Roblox looks for a role in the sports ecosystem

Gaming platform Roblox is building partnerships with footballing organisations as it seeks to carve out a role in the sports ecosystem.

Why Roblox’s sport strategy matters

Notwithstanding FIFA’s break with EA Sports last year, caused by its desire to double the $150m annual licensing fee EA Sports paid for the use of its name and the inclusion of the World Cup in its hugely successful games, the world football body sees gaming as “a really important vertical”, according to senior business development & gaming manager Georgi Stoimenov.

“You can really reach young audiences and inspire them to fall in love with the game in a way that makes sense for them via gaming channels,” he told a DMEXCO audience.

Effectively it’s an investment in the future of fandom and a novel way of drawing eyeballs in a crowded attention economy. 

What’s happening?

Before last year’s Men’s World Cup, FIFA launched a branded experience – FIFA World – on Roblox. “We basically use this as an evolving platform to extend on important competitions or activities that are taking place,” Stoimenov explained.

• For example, ahead of the recent Women’s World Cup “the important message to communicate [was] that the audience for women’s football is equally important to men’s – and basically the Roblox experience allows us to do that.”
• Stoimenov claims FIFA World is the largest branded sports experience on the platform (20 million+ visits).
• The German Football Association (DFB) is also on board with Roblox, seeing it as a simple way of developing a virtual experience – and on a global platform that is especially strong in the country hosting the next Men’s World Cup in 2026. 

The Roblox opportunity

With 66 million DAUs and an audience that’s no longer limited to children – the 17+ demographic now makes up more than 40% of the audience – Roblox believes its engaged users are an attractive proposition for sports brands wanting to capture attention and nurture lifelong fans.

• Head of sports partnerships Tian Pei highlighted the innovation of bodies like FIFA and DFB in making it not just about gaming but “a bottom-up grassroots authentic community driving fan engagement experience”.
• And she sees the business model adapting accordingly. “How does the entire sports ecosystem from the rights holders, to the partners, to the sponsors, to the media platforms, all participate in the future in a sustainable way, and be able to derive value for whatever their business objectives are?” 
  

Key quote

“You don’t have to create your own [virtual] world. Maybe you can just be in an existing one that really helps you connect to a larger and different audience” – Leo Dietz, Licensing Manager at DFB. 

BEC

[Image: Roblox]