The 20th FIFA World Cup is going on right now until July 13 in Brazil, and it’s a huge international event. While the World Cup is receiving more press attention in the US than ever before, it’s still not covered as widely here than in other countries. Stream the BBC, Australian Broadcasting Corporation News, or just about any news station in any non-English-speaking country, and you’ll hear in-depth, major coverage of this sporting event.
The FIFA World Cup takes place every four years. Qualification competitions for this year’s event began in June 2011 and involved 31 countries’ national teams. During the competition, 64 matches will be played in 12 Brazilian cities. Spain is the defending champion, after defeating the Netherlands 1-0 in the 2010 World Cup Final.
As a local digital news publisher, how can your site take advantage of World Cup coverage? Here are some ideas.
Sponsored Content
Your publication could consider putting together a sponsored content package focusing on World Cup action. Possible sponsors might include local sporting goods manufacturers or retailers, or possibly electronics retailers (who may want to highlight the benefits of their big-screen televisions, for example). This sponsored content could be a special website section, or a print publication, and could include elimination forms for keeping up with participating teams.
Special World Cup Content for Kids
Because of the global nature of the World Cup, it could provide a great opportunity to produce educational geographic content for kids. Teams come from all over the world, and each individual team is typically made up of players of different nationalities. This offers a variety of ways to provide educational content for children, which might cover interesting geographical facts, or facts about the game itself, since youth soccer is popular throughout the US.
Cities With Large International Populations
Cities with large international populations could research local attitudes and which teams are most popular locally and commit to providing more in-depth coverage of those teams. Of course, you’ll need back-up ideas in case a favorite local team is eliminated early. This could be a great opportunity to show members of your international community that they can get great World Cup information locally, and don’t have to turn to international or home-country sources to keep up with their favorite teams.
Human Interest Stories
Do some online searching and you’ll find countless human interest stories related to the World Cup. For example, Revlon has produced online tutorials about World Cup-related nail art. You may be able to find local business owners from participating countries and interview them about their interest in the event, or perhaps run a youth contest for World Cup-inspired artwork. Recently, UK site SportsMole did a piece on items for a World Cup-themed party.
Tech Coverage: World Cup Apps
If your publication features tech news heavily, you still have opportunities for adding World Cup news to the mix. The UK Telegraph, for example, recently ran a piece on the top 10 World Cup apps. This year’s World Cup will be the first time a system of cameras and software will be used to ensure that every goal actually crosses the goal line and that goals are not incorrectly declared. The technology involved could provide a good tech-focused feature. Another possible tech angle is the fact that matches will be produced and broadcast in 4K, or Ultra High Definition, which will put matches in high definition on very large screens in cinemas and other public viewing venues.
Financial Coverage Related to the World Cup
Perhaps your publication has a finance focus. If so, you could approach the World Cup from a financial angle. Depending on the legality of gambling in your region, you could go in-depth on how bookmakers are handling the event. This year is also the first for a Bitcoin betting app called Bitkup. The overall economics of the FIFA World Cup, both historically and currently, could also provide an interesting coverage angle.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup is an enormous international story, and if you’re a digital news publisher, there are countless ways you can incorporate it into your site. If executed well, your particular angle on this huge international sporting event could draw new traffic, re-engage existing readers, and potentially boost your site’s revenue development.
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