pond. They’ve responded with a British-style enthusiasm, said Palla. Some fans have traveled to all six NBC fan fests, the way NFL fans journey to the Super Bowl every year.

“It’s a property where, geographically, we don’t get to have a game-day experience. You don’t get to see and touch talent you watch every single weekend. It’s almost turned into Comic-Con,” Palla said. “Our U.K. partners have been in awe at how the fans, of all different loyalties, have come together to embrace the fact that the Premier League has come to their market and put them on display. It’s been fantastic to work on.”

NBC started these fan fests back in November 2017. Seeing the reaction by American supporters, the Premier League and sponsor Barclays quickly became involved. Last year, NBC staged fan fests in Boston, Washington D.C., and New York, with the Boston event drawing north of 12,000 fans.

NBC’s live event strategy is helping bolster TV numbers too. The Peacock network’s telecast of Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Tottenham on Oct. 27 ranked as the third most-watched Premier League match ever on a Sunday, averaging a total audience delivery of 961,000 viewers.

READ MORE: NBC Sports Plots Plan To Deepen Premier League Reach In U.S.

Sports marketing expert Bob Dorfman sees the strategy as a “spot-on” way for NBC to promote its Premier League partnership while also “rewarding” U.S. fans who can’t attend Premier League matches in person.

“It promotes the game, the league, the network and the stars in a fan-fest-meets-tailgate-meets-sports bar extravaganza that should bring huge buzz to the beach and beyond,” said the creative director at Baker Street Advertising in San Francisco. “A very smart move by NBC Sports and one that I’m sure will continue in other football-friendly locations.”

NBC doesn’t take a cookie-cutter approach to these events, said Palla. Each one is different than the rest.

But the overall business objective is the same. Reward “authentic American fans” who’ve previously had to limit their Premier League team rooting to a favorite bar.

“You’re talking about tens of thousands of people coming to a city – while the game is played in England – to watch a (T.V.) screen,” he said. “The chemistry and atmosphere are unique. And it’s uniquely American. That’s what the most satisfying part of this is. From the Premier League side, from the club side and the NBC side, it’s a sign we are doing things the right way.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Born in the USA? RedBird Looks to Bring American Concepts to Italian Soccer

AC Milan owner wants to expand stadium development concept to the rest of Serie A.

Peter King Opens Up at the End of His NFL Writing Career

The writer reflects on the state of media and on challenges facing the league.
Caitlin Clark

Milestone Missed: Caitlin Clark Broke a Record. NBC Blew an Opportunity

NBC skipped an opportunity to put women’s college basketball history in front of hundreds of millions of homes.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

MLB Opens Season With MLBPA, Ohtani, and Ownership Dramas

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

March 22, 2024, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) and Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) react in overtime against the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center.
March 27, 2024

‘An Expensive Game’: March Madness and NIL Collectives Are Intertwined

At schools nationwide, collectives are fueling NCAA tournament runs and vice versa.
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (22) waits to be announced in the starting lineup against West Virginia in a NCAA Tournament round of 32 game Monday, March 25, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
March 26, 2024

The Women’s Trading Card Market Is Overlooked. Can Caitlin Clark Change That?

Traditionally, women’s sports cards have been a marginal part of collectibles.
The Sports Illustrated cover signed by Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, February 27, 2019, at Don & Charlie's, 7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. Don Charlie S
March 24, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About the Ongoing ‘Sports Illustrated’ Saga

Understanding the strange state of affairs for the nearly 70-year-old publication.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Live Nation
Multiple - USA Careers
Adidas
Multiple - USA Careers
Spotify
Multiple - USA Careers
FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid in Texas.

FC Barcelona, Real Madrid Set AT&T Stadium Soccer Attendance Record

Sixth Street organized the match as part its U.S. Soccer Champions Tour.
Las-Vegas-Grand-Prix
November 14, 2022

Vegas Resorts Going All Out for Formula 1 Grand Prix

MGM Resorts will build a grandstand for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
A young fan holds a sign for Julio Rodriguez during the 2023 MLB Home Run Derby.
July 12, 2023

MLB Median Ticket Buyer Down to 43 Years Old

Games are shorter and higher scoring thanks to new rules.
Sponsored

How Daily Fantasy Sports Solved NBA Fantasy

The remarkable growth of the #1 Discord sports server in the world.
Sponsored

How QuintEvents is Changing the Game of Premium Fan Experiences

Over the last decade, we’ve seen a noticeable shift in the psyche…
MLB
October 7, 2022

MLB Attendance Pops Up, But Falls Below 2019 Levels

MLB attendance rose from 2021, but still lagged behind 2019 levels.
September 16, 2022

Baron Davis, Michele Roberts Help Launch Fan Controlled Hoops

The league will begin its inaugural season on Feb. 7, 2023 in Atlanta.
Sponsored

Webinar: How to Improve the Fan Experience at the Stadium and Online

Learn how pro sports teams are improving the fan experience.