The Maradona documentary produced by Better Collective’s German sports media Wettbasis marks a shift away from traditional affiliation, the company explained to SBC.
As the World Cup is currently being played out, and Argentina has secured its place in the World Cup final, it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to celebrate the life of one of the greatest Argentine football players – Diego Maradona.
It therefore came as no surprise when Wettbasis announced it was releasing a documentary, which looks into the influence that El Pibe de Oro has had on football as we know it. The German sports media company decided not just to show the football player in all his glory, but rather has also shone a light on the darkness that his success brought about.
In this month’s Better Collective Spotlight, we spoke to Dan Gliese Rasmussen, Senior Head of Group Broadcasting at Better Collective, and Martin Huber, Head of DACH, who both assisted Wettbasis in producing the documentary.
Why did you choose to focus the documentary on Diego Maradona in particular?
DGS: Maradona is one of the biggest legends in the history of football, and an opportunity arose when one of our producers, Carsten Fuss, who lived in Naples and who had followed Maradona closely, got a chance to connect with some of the people who had been close friends or acquaintances of the star player.
Maradona was a man of the people, and despite his flaws he was loved very much by the people, likely because he had this unique “talent” to be a common man and a superstar. We found this duality to be an interesting perspective while he – to this day – still is one of the few big football players that people can relate to.
Why was now the right time to conduct this documentary?
DGS: We brought this documentary for many reasons. Mainly because we actually got the opportunity to connect with Neapolitan sources this summer, who could share their experiences with us. Moreover, we also found it interesting and relevant to put together this documentary leading up to the World Cup 2022. At the same time, it was also the two year anniversary of Maradona’s passing which left Naples and Argentina in sorrow.
What were the most surprising learnings from the first part of this documentary? Was there anything that particularly surprised you?
DGS: It really surprised us to hear and feel how much Maradona means to Neapolitans even after his death. The people of Naples still mourn the loss of Maradona and talk about him daily to keep his memory alive. Two years after his passing, tourists still visit Naples to pay their respect and visit the museum dedicated to Maradona.
To this day, Maradona is still a big topic of conversation even though it is roughly 35 years ago he was at the height of his career. It was also surprising to see how he is somewhat glorified. Even though Maradona had many flaws which countless times caused him negative publicity, it is not these flaws people are talking about and remember him for. Quite the opposite, his legacy and what is mainly talked about is his importance and significance as an athlete and a person with many nuances.
How can working with sporting legends such as Lothar Matthäus help boost recognition of the Wettbasis brand?
MH: Better Collective is on a journey to become the world’s leading digital sports media group. Therefore, it is important to show that the Group’s focus has shifted and we are no longer operating as a purely classic affiliation – in this way, sports fans will not only think of our media and communities as hubs for betting tips, but they will also get to see what is at the core of Better Collective: creating fan communities through dedicated sports entertainment.
Collaborating with well renowned football experts like Lothar Matthäus help convey this message. Working with Matthäus also shows our users and sports fans that Better Collective spares no effort when it comes to providing them with outstanding sports content in our mission to make sports entertainment more engaging and fun.