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Xbox and Bromley FC give tactician job to gamer

The 'Everyday Tactician' campaign, created by McCann London, has given skilled Football Manager 24 gamer Nathan Owolabi the chance to live out his dream

By creative salon

22 March 2024

McCann London has launched 'The Everyday Tactician', in partnership with Xbox, Football Manager 2024 (FM24), Bromley Football Club and SEGA.

A room full of football fans is a room full of know-it-alls. Fans believe they can be better managers than the professionals, even extending to the England manager, Gareth Southgate, where four out of 10 fans believe they could do a better job . That's the insight behind this campaign from Xbox and McCann London.

The creative agency has turned the popular FM24 game into a recruitment platform to help Bromley FC find a real-life tactician. The whole journey is being followed in a three-part docuseries breaking today, (22 March).

The project was launched in November 2023 to celebrate the release of FM24 on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for the game’s 20th anniversary and promised to give one skilled gamer the chance to live out their dreams and start a career at a professional football club, Bromley FC, as a tactician.

Today it has been announced that 23-year-old Nathan Owolabi has taken on the role, having completed the achievement ‘Championes’ in FM24 and passing a tough interview process that saw him being grilled by Bromley Manager, Andy Woodman.

Mohan Gehlot, Xbox’s Senior Global Product Manager said “He brings a real level of understanding of FM24 to the pitch. He absolutely knows what's required of him and wants to learn and engage with new processes – it’s fantastic.”

Nathan’s journey is being spotlighted in the documentary series, with the first episode released today by TNT Sports. He joins Bromley FC at a pivotal moment, with the team competing for a critical top-three finish to secure a spot in the playoffs and the potential for promotion to the Football League.

'The Everyday Tactician' is not a gimmick or marketing stunt. It's a genuine opportunity for Nathan as he becomes an integral part of Bromley FC's backroom staff. Nathan is working full time under Manager Andy Woodman, to bring his unique Football Manager game perspective and learn about the tactical decision-making that goes into preparing a football team for success.

With games like Football Manager providing real data and powerful game engines, Xbox seeks to explore the correlation between gaming prowess and real-world football strategy.

Exell Films, renowned for their work on the 'Tour De Femmes' documentary, is directing The Everyday Tactician series, in collaboration with McCann London and TNT Sports.

From today, fans can follow Nathan’s journey at the club online and on social media via TNT Sports, the Vanarama National League's official Broadcast Partner, as well as Xbox UK, Bromley F.C. and Football Manager channels.

Mohan Gehlot, Senior Product Manager at Xbox said: “We are the first to invite the football gaming community’s data pros onto the real-world football pitch. And people are jumping at the opportunity. Football Manager players are incredibly dedicated, so the chance for us to bridge the gap between the virtual and real worlds of football was an irresistible opportunity. When McCann London came to us with this idea, we knew we were onto something. The impact on the business so far has been fantastic. Since November’s launch we’ve seen a great uplift within Game Pass users for FM, incredible numbers that we don't see very often. This campaign has really captivated our key audience and that's why they've engaged with it more than we've experienced with other marketing campaigns in recent times. This collaboration has been a true partnership. We’re grateful to McCann for consistently exceeding expectations.”

Laurence Thomson, Chief Creative Officer at McCann London added: “We exist to create ideas that push boundaries. Looking at untapped talent within the virtual to real world is both excellent for the gaming industry and the sports industry alike. More than just a launch campaign for FM24 this is a real job, with real lives and competitive sport.. oh and a broadcast partnership. The smartness of this campaign is its integration with FM24. We congratulate Nathan for succeeding, and the partnership team for buying such an ambitious idea. We eagerly anticipate the lasting impact that initiatives like this can have. Come on Nathan! We’re rooting for you and come on Bromley!”

Andy Woodman, Bromley Football Club commented: “Nathan has been great, to be honest. He's embedded himself into our group of staff and his work ethic has been great. He's learning on the job, too which is important, and I think he'll probably be telling everyone that results have come through his hard work! Joking aside, he's been a pleasure to work with. The benefits of the project are that we have another voice and angle; a different approach to things. Nathan has embraced the opportunity and has really added something to our group".

Nathan Owolabi, Bromley Football Club’s Tactician concluded: “The interview process was a good experience, and it was a lot more comfortable than I expected which allowed me to give the best impression of myself. This is a great opportunity for me and to be working at a club looking to get into the football league is invaluable to me. It’s been great getting started and it’s already proved to be an epic adventure.”