That's why the classic football studio is on its way out

The classic TV studio for football's Champions League broadcasts may soon be a thing of the past. Viewers want a bit of pace, more emotions, and more proximity, says the channel's sports manager Erik Westberg, but denies that it's about saving money.

» Published:

That's why the classic football studio is on its way out
Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT

Share this article

It is a pressured media industry, and Viaplay is no exception. According to information to Aftonbladet, the streaming service must save between 25 and 30 million kronor in 2025.

I don't think there's a media company in Europe that hasn't had to lower its content budget a bit ahead of 2025, says Erik Westberg.

Part of the cut budget, writes Aftonbladet, consists of increasingly scrapping the classic TV studio before various competitions and matches.

"More proximity"

Erik Westberg confirms that it may happen. But not that it would have to do with money. According to him, it's more about wanting to move program leaders and experts closer to the athletes.

Take "Viaplay Winter" now, for example, where we went from being in a basement in Stockholm to instead being on site with (Niklas) Jihde, (Johanna) Ojala, and the gang. Which we think has given incredibly much more proximity that has been greatly appreciated by our viewers, says Westberg.

This type of solution has also been seen in last week's broadcasts from the men's Champions League football.

"Shiny floor"

We're making some adjustments now, such as during the Champions League where we tested being on site. Richard Henriksson and Bojan (Djordjic) stood by the sideline instead. We also think that's a studio. But it's not a "shiny floor" studio.

So you're maybe removing a classic moment in that way?

It won't just disappear, but then it will be replaced with something else. Because we see viewer behavior, that you want things directly. We look at Formula 1, for example, that we might have a framing already on Sunday morning. When it's been days with training and qualifying, maybe you should be able to go into Viaplay already on Sunday morning and get everything before the race in the afternoon.

Is a traditional studio broadcast too boring for many viewers nowadays?

I still think it has its place for certain rights at certain times. But I think we'll see a much greater variation going forward where the viewer wants a bit more pace, a bit more emotions, and more proximity, definitely.

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Germany's Stunning Three-Pointer Secures European Championship Semifinal Spot

Germany's Stunning Three-Pointer Secures European Championship Semifinal Spot

Christian Eriksen Joins Wolfsburg After Training with Malmö FF

Christian Eriksen Joins Wolfsburg After Training with Malmö FF

Färjestad Secures First SDHL Win Against HV71

Färjestad Secures First SDHL Win Against HV71

Hammarby Fined 220,000 Kronor for Pyrotechnics in UEFA Match

Hammarby Fined 220,000 Kronor for Pyrotechnics in UEFA Match

Ben Proud Joins Enhanced Games After Olympic Silver in Paris

Ben Proud Joins Enhanced Games After Olympic Silver in Paris

National Team Expresses Disappointment in Open Letter to Supporters

National Team Expresses Disappointment in Open Letter to Supporters

Finland Reaches Historic Semifinal in European Basketball Championship

Finland Reaches Historic Semifinal in European Basketball Championship

Swedish FA to Report Social Media Threats After World Cup Qualifier Loss

Swedish FA to Report Social Media Threats After World Cup Qualifier Loss

Trump Visit to Ryder Cup: Luke Donald Hopes for No Delays

Trump Visit to Ryder Cup: Luke Donald Hopes for No Delays

Spain Boosts Security for Tour of Spain's Final Weekend

Spain Boosts Security for Tour of Spain's Final Weekend

Europe's Ryder Cup Team Prepares for Title Defense at Wentworth

Europe's Ryder Cup Team Prepares for Title Defense at Wentworth

Lleyton Hewitt Suspended for Two Weeks After Doping Controller Incident

Lleyton Hewitt Suspended for Two Weeks After Doping Controller Incident

Leo Borg Reflects on Tumultuous Time Amid Björn Borg's Cancer Battle

Leo Borg Reflects on Tumultuous Time Amid Björn Borg's Cancer Battle

Mikael Ymer to Miss Davis Cup Match Against Tunisia Due to Injury

Mikael Ymer to Miss Davis Cup Match Against Tunisia Due to Injury

Bolivia's Upset Win Over Brazil Revives World Championship Hopes

Bolivia's Upset Win Over Brazil Revives World Championship Hopes

Henrik Zetterberg Joins Timrå as New Sports Advisor

Henrik Zetterberg Joins Timrå as New Sports Advisor

Kaiza Karlén Announces Career Break Due to Injuries

Kaiza Karlén Announces Career Break Due to Injuries

Karin Frick to Co-Host SVT's Olympic Games Broadcasts

Karin Frick to Co-Host SVT's Olympic Games Broadcasts

Olympic Silver Medalist Raven Saunders Suspended for 30 Months

Olympic Silver Medalist Raven Saunders Suspended for 30 Months

Davis Cup Match in Halifax to Proceed Without Audience for Security

Davis Cup Match in Halifax to Proceed Without Audience for Security