Rakuten TV, one of the leading VOD platforms in Europe, today announced the commission of its upcoming original documentary series, Champions, featuring six 30-minute episodes that will follow the success stories of the world’s leading female soccer players. Six of the worlds’ leading female football players will star in the docu-series, currently in pre-production and due to premiere exclusively and for free on the platform in the summer of 2021.
Champions strives to dismantle prejudices surrounding professional football and attest that it is no longer a sport solely for men. Current protagonists on the international female soccer scene will travel to different countries to meet with the long-time players and legends of the sport, as well as some of the rising stars that are driving women’s football to a new dimension.
Teresa López, Content Director of Rakuten TV, explained: “Optimism and empowerment of people are two core values of Rakuten TV that permeate the DNA of all our original content. It is a real privilege for us to be involved in a production of these characteristics that is destined to be not only be a tribute to a select group of outstanding athletes, but also an echo of the social change portrayed through a group of women who fight every day to claim that talent knows no gender.
Rakuten TV produces this original documentary series in collaboration with El Cañonazo Transmedia, leader in format innovation, which has extensive experience in production for the main TV networks and, in the sports sector, for Olympic Channel, LaLiga and Adidas, among others.
Roger Casas-Alatriste, CEO of El Cañonazo Transmedia, stated: “We are very excited to embark on this project. Champions is a series that brings together all the qualities of the projects that are best aligned with our values. It is a story of global relevance with local players, but with no borders, using narrative vehicles such as football and female empowerment that will certainly not leave anyone untouched.”
Champions will join Rakuten Stories catalogue and will be available exclusively and for free on Rakuten TV in 43 countries across Europe in the summer of 2021.