EXCEL ESPORTS and JD Sports launch podcast to help bridge the gap between the traditional UK football culture and the competitive FIFA scene

• EXCEL ESPORTS and JD SPORTS new podcast, XL BootRoom, will help bring together UK football culture and the competitive FIFA scene 
• XL BootRoom will feature EXCEL’s professional FIFA players, Tom ‘Tom’ Leese and Spencer ‘Gorilla’ Ealing as well as other special guest appearances including YouTuber Danny Aarons
• The podcast will delve into current topics including FIFA23, FIFA esports, UK’s football scene and football fashion
• Episode one of XL BootRoom is now available to listen to on YouTube and Spotify and will be launched on other major streaming platforms soon

Today, British competitive gaming culture brand EXCEL ESPORTS and JD Sports, the UK-based leading retailer of sports, fashion and outdoor brands, are excited to announce the launch of their new podcast, XL BootRoom. The podcast will aim to help bridge together the traditional football culture and the competitive FIFA scene in the UK.

The first season of the podcast will include six episodes and will delve into current news topics including FIFA23, FIFA esports and the UK’s football scene such as the 2022 World Cup as well as the world of football fashion. XL BootRoom will be recorded from EXCEL’s newly built content production studio at XLHQ in Shoreditch. The new studio will be fully wrapped with a FIFA 23 inspired design to create an immersive, high quality set design for the best listening and viewing experience for fans.

Hosting the podcast will be EXCEL’s professional FIFA players, Tom ‘Tom’ Leese and Spencer ‘Gorilla’ Ealing. ‘Tom’ has been ranked number one in Europe in the past two years while ‘Gorilla’ is a five-time Gfinity FIFA Champion and one of the most famous players and content creators in FIFA. Both high-level professional players who are also very passionate football fans, they make the perfect duo to drive the conversations towards bridging the gap between casual football fans and hardcore FIFA players. The first episode will feature a special guest appearance from FIFA YouTuber, Danny Aarons, with many more FIFA personalities and football creators set to guest host episodes throughout the season.

EXCEL ESPORTS and JD Sports announced their partnership earlier this year, and have since created a range of immersive campaigns together for gamers and JD customers across the country, including gaming set-ups featuring EXCELs professional players and JD influencers at ParkLife, Longitude and Wireless throughout the summer. The JD Click Refresh Back-to-School Tour ensured kids across the country headed back to school in head-to-toe style and the Fortnite tournament held at EXCEL and JD’s stand at Insomnia 68 Gaming Festival saw the team sign their newest Fortnite content creator, Jackson ‘Rezhexx’ Bradbury.

XL BootRoom will also act to further strengthen the partnership between EXCEL and JD Sports,  to further establish both brands presence as active and prominent contributors to the FIFA gaming landscape. The podcast will integrate key JD Sports promotions and initiatives into the series to create organic links between the biggest moments in both the FIFA and retail calendar.

Sha Rasti, Head of Partnerships, EXCEL ESPORTS comments: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new podcast, XL BootRoom, alongside our partner JD. FIFA represents a diverse community, spanning from hardcore gamers to casual football fans that play with friends and we believe through XL BootRoom we have the opportunity to help to further connect these two very similar communities together. Touching on current news topics across football and competitive FIFA, listeners can expect competition, insight and comedy throughout the season!”