Ep. 18: Kirill Magaev - Niche Sports Streaming Startup Shares Lessons Learned

In a recent interview on the Retention Zone podcast, Kirill Magaev shared his experiences launching and running XYZ Sports TV - a streaming platform focused on niche sports in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Despite ultimate failure due to stiff competition, Magaev's startup journey yielded valuable insights for anyone looking to break into sports streaming.
The Platform and Business Model
XYZ Sports TV offered both monthly subscriptions and pay-per-view options for its niche sporting events. Magaev notes the importance of pay-per-view in establishing trust and value: "you have to propose pay per view to give the clients the user security that nothing will be booked again, again and again from their credit cards."
Over time, the platform experimented with sport-specific passes after realizing there was little overlap between different sports' fans. As Magaev explained, "the different sport fans have completely different attitude means they are not connecting to each other."
Acquiring Customers
With almost no marketing budget, XYZ Sports TV initially relied on grassroots outreach to sports clubs and fan groups. According to Magaev, the cooperation with teams was highly effective: "We spoke with Berlin recycling volleys...They promote our platform, let's say for free, just that their fans could see the matches."
Dealing with Seasonality
One of the biggest struggles for any sports streaming provider is coping with off-seasons. For XYZ Sports TV, the key lessons were to maintain communication during downtime and effectively bring fans back when seasons restart. As Magaev emphasized, "It's always learning by doing. And each fan group has different behavior."
Key Takeaways
Despite failing to compete with conglomerates like DAZN in the long run, Magaev extracted several nuggets of wisdom from his niche sports OTT venture:
Go niche - big viewer numbers aren't realistic, but fans are extremely loyal
Flexible monetization models cater to different sports fans
Leverage direct team/club partnerships for promotion
Maintain communication and prime fans for upcoming seasons
For any entrepreneur looking to dive into sports streaming, focusing efforts on underserved fans represents a viable pathway forward. Although challenges abound, passion and commitment can lay the foundation for a thriving media business.