Earlier this month, Lakers star LeBron James took to the group chat to react to the NFL Draft, and expressed a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the choice made by his hometown Cleveland Browns (defensive tackle Mason Graham).
But this group chat wasn’t just for his buddies (though friend and business partner Maverick Carter was in it), it was for “The Chat,” a new effort from WhatsApp and sports culture brand OffBall to engage sports fans in a place they, quite frankly, are already talking about sports.
“There’s no question that the second screen experience is a huge part of how people watch sports and we think there is a real opportunity around the group chat experience as people seek out more intimate and direct engagements with their favorite follows – it’s how friends, family, and communities want to watch sports,” says Jennie Morel, the head of marketing for WhatsApp.
“We saw how this can give talent at the highest level a new way to engage with their fans and build community,” Morel adds. “Athletes are authentic and want to be open with their fans and this is very much how we think about WhatsApp’s value to our users more broadly.”
Now OffBall and WhatsApp are planning another edition of The Chat with Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler set to weigh in on the UEFA Champions League final between Paris St. Germain F.C. (PSG) and Inter Milan May 31. Butler will be joined in the chat by football designer Clint Cortiez, and creator Harry Pinero.
OffBall says that it has 48,000 members on WhatsApp, and that each edition of The Chat is limited to about 1,000 people, making it more intimate and memorable than other media products where consumers follow along with something happening live.
“Sports fandom lives in the group chat. That’s where the real stories, debates, and friendships are made,” says OffBall co-founder Michaela Hammond. “With ‘The Chat,’ we’re opening the door for fans to welcome their favorite athletes, creators, and celebrities into their sports conversations to talk, banter, and send memes much like they do with their friends.”
“OffBall was started to engage fans, athletes, and creators in unique ways to connect around sports culture,” Hammond adds. “I know everyone wants to fixate on the negative side of the internet but sports has the power to break through all that. The Chat is a perfect example of how sports and the internet can be pure fun. It’s what people want.”
As live sports programming proliferates on TV, every company is also thinking about that second screen, from sports betting companies to social platforms to streaming services themselves with offerings like alternate camera views. But a group chat could stand out due to its real-time social nature, and more personal experience.
With sports viewers having no shortage of options, the more intimate chat experience could win out in the battle for time.
“Sports is always going to be something that brings together communities and is a shared experience for friends and family,” says Morel. “‘The Chat’ is a great way for athletes and influencers to bring sports and fandom to their communities.”