Off The Ball launches new subscription model

Off The Ball, Bauer Media Audio Ireland's sports brand, have announced a new subscription model following a significant investment in its own technology platform over the last 12 months.

Subscribers will be able to access exclusive ad-free on-demand content across Off The Ball, Spotify, YouTube and Apple Podcasts.

“This move is about growing our on demand offering and giving sports fans more of the content they love when they want it”, said Ger Gilroy, MD of Off the Ball.

“So if you’re a rugby fan, or a soccer fan, or GAA or whatever – you know the great work that we put out every week. We want to be able to grow that into the future, and to develop our offering. To do that we need to continue to invest in new broadcasting talent, better platforms, big names and put on more live shows”.

Following intensive market research, and rigorous testing of the new app, the launch will coincide with the start of the new Premier League season, the rugby world cup and the ratcheting up of the club GAA season.

Off The Ball successfully launched it’s first subscription only podcast in Golf Weekly in March 2021, which has proven very popular with Irish golf fans. It will launch its new all sport subscription product on Wednesday August 9^th.

Among the premium benefits to subscribers:

• Off The Ball on demand – your favourite sports podcasts and video ready when you are.  Convenience is a driver for audiences who cannot listen to the live radio broadcast in the evenings or the Off The Ball Breakfast digital broadcast.
• Bonus content – full interviews, and podcast only content
• Early access to content – before it airs on radio
• Ad-free
• Early access to Off The Ball events

OTB fans will be able to use their favourite platforms - the Off The Ball app, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or Spotify to subscribe and catch over 60 shows weekly across hurling, football, soccer, rugby and all the regular feature interviews.

All long form Off The Ball podcast and video content will switch to premium feeds except for the Off The Ball Dailies series which will remain free to access.  All linear content will remain free to air via OTB AM digital broadcast across YouTube and Sports Radio or Off The Ball on Newstalk.

For further information, or to subscribe go to OffTheBall.com/Join

About Off The Ball

Starting life as an evening radio show on Newstalk, Off The Ball has spun out to become Ireland’s number one digital and broadcast sports brand.  Known for its award-winning presenters and expert punditry, Off The Ball specialises in commentary, opinion and analysis as well as delivering immediate reaction, previews and reviews.

Off The Ball’s content portfolio stretches across all sports from rugby to football to GAA to golf, motorsports, and horseracing.  The Off The Ball audience are real fans of sport and the conversation between them and the Off The Ball presenters is the life blood of the community.

About the Project

Following market research, the business made the decision to move Off The Ball’s podcast network to a subscription-based model.  Off The Ball’s monthly podcast IP reach averages 600k.  Flagship series are OTB Rugby, OTB Football, OTB GAA but there are upwards of 20 active series within the network at any given time publishing 50-60 podcast episodes per week.

The offering: