Meanwhile, for Xbox, the series “breaks new ground for us in long-form content,” said Gehlot. Though owner Microsoft released its ‘Power of One: The Story of Xbox’ documentary series online in 2021, the brand has not yet ventured into the sports documentary genre.
Xbox follows a wider marketing trend of brands making their TV shows or films as attention shrinks from traditional advertising. The likes of Nike, WhatsApp and Lucozade have also produced sports documentaries, with varying degrees of success.
Gehlot said Xbox has already “seen a substantial uplift in usage” and “new people enter the game” since it launched The Everyday Tactician competition.
And, he added, Xbox’s entertainment ambitions won’t stop here, as it explores projects in other sports and countries: “We’re keen to progress in this space.”
As for Owolabi, if he is successful and helps Bromley FC make it to the finals with his gaming tactics, he could go from working as a tour guide at Wembley Stadium to being behind a team playing on its storied field.
“This is a dream come true for him,” Nilsson said.