Surviving COVID-19: Part One - Manic Media

Non-league club media teams have revolutionised the way they create content for fans due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

This includes the potentially revolutionary streaming services that non-league clubs are providing, but with some clubs unable to keep up with the new pace of the media.

Media volunteers have shown their importance during this period as they have taken non-league football to an even wider audience.

The hopes for future of the non-league football could lie in the hands of the non-league media.

Whickham FC are one of many clubs within North East that have had to adapt to the tides of COVID-19 as Ross Gregory, head of football for JPI media and Whickham FC press officer described how the Lang Jacks have worked around the virus.

He said: “What we have done though is use our media platforms for a variety of different content - games and quizzes during lockdown, fan engagement, information on fixtures and how to get tickets due to the restrictions around access and crowds and working with our sponsors whose support we have relied on even more during the pandemic."

Quiz time.

Q1. Who took over as chairman of the club in the summer?

— Whickham FC (@WhickhamFC) November 22, 2020

Freelance football writer, Mark Carruthers, highlights the importance for clubs like Whickham to engage with their fans during this torrid time.

He said: "The internal and external media over the last 6-8 months have become a paramount of importance to clubs to make sure everyone’s aware of the severity of the situation and the exact situation that they’ve found themselves in."

One of the main powerhouses for a club’s PR within the lower tiers of English football is suggested to be at the feet of Universities.

He said: "There are a lot more opportunities for students and people wanting to get into journalism, the increase in social media output from clubs, as well as running websites and reporting on games, means they are reliant on volunteers to help with this. If students want to get more experience, that is a great, safe, starting place for them to learn their trade. All experience in this field improves a CV and enhances people's chances of gaining paid employment."

Carruthers also highlighted the mutual dependence between clubs and student volunteers.

He said: “It’s seen as an ideal move for students who need experience working in a club, or getting involved in the media, I think non-league clubs are seen as invaluable route into it, to get experience and work at a good level.”

He added: “There are students working at a lot of clubs in the Northern League now and what we are seeing now is that the quality of content and the level of consistency of content is just increasing with every year.”

Ed Painter, a former club journalist for North Shields, is a recent graduate in BA Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland and he emphasises the desperation for media volunteers.

He said: "Now that Covid-19 has got this country by the throat, myself and my other media colleague are desperately trying to come up with new ideas but in my opinion, I feel like the addition of new people every now and again can help give everyone a much-needed jolt of energy."

Painter has been one of the main driving forces of the Robins' media over the last three years, but has revealed the issues the club are facing.

He said: “Normally, we would rely on poaching young students who want to become club journalists but with people more reluctant than ever to socialise with new groups of people, we have had a really difficult time bringing in new blood.”

He then gave context on his tight deadlines at the Northern League club.

He said: “If I haven’t gotten the match highlights done within 48 hours of the game, then I have not done my job properly.”

A lot of clubs in the lower steps of English football have resorted to live streaming their matches on their club website and hiring commentators, Gregory commented on this concept.

Darlington FC launches Quaker TV

Live streaming available soon

Full story ⬇️https://t.co/OrOKikGJWk pic.twitter.com/1a1jOoDf5D

— Darlington FC (@Official_Darlo) September 13, 2020

He said: “It is great that non-league clubs, for example, are able to live stream their games. It gives fans the opportunity to watch games that they would normally have attended but now can't, and it provides additional revenue for the clubs which is much needed if they are missing out on gate income."

Despite many clubs venturing into the world of streaming, Painter describes the trouble that North Shields and other Northern League clubs have faced when attempting to provide a pay-per-view service.

He said: “We have explored the idea of doing a live stream of the game, as a number of other clubs around the country are doing, however, we are lacking the staff to make such a thing workable, at least from our point of view."

https://t.co/1c43hPYA5v

Check out a few of our favourite moments from the 2020/21 @theofficialnl Division One season.#HowayTheRobins

— North Shields Football Club (@NorthShieldsFC) February 21, 2021

Non-league clubs have not been the only ones with issues in concern to content creation, with the Non-League Paper seemingly having to put the extra thought and effort into what they publish.

Matthew Badcock, an editor for the paper, seemed optimistic and open to new ideas after describing the positives about the company’s adaptability to the pandemic.

He said: “It gave us the chance to give extended space and coverage to a lot more clubs than we are usually able to, and we had a great response from our readers. We’re fortunate to have a good reputation which meant we were able to get some good names in the paper like Chris Wilder, Stuart Pearce, Mark Bright and Chris Waddle – all who have Non-League links."

He continued: “It was a great chance to run some nostalgic features as well as some slightly different club focus pieces we wouldn’t usually have space for."

Badcock also revealed his thoughts about his hopes for the future of non-league football.

He said: "It’s perhaps allowed people to reflect. Non-League football at Steps 3 and below really saw a massive rise in interest when they were the only clubs allowed fans in, albeit in limited numbers."

He continued: "Hopefully supporters new to Non-League this season will continue to return when fans are allowed back in football grounds again."

Carruthers also came across as wishful for the future of the foundations of English football by painting the scene that many non-league fans dream about.

He said: "I can’t wait for the day where I’m going to a game at South Shields and there’s 2,000 fans rammed inside Mariner’s park or going over to Gateshead and seeing their supporters back inside their stadium, supporters have been a miss and again from a media point of view that they’ll be welcomed back as soon as possible, hopefully!"