media strategyclub operationsvideo production

Inside the Studio: How EuroLeague Clubs Can Build In-House Production Teams

UUnknown

2026-02-22

10 min read

A 2026 blueprint for EuroLeague clubs to build scalable in-house studios using Vice and EO Media tactics.

Hook: Clubs Are Losing Voice — Here's How to Take It Back

EuroLeague clubs still rely on a patchwork of third-party broadcasters, social partners and freelance creators to tell their stories. That fragmentation creates inconsistent production values, missed monetization, and widening gaps between hardcore fans and casual viewers. In 2026, with platforms demanding premium, original content and legacy players like Vice Media repositioning as full-fledged studios — and nimble distributors like EO Media building broad, market-targeted slates — clubs have a clear playbook to build their own scalable in-house studio.

The Strategic Opportunity in 2026

Two industry trends that matter to clubs right now:

Studios replace vendors: Post-2024/25 consolidation, firms such as Vice are beefing up executive teams and capital to act as multi-genre studios — signalling the premium value of vertically integrated production (development, financing, distribution).
Content slates win markets: EO Media’s 2026 slate expansion shows audiences respond to curated portfolios across genres; clubs can replicate a similar slate strategy tuned to fan segments (matchday, docs, lifestyle, commercial).

Those shifts mean clubs aren't just teams — they can be media brands with owned IP, recurring revenue and direct distribution to fans. The goal is a sustainable, scalable production strategy that balances day-of-game needs with long-form storytelling and commercial content.

Blueprint Overview: From Concept to Studio-Grade Output

Below is a practical, step-by-step blueprint that applies studio strategies used by Vice and EO Media to the unique constraints and opportunities of EuroLeague clubs.

1) Define Your Studio Mandate (Weeks 0–4)

Start with a tight mission statement. Ask:

What content will we own? (Match recaps, behind-the-scenes docs, training films, sponsor content)
Who are our audiences? (season-ticket holders, regional viewers, global fans, commercial partners)
What are our KPIs? (engagement, subscriptions, sponsorship CPMs, secondary rights revenue)

Vice plays the long game by aligning production and finance under a studio model; emulate that by tying content goals to revenue targets and rights strategy from day one.

2) Build a Scalable Content Slate (Months 0–3)

Think like EO Media: diversify the slate so each piece serves a strategic purpose.

Evergreen staples — highlights, match recaps, player pods (high cadence, low cost)
Premium series — short docs, season-long access shows (higher cost, windowed releases)
Commercial content — sponsor-driven spots and co-branded series
Local stories — community, academy and history pieces to solidify regional identity

Structure your release calendar like a broadcaster: anchor launches to peak interest moments (season openers, playoffs) and use evergreen drops as retention content between fixtures.

3) Org Structure: The Studio Core (Months 0–6)

Your initial team should be lean but multi-skilled. Here's a recommended core:

Head of Studio / Executive Producer — strategic lead, budget owner (acts like Vice/EO content chiefs)
Technical Lead — oversees live production, ingest, and post
Editorial Lead — documentary and narrative oversight
Live director / OB manager — matchday lead
Producers / Story producers — create episodes and sponsor content
Camera & Audio technicians — flexible multi-camera crews
Post / Motion Designer — rapid turnaround editing and motion graphics
Distribution & Partnerships — handles OTT, social, broadcast deals
Business Development / Sponsorship — monetization lead

Early hires should be experienced generalists — people able to switch between live OB and long-form shoots. As Vice has shown with its C-suite hires, investing in strong commercial leadership early accelerates growth and partnership deals.

4) Tech Stack & Facilities: Build for Modularity

Design a production environment that scales without stranding capital.

Core hardware: shared edit bays (NLEs like Premiere/Resolve), a multicamera live switcher (ATEM or Ross), ingest servers, and a cloud transfer pipeline.
Camera strategy: mix fixed cameras (for cost-effective continuous capture) with roving 6K/4K cinema cameras for premium storytelling.
Capture everywhere: invest in podcast rooms, interview booths and a mobile kit for away games.
Cloud-first workflows: low-latency asset management (media asset manager + AWS/Azure/Wasabi), proxy editing for remote collaborators.
Live production: scalable OB trucks or flypacks via partners for big fixtures; in-house flypack for regular games keeps OPEX predictable.

Modularity lets you expand capacity (extra cameras, dedicated editors) when a premium project or co-production needs it — instead of buying full-time, high-capex gear upfront.

5) Production Workflows: Fast, Repeatable & Quality-Governed

Create SOPs for three production types: live matchday, episodic documentary, and branded/sponsor content.

Pre-production playbooks: shot lists, interview templates, rights clearance checklists.
Matchday SOP: camera positions, ingest timings, quick-turn edit delivery (first 90-minute cut within 60–90 minutes after final buzzer).
Long-form SOP: release schedule, archival logging, narrative beats and director's notes.
Brand/Sponsor SOP: approval timelines, legal checks for guidelines, deliverable specs.

Standardization reduces post-production cost and lets junior staff produce high-quality outputs fast — the same principle successful studios use to scale volume while protecting quality.

6) Budgets & Financial Model (Year 0–2)

Map startup and operating costs to revenue streams. A conservative first-year budget for a minimum viable studio (depending on local wages and equipment choices) might include:

CapEx: €150k–€350k for core gear and a small edit suite
OpEx: €600k–€1.2m annual staff, travel, rights, and production costs
Contingency: 10–15% for unplanned broadcast or rights fees

Revenue levers:

Sponsorships — branded series, integrated matchday sponsors
Direct-to-fan monetization — OTT subscriptions, premium episodes, pay-per-view documentaries
Licensing — sell repackaged clips and long-form to regional broadcasters and platforms
Co-productions — partner with local studios to spread cost and gain distribution

Vice’s strategy to bring finance leadership into the studio fold is instructive: appoint a commercial lead early so content production and revenue targets are aligned, and consider a CFO or finance-adjacent role who understands media rights and distribution.

7) Distribution Strategy: Own the First Window

Distribution determines whether your investment pays off. Your principle should be: own the first window for direct fan engagement, then license to partners.

Primary channels: Club OTT (subscription/free hybrid), official YouTube channel (short-form and promos), club app and premium matchday hub.
Secondary channels: Licensed linear and digital broadcast, international platforms for targeted markets, and curated partner slates (think EO Media’s approach to market-tailored catalogs).
Platform packaging: release highlights and teasers for social, reserve premium episodes for paid tiers or windows to maximize sponsorship CPMs.

Use data to guide windows: short-form spikes should drive trial subscriptions and sponsor impressions; longer-form narratives should be strategically windowed for maximum ROI.

8) Measurement: Metrics That Matter

Move beyond views. Track metrics that executives and sponsors care about:

Engagement: watch time, completion rate (esp. for docs)
Retention: conversion from free to paid viewers after premium drops
Commercial: sponsor CPM, number of activations tied to viewership
Rights revenue: licensing fees, territory-specific deals

Set up a reporting dashboard and a cadence of reviews (weekly for match content, monthly for episodic series).

9) Legal, Rights & Clearance

Rights are non-negotiable. Build a small legal function or retain counsel that understands:

Player image and likeness agreements
Music licensing and sync clearances (library vs custom)
Distribution rights, territory windows and sublicensing terms
Data privacy for user-generated content and fan cams

Having template releases for players, staff, and venues removes friction during high-volume production windows.

10) Partnerships & Co-Production

Not every club needs to own every production. Use partnerships early:

Local studios for high-end documentaries and festival-ready pieces
Distribution partners like regional broadcasters to monetize territory rights
Creative agencies for sponsor content that requires advertising-grade execution
Strategic alliances with other clubs for cross-licensing and audience swaps

EO Media’s model of assembling market-tailored slates demonstrates how clubs can co-develop content that fits local tastes while sharing risk and access to platforms.

11) Monetization Playbook: Direct & Indirect Revenue

Layer monetization to maximize ROI:

Tiered subscriptions (free highlights, premium match passes, season documentary bundle)
Sponsor-integrated series (longer shelf-life than a single ad spot)
Pay-per-view events for rivalry matches or special premieres
Merchandising bundles tied to content releases (signed copies, special edition kits)
Content licensing to international outlets and streaming services

Measure each content type’s contribution to revenue and audience growth, and iterate your slate quarterly.

Applying Vice & EO Media Tactics: Practical Examples

Here’s how two studio strategies translate into rugby-club-ready tactics:

Vice Media: Build Executive Muscle & Studio Discipline

Vice’s recent moves to expand C-suite finance and strategy roles signal the studio playbook: production must be paired with commercial acumen. Clubs should:

Hire a senior commercial producer or head of content who reports directly to the C-suite and sits on the club’s commercial board.
Tie content KPIs to sponsorship deals. Example: a branded doc reduces sponsor CPM by offering exclusivity in the first window.
Invest in a central commissioning process so every premium piece is evaluated for revenue and distribution potential before greenlight.

EO Media: Slate Variety & Market Targeting

EO Media’s multi-genre slate approach proves that variety opens doors to buyers and audiences. Clubs can:

Create genre buckets that align with audience segments (youth academy content for local fans, cinematic docs for international buyers).
Package small-format docs and specialty titles into annual sales slates when engaging international distributors.
Use festival circuits to validate premium projects and create downstream licensing value.

90–180–365 Day Launch Roadmap

0–90 Days

Set mandate, hire Head of Studio and Technical Lead.
Define 12-month content slate and budget.
Build SOPs for matchday and short-form production.
Pilot matchday production for rapid turnaround clips and one sponsor-branded mini-series.

90–180 Days

Launch club OTT hub or premium matchday product.
Produce and distribute first premium doc episode; evaluate audience metrics.
Secure two commercial partnerships tied to content deliverables.

180–365 Days

Scale production crew, invest in second edit suite, or expand flypack capability.
Package content for international sales or co-production deals.
Iterate the slate based on performance: double down on winning formats, shelve underperformers.

Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

Over-investing in CapEx: Avoid buying all infrastructure upfront. Use modular gear and partner OBs for peak events.
Weak commercial alignment: Ensure content goals map to sponsorship and distribution KPIs — appoint a commercial leader early.
Ignoring rights complexity: Centralize legal clearances and player agreements to avoid downstream licensing blocks.
One-size-fits-all content: Tailor format and distribution per market; what works on YouTube in Spain may not fly in Turkey.

Final Checklist: Launch-Ready Studio

Defined studio mandate and 12-month slate
Head of Studio and Technical Lead hired
Operational SOPs for matchday, long-form, and sponsor content
Modular tech stack with cloud workflows
Commercial model and sponsorship packages finalized
Rights & legal templates ready
Measurement dashboard with weekly/monthly KPIs

“Build once, distribute everywhere” — make first-window ownership your north star: control the fan experience, then monetize through smart windows and partnerships.

Why Now? 2026 Context and Closing Argument

Late 2025 and early 2026 have shown two clear signals to rights holders and clubs alike: premium content requires studio-grade operations, and buyers reward curated slates that speak to specific markets. With companies like Vice Media expanding studio functions and EO Media proving the power of slates, the time for clubs to act is now. Owning first windows and producing authentic content not only increases fan stickiness — it creates a diversified revenue engine tied to IP.

Takeaway Action Steps (This Week)

Create a one-page studio mandate linked to revenue goals and present it to your board.
Identify a senior hire (Head of Studio or Executive Producer) and begin recruiting.
Draft a 12-month content slate with three pillars: matchday, premium series, and sponsor activations.
Run a live production pilot for the next home game and measure time-to-first-cut and engagement metrics.

Call to Action

If your club is ready to stop outsourcing its narrative and start building a media asset that returns fans and revenue, take the next step. Download our free Studio Launch Checklist and Production Budget Template, join the euroleague.pro community workshop next month, or contact our in-house consultants to co-create your 12-month slate. Build a studio that makes your club a global media brand — not just a team on the scoreboard.

Unknown

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.