The StreamTV Show makes its European debut in Lisbon, 13-15 April, where industry leaders will come together as they shape the next phase of TV in Europe.
StreamTV Insider is excited to bring you the StreamTV Europe Spotlight series, which gives readers a taste of key topics and takeaways from major European players and what to expect with insights from leading speakers, companies and attendees participating in show.
This StreamTV Europe Spotlight features Jaume Pons, head of social media and digital content for LaLiga, the Spain-based professional association soccer, or football, league.
In the Q&A below Pons discusses the changing nature of fan discovery and leveraging social platforms like TikTok to grow the sport and deepen engagement.
Edited Q&A
- StreamTV Insider Q: To set the stage, I think there are some beliefs that younger generations don’t engage with sports content the way earlier or older viewers do, such as tuning into live broadcasts or full matches. Based on what you see with engagement of LaLiga matches and content, is that a fair or accurate notion? How are younger fans primarily discovering or engaging with the league?
Pons: Yes, we are witnessing a change in how fandom is built. Younger audiences don’t start with the 90-minute match. Discovery is now social-first and mobile-first, driven by short-form video, creators, and player-driven narratives.
At LALIGA, we see that younger fans often enter through platforms like TikTok, engaging with highlights, behind-the-scenes content, or creator collaborations. From there, the goal is to guide them into deeper engagement, whether that’s watching matches, playing Fantasy, or joining platforms like MiLIGA. So it’s not that they don’t engage, it’s that the entry point has changed.
- Q: You’re head of social media and digital content for LALIGA and at StreamTV Europe you’ll be on stage with TikTok to discuss the evolution of fandom. As consumer habits shift, how has that impacted the level of importance and strategic way you utilize or look to social video platforms like TikTok to play a role in helping you grow the sport and/or deepen fandom and engagement
Pons: It has fundamentally reshaped our strategy. TikTok is not just a distribution channel, it’s an entry point into the LALIGA ecosystem. It allows us to connect with audiences in a native, emotional, and culturally relevant way, especially with Gen Z.
Our approach is to treat TikTok as a primary storytelling platform. That means adapting content formats, tone, and timing, prioritizing vertical video (created thanks to AI), real-time moments, and creator-led narratives. We also use it as a testing ground for content trends and fan behavior, which then informs our broader strategy across owned platforms like the app, MiLIGA, or YouTube.
- Q: Any specific examples you can share of how LaLiga has successfully leveraged social video like TikTok and what results that helped drive for the league? Is it primarily a fan acquisition tool, marketing platform, or something else?
Pons: A strong example is our work in APAC through initiatives like LALIGA Adventure, developed with TikTok and local creators. By combining football storytelling with regional influencers, we generated over 320 million views, significantly increasing awareness and engagement in markets like Indonesia.
TikTok is both an acquisition and engagement tool. It allows us to reach new audiences at scale, but also to create habitual consumption through real-time highlights, challenges, and interactive formats. In many cases, TikTok is the first touchpoint that later converts into deeper engagement within our ecosystem.
- Q: When younger fans engage with the league’s sports content it an either/or situation when it comes to watching a live broadcast versus content on a digital or social platforms, or how does LaLiga use each to drive both benefits for both? Are those two modes of engagement equal in that sense or have you seen one side of the equation drive outsized benefits for the other (live broadcasts driving social engagement vs social driving engagement for live broadcasts)?
Pons: It’s a complementary relationship between live broadcasts and social content.
Social platforms and live broadcasts serve different roles within the fan journey. Social is discovery, engagement, and frequency; live is depth, emotion, and monetization.
What we see is that social content, especially short-form video, is increasingly driving interest towards live matches.
Fans who engage with highlights, players, or storylines are more likely to watch games. At the same time, live moments feed social platforms, creating a continuous loop. The two reinforce each other rather than compete.
- Q: What types of LaLiga content are fans consuming or engaging with most on social video platforms and does it differ from what you see on live broadcasts? Is it mostly content that still pulls from live matches in the form of highlights, clips and such, or is it more adjacent content like athlete stories, analysis, or other?
Pons: On social platforms, the best-performing content is short, emotional, and immediate. This includes highlights, goals, skills, and “Near Live” clips, but also behind-the-scenes content, player stories, and creator-driven formats. Initiatives like #InsideLALIGA have been particularly effective in connecting with younger audiences by showing the human side of football.
Live broadcasts, on the other hand, deliver the full narrative and competitive context. But increasingly, fans expect both. They want the intensity of live matches and the accessibility of social content. The key is to connect both worlds seamlessly.
- Q: How is LaLiga using new technologies like AI and features like personalization to open up new pathways of engagement and discoverability for existing or new fans of the sport?
Pons: AI is a core enabler of scale and relevance.
At LALIGA, we use AI to automatically tag, index, and generate content in real time, especially through technologies like WSC Sports. This allows us to create thousands of clips per match, adapted to different platforms, formats, and audiences.
At the same time, personalization is driven by first-party data. Across our ecosystem, including the app and MiLIGA, we tailor content based on user preferences such as favorite club, player, language, or behavior. This ensures that every fan sees a version of LALIGA that feels relevant to them, improving both engagement and retention.
- Q: Has there been a key or perhaps unexpected learning you’ve had so far in terms of leveraging digital and social platforms to reach and engage fans or to grow the sport?
Pons: One key learning is that relevance beats scale. It’s not about producing more content, but about producing the right content for each audience.
The shift from global messaging to a glocal strategy has been critical. For example, in Brazil we focus on Brazilian players and legends, while in Japan we create content around players like Kubo to connect locally.
Another important insight is that engagement today is participatory. Fans don’t just consume, they interact, vote, predict, and create. Products like Fantasy and MiLIGA show that when you give fans a role in the experience, engagement becomes much deeper and more sustainable.
Want to learn more and be part of the conversation? Register to attend StreamTV Europe today. Can’t attend? Stay tuned for more coverage throughout the show.