How IShowSpeed's Ronaldo Obsession Boosted Al Nassr's Popularity Worldwide
The extremely animated American YouTuber, streamer, and social media personality, IShowSpeed (Darren Watkins Jr.), has made no secret of his love for Cristiano Ronaldo over the years. Speed is a superfan; he's even tattooed Ronaldo 's face on his body, goes to games, and writes songs about the footballer. Such fervent fandom dovetailed with Ronaldo's own journey post-Al Nassr, boosting the Saudi club's footprint beyond typical footballing markets and within youthful, digital-native demographics across the globe.
How IShowSpeed’s love for Cristiano Ronaldo expanded Al Nassr ’s global reach Nearly every type of Ronaldo-related content has already been created, from reaction videos, chants like “Siuuu,” and literally just videos of him celebrating, and Speed trawling through it all brings in many more casual fans. Those posts regularly get millions of views, and fans of Speed that previously would not have paid attention to Al Nassr now see it every time Ronaldo appears in one of his streams or videos.
Most of Speed's fans are from the entertainment, gaming, and streaming audience. Beneath his unhealthy obsession with Ronaldo, he has found a sweet spot, bringing those audiences to the gates of professional football through Ronaldo and, by default, the Saudi Pro League . He is the bridge for turning casual viewers into Al Nassr fans.
Also Read: Will Cristiano Ronaldo finally make his AFC Champions League 2 debut against Al Zawraa or FC Goa?
How this fan-driven wave is transforming Al Nassr’s popularityA typical example of how Ronaldo is an asset, and how his presence was a distinct influence on fan culture was his signing in Al Nassr, where the count of their Instagram followers saw a sharp upswing (from under a million to over 10 million in a matter of days). Clearly, this surge isn't just interest in Ronaldo as a player but interest in the brand of the club by association.
The documentation of IShowSpeed meeting with Ronaldo after every few days, his interviews sitting in front of Ronaldo while he kicks his foot one-legged to his tattoo, his song with his tweet, turn this file of Ronaldo: Not a player; the world icon. Such moments ensure that Al Nassr remains a part of the online conversation long after their activities have outpaced the majority of the teams in the Saudi league.
For Al Nassr, this has translated into greater global market presence, increased social media engagement, expanded merchandise reach, and potentially a broader audience for sponsorships and fan interest beyond the Middle East and traditional footballing hubs.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN6lH1QDGCu/ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN6lH1QDGCu/
Most of Speed's fans are from the entertainment, gaming, and streaming audience. Beneath his unhealthy obsession with Ronaldo, he has found a sweet spot, bringing those audiences to the gates of professional football through Ronaldo and, by default, the Saudi Pro League . He is the bridge for turning casual viewers into Al Nassr fans.
Also Read: Will Cristiano Ronaldo finally make his AFC Champions League 2 debut against Al Zawraa or FC Goa?
How this fan-driven wave is transforming Al Nassr’s popularityA typical example of how Ronaldo is an asset, and how his presence was a distinct influence on fan culture was his signing in Al Nassr, where the count of their Instagram followers saw a sharp upswing (from under a million to over 10 million in a matter of days). Clearly, this surge isn't just interest in Ronaldo as a player but interest in the brand of the club by association.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLzaVxfTo78/ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLzaVxfTo78/
The documentation of IShowSpeed meeting with Ronaldo after every few days, his interviews sitting in front of Ronaldo while he kicks his foot one-legged to his tattoo, his song with his tweet, turn this file of Ronaldo: Not a player; the world icon. Such moments ensure that Al Nassr remains a part of the online conversation long after their activities have outpaced the majority of the teams in the Saudi league.
For Al Nassr, this has translated into greater global market presence, increased social media engagement, expanded merchandise reach, and potentially a broader audience for sponsorships and fan interest beyond the Middle East and traditional footballing hubs.
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