What a season it’s been in the Uefa Champions League.
Highlights have included a Ronaldo hat-trick, Messi wonder free-kick, miraculous comebacks and last-minute winners. It’s fair to say that this year’s competition will go down as one of the best ever.
And it’s not just because of the football on the pitch…
Thanks to the success of the English Premier League clubs – and some dramatic ties in the knockout stages – the UK’s football press, websites, radio stations and podcasts have put together some truly memorable Champions League headlines and content in 2018-19.
For me though it’s the TV coverage that has really stood out. BT Sport has the exclusive rights to the Champions League (and Europa League) in the UK and the broadcaster has really upped its game with its output this season.
Not only has BT Sport covered every match via its subscription channels but it has also produced hours of extra content for its digital platforms. Highlights, goal clips and interviews are uploaded in quick time for fans to enjoy on YouTube and social media.
One particular feature that has really captured the drama and excitement of the Champions League this year has been BT Sport’s #NoFilterUCL highlights videos.
The commentary and pundit soundbites are the ones that feature from the live broadcasts of the matches, but as the name suggests the “no filter” tag means just that for the pictures that are used in the production.
The access all areas #NoFilterUCL videos take a look at matches from a different angle – literally – and use highlight shots from cameras based at ground level, in the stands or in the studio.
There’s also plenty of video clips from the fan zones, outside the stadiums and in the cities where games are being played.
Capturing moments from angles that the main TV cameras can’t, the highlights packages for BT Sport’s #NoFilterUCL have been a hit for football fans in the UK.
For example, the dramatic Liverpool vs. Barcelona second leg video has had 1.2m hits on YouTube while Tottenham’s comeback in Amsterdam against Ajax has had 1.3m views.
The #NoFilterUCL is something extra for the fans. No glossy editing, cameras at different angles, shots that would usually be cut from a TV broadcast. Fans love this type of content because it’s raw, dramatic and exciting.
No Filter UCL: The Final
Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Spurs in the Madrid final on Saturday 1 June may not have been the greatest of matches for the neutrals, but for fans of the two clubs the build-up to the match was memorable.
The scenes in Madrid outside and in the stadium play a huge part in BT Sport’s “#NoFilterUCL: The Final”.
For Liverpool it also captures the emotion of their fans, players and staff celebrating a sixth European cup win while for Spurs it shows the heartbreak of losing at the final hurdle.
As a huge fan of the Champions League – but not a supporter of any team in the competition – I’ve really enjoyed BT Sport’s coverage and the #NoFilterUCL feature.
There’s no doubt it’s a game-changer for sports highlight reels and a format that other broadcasters, clubs and competitions will follow. For sports fans wanting to re-live the drama and emotion, it’s a perfect watch.
Let’s hope next season’s Champions League has the same amount of drama to capture.
Blog by Mike Starling