DAZN, the sports streaming service set to launch in the U.S. next month, has announced one of the biggest names in sports, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, to serve as its first global brand ambassador.
The move can be seen as a marketing win for a company that has already used over-the-top press events and big-name athletes to promote its brand in the U.S. But it also may serve as a welcome distraction from complaints by customers regarding glitchy streaming technology.
DAZN (pronounced da-zone), the live and on-demand sport streaming service owned by media giant Perform, announced Wednesday that it signed a two-and-a-half-year global partnership with Serie A star Ronaldo. That deal requires Ronaldo to promote DAZN across current live marketing, including Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan, plus future territories, such as the United States. DAZN will launch in the U.S. on Sept. 10 with an initial focus on martial arts and boxing.
Ronaldo, who recently signed with the Italian football team Juventus FC after nearly a decade at Real Madrid, announced his partnership with DAZN just three weeks after the streaming service opened shop in Italy with local rights to Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for DAZN. As our business grows internationally and pushes new boundaries, it’s important that we align ourselves with sporting greats who do the same,” said DAZN CEO James Rushton, in a statement. “Cristiano is undoubtedly a legend, fans love him and that’s why we wanted to work with him.”
Ronaldo added that DAZN is “breaking down barriers for sports fans.”
“Now we can watch sport however and whenever we want, which is why, for me, being part of DAZN’s journey was an easy decision to make,” he said.
Ronaldo’s comments, however, come as the streaming service faces backlash for what some claim has been a track record of streaming problems. Last year, DAZN dealt with glitches on NFL streams in Canada, where it has exclusive Sunday Ticket rights. DAZN eventually admitted to those issues amid user complaints, saying there were “no excuses” and that its debut in Canada did not go as planned.
But this week, fresh complaints about its technology emerged in Italy. DAZN was forced to apologize again to users after glitches impeded fan access to Serie A coverage.
SportTechie Takeaway
DAZN is using a carefully-crafted public relations strategy to woo customers despite complaints about its core product, the streaming technology that delivers sports content to fans. The importance of adding Ronaldo to the team, however, shouldn’t be overlooked. Ronaldo is one of the most influential athletes in the world with one of the largest social media followings among professional athletes and celebrities.