October 11 – Netflix have entered the European football documentary market announcing a fly-on-the-wall series with Italian champions Juventus that will debut on the streaming service in 2018.
Netflix is following first steps made by Facebook with its own eight-part docuseries, Hala Madrid, that started airing at the beginning of September in the US on its new Watch OTT streaming platform. The eight-episode series has dozens of GoPro cameras set up at the team’s training facilities to provide a look into the club’s connection with its city, fans and players.
The Netflix series will be four hour-long documentaries and will have unprecedented access to the players and behind the scenes at the club. The filmmakers will follow Juventus players during the current season, and will include Serie A match footage, action from the training ground and a behind-the-scenes look inside manager Massmiliano Allegri’s dressing room.
“It’s a source of pride that Juventus is the first football club to be the subject of a Netflix Original Docuseries,” said co-chief revenue officer Federico Palomba.
“Collaborations of this kind confirm our passion for innovation and being, in every sense, a sport entertainment brand. In this way, we are determined to reach Bianconeri fans across the world and millions of Netflix users, who thanks to this docuseries can get to know Juventus from every angle.”
Netflix has 104 million subscribers in more than 190 countries for its streaming service. The company says more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies are watched per day.
The Juve programme may be the first venture into football, but it is not its first sports docuseries. Last Chance U has run for two series following the American Football team at the East Mississippi Community College.
For the Juve series Netflix says it will “follow the most compelling stories and characters in the club, spending personal and professional time with the players both on and off the field, on the road, at home and wherever it takes to capture in depth the real lives that make the Juventus one of the most fascinating teams in the world.”
Erik Barmack, Vice President of International original series at Netflix said: “Netflix is the home of passionate storytelling, and there are no more passionate fans than tifosi of the bianconeri. We are excited to have unique, exclusive access to one of the most important squads in the world.”
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