The Borneo Post

The Social Media Clasico: How Real, Barca battle online

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MADRID: As a few hundred Barcelona fans in a farflung corner of the Santiago Bernabeu roared at the final whistle, millions around the world celebrated with the push of a finger.

A little more than 2 million liked the club’s post on Instagram. Meanwhile 1.3 million watched the live video on Facebook. On Twitter, 886,000 tuned in for a sixsecond film of a changing room celebratio­n, which then pulled another 2 million likes on Instagram.

Barca’s 3-0 victory knocked Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. On Saturday, Barcelona have the chance to effectivel­y eliminate their great rivals from title race too.

This week’s Clasico doublehead­er is not just being played out on the pitch but in clicks.

“Football and social media make the perfect couple,” read a Real Madrid tweet last month. “Social networks have changed the way we enjoy the Clasico.”

Real say their videos routinely reach more than 100 million views in the 10 days around a Clasico, more than the Superbowl in January, which hit 98 million.

Spain is not the dominant country, with the United States just as engaged with Real, narrowly ahead of Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, France, Algeria and India.

“For clubs like Barca and Madrid, maybe only 1 per cent of their fanbase will come to watch them play,” says Joe Weston, director at We Are Social Sport, who crafted the online announceme­nt of Paul Pogba’s transfer to Manchester United, by pairing him with the rapper Stormzy.

“How do you serve the other 99 per cent all around the world, who are just as passionate? Social media means you can touch those fans in real time.”

For Real Madrid and Barcelona, the battle to be most followed is fierce.

In August 2017, Madrid basked in the glory of becoming the “first sporting institutio­n in the world to eclipse 100 million followers on Facebook.”

“It means the club stands out from our nearest rivals like Barcelona, the NBA and Manchester United,” Madrid’s statement read, adding: “Data also shows a 50 per cent difference over Barcelona for engagement.”

Real Madrid had chased long and hard, with former stars like David Beckham and Kaka asked to make appearance­s to give numbers an extra push.

While clubs still earn through traditiona­l means such as shirt sales, advertisin­g boards and shops, a vast, loyal and familiar audience on social media offers new commercial potential.

Data can reveal characteri­stics about followers, from the most basic such as gender and location to the more detailed, including interests and times when they are most receptive. — AFP

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