It is 12 years since online video hosting service YouTube was launched by three young tech entrepreneurs in California.
Until 2011, YouTube promoted itself using the slogan ‘Broadcast Yourself’ as part of its logo and millions upon millions of ordinary people responded.
Many have become stars, the most-successful of whom are known as YouTubers and who earn a living from the advertising and sponsorship they attract by producing videos watched by millions of followers all over the world.
Among those to get involved have been football supporters, many of whom have established popular ‘Fan TV’ channels, providing irreverent, honest often controversial views and opinions on their favourite clubs.
West Ham Fan TV was launched in December 2014 by lifelong Hammers Nicky Hawkins, 34, and Ryan Archer, 33.
Since then, the channel has published hundreds of videos, attracting more than 5.5 million views and grown an audience of nearly 20,000 subscribers.
Nicky was born in Canning Town into a family full of West Ham fans and admits himself that he ‘had no choice’ but become a Hammer.
The personal search agent says he fell in love with the Club the first time he stood on the terraces at the Boleyn Ground for the 6-0 Second Division thrashing of Sunderland in October 1992.
“The fans, the smells, the culture – I knew I belonged to this club and it would be in my heart forever,” he began.
“For a long time the Play-Off semi-final win over Ipswich in 2004 was my favourite memory, just thinking of the atmosphere alone makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but that was beaten by the final game against Manchester United in May last year. I don't think I'll ever top the emotion of that day.
“As for my favourite player, it’s Paolo Di Canio. He mesmerised me, and he was a player, that for me, as a 16 or 17-year-old kid, who I couldn't wait to get to the game just to see what he could do next. Julian Dicks is my close second though!”
History
“I had the idea one day when i was sitting at home and, initially, it was only going to be Post Match Pint,” he explained. “I had to give up my Season Ticket for a few years in 2011, and I missed everything about the day – the football, the food, the banter – and I also missed the chat in the pub before and after games.
“So I thought up the show as a way to bring that to people who, for whatever reason, couldn’t get to games, like people living abroad, so they could experience that feeling too.”
“It was a long and drawn out process in picking the correct format, but we did, and with no prior experience, we started knocking out pilots of this show.
“We wanted to get it published by a well-known brand, but after initial interest died down from bigger websites, we decided the way to publish it was to make our own YouTube channel and everything just snowballed from there.”
Variety
Nicky believes Fan TV channels offer something that official platforms cannot, as the supporters who star on them are not restricted in what they can say.
“When it comes to the football, who knows West Ham best? It's the fans, and they are the lifeblood of the sport, but their opinion in this money-driven world of football gets a little drowned out. A Fan TV channel with a good following can get the common fan’s voice heard again, and it does.
“This has been proven with the meetings we have had with the Club, which have had a positive effect on the fans’ experience at London Stadium, with more of our ideas to be implemented.”
Among the channel’s most-popular videos are post-match interviews with supporters leaving the stadium, regardless of the result.
With a random selection policy, the opinions heard are varied, to say the least.
“We don't pick and choose, we interview people who are kind enough to stop, and the people who are regulars on the fan cams are the ones who stop every week,” Nicky explained. “That’s the only reason they are regulars.
“People say we interview the same people, and we should get new people on, but they are also the ones who won't stop after a game.
“We interview everyone, regardless of their opinion. This platform is open to everybody and I would never turn anyone away who wants to do an interview!”
The future
So, after two-and-a-half years in operation, what is Nicky’s plan for West Ham Fan TV going forward?
“We want to make the fans’ voice an important part of the football spectrum, to be honest (sometimes brutally) and hopefully to provide some entertainment!” he explained.
“We have loads of new stuff planned. We are looking to revamp some of our shows next season, by bringing in more fans to get involved.
“We want to extend the content on a match day. So we started a new show last week which was a pilot of a more family friendly breakfast show that will be broadcast live on a match day. The format from next season will also hopefully be a lot more polished.
“We are also setting up a brand new Thames Ironworks Community football club, which all West Ham fans, websites, and social channels are encouraged to get involved with. The games will be broadcast on a brand-new community channel, which is being set up, and open for anybody to contribute content to, called West Ham CommuniTV – so there is loads for us to do!”
Nicky is well-known for offering his own opinions on all things West Ham United, so what does he think the future holds for his football club?
“Hopefully, we will be on an upwards spiral, with a good team built sensibly over the next five years, and maybe we will win a trophy!” he smiled.
“It has been a difficult season for all concerned – the fans, the Board, manager and players – getting used our new surroundings.
“We have had lots of new players, lots of Injuries, lots of unforeseen situations arising, like Dimitri Payet leaving, but it looks like some players are starting to settle now.
“We need to stick to the system we played against Everton and Spurs, keep it tight, and hopefully get a few more players forward so we can get a few more points to finish off the season positively.”