Arsenal players Danny Welbeck (left) and Reiss Nelson (right) joined teammate Hector Bellerin (not pictured) to create a playlist for Tidal. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
English Premier League giant Arsenal has partnered with streaming music service Tidal to provide free six-month subscriptions for the soccer club’s members and access to a player-curated playlist.
Jay-Z and Coldplay’s Chris Martin at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on Apr. 28, 2013. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Goal.com reported that Arsenal was paying £1 million ($1.34 million) in the agreement with Tidal, the artist-owned service led by Jay-Z. Tidal offers more than 50 million songs, 200,000 videos, and thousands of playlists.
Jay-Z has said publicly that he is an Arsenal fan, dating back to Thierry Henry’s days with the London-based club. Jay-Z went so far as to say he’d consider investing in the Gunners in the future, and was spotted at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium alongside Coldplay singer Chris Martin back in 2013.
Arsenal players Danny Welbeck, Hector Bellerin, and Reiss Nelson collaborated on their own playlist, which includes pair of Jay-Z tracks and cuts from Rich the Kid, PnB Rock and others. Arsenal’s membership program works like a musical group’s fan club, with access to tickets, gifts, and other assorted perks.
“Football and music are two of the most universal languages around the world and we’re thrilled to spotlight promising young talent in both of those areas,” said Tidal COO Lior Tibon in a press release. “ This initiative is so synergistic with our shared belief in young talent—we’re looking forward to sharing an elevated music experience to Arsenal and its members.”
SportTechie Takeaway
Every sports franchise in the world wants to incentivize younger demographics to be fans, and this partnership is a unique carrot to induce more Arsenal memberships. Brand association with someone like Jay-Z never hurts, especially when he’s already a famous supporter.
