A Sunday League team with 150,000+ subscribers on its official YouTube channel. Unheard of right? Perhaps not.
Founded in 2017 right in the midst of the ‘digital age’, Baiteze FC have emerged from Hackney Marshes and are now blossoming within their own virtual garden that is now cross-pollinating, yielding results to boot.
This is a club that has essentially become a beacon for other clubs to follow; essentially re-writing the script when it comes to football club social media.
Their ethos is so simple and effective, yet through some creative thinking, the club has flipped the script. Originally founded by a group of friends from Newham, East London in 2017, compared to most Sunday League teams whose focus was on a post-match pint, Baiteze focused on the post-match edit.
Something which has since paid dividends. Powered by Zero Formation; a creative talent agency, Baiteze effectively operates as a media house that plays football and every tackle, pass, shot and goal is filmed with cinematic precision.
Their aim was to disrupt the football pyramid by proving that cultural influence and digital reach are just as important as league standing; the results have been explosive.
The Sunday League Cinema Revolution
Unlike many football clubs (even professional), Baiteze doesn’t deal in short-form highlights, no. It’s a lot more sophisticated than that and this approach has earned their videos over 100 million views on YouTube.
Really honing in on the human interest element, players such as Hussein Mahdi and Immed Kartita have essentially become digital celebrities with video content following players’ lives, rivalries, match preparation, dressing room antics, every day dramas and, of course, football. In considerable detail and from a multitude of angles. The professionalism at this level surpasses many elite clubs.
The philosophy at Baiteze appears to be ‘digital influencer first, footballer second’, though don’t be fooled. In 2022, they became the first Black-majority owned club to win the Sunday FA Cup at The Den, where Millwall play, marking a significant moment for diversity in the grassroots game. They have, though, taken the word ‘diversity’ to a whole new level with their ingenuity.
Filmed Locally, Sponsored Globally
Merely a few miles away from the headquarters of the world’s biggest companies, Baiteze really is in the “Opportunity Zone”. The scale at which they have been able to leverage this and grown via their unique approach likely still creates ‘pinch yourself’ moments among the founding core. Their reach and popularity worldwide has not only entertained and inspired, but caught commercial attention.
They are arguably the most sponsored amateur club in history, with global behemoths queuing up to support this standout ‘brand’ that has been created from an acorn on the marshes and flowered spectacularly since.
Their partnership with New Balance has resulted in bespoke “Concrete Jungle” and “Views” signature boots and teaming up with Samsung they have launched a tech-driven academy that uses wearable tech and high-end mobile devices that tracks a player’s performance.The lines between amateur and pro standards have basically been blown to pieces.
Based in the ‘edgy’ part of East London, Baiteze have also attracted some of the most forward-thinking fashion and global lifestyle brands such as Nivelcrack (Seoul), while their merchandise sells out quicker than most League One professional clubs.
Remaining fiercely loyal to their Newham roots and, despite global fame, they continue to play in the Essex Sunday Corinthian League, while wearing £100 kits.
Matt Tomiak
