For many football fans, platforms such as TikTok have opened a world of opportunity in which they can instantly become famous by sharing their opinion online or becoming a character that everyone loves. These creators were once average Liverpool fans but now can take pride in the fact that millions have seen them online and will continue to come back to their content.
Two famous examples of fans turned stars are Jonathan Morley and Pete BOC who have amassed over 15 million likes on their main accounts alone. Both creators have taken social media by storm after a number of their videos have gone viral amongst younger audiences who clearly just can’t get enough.
Pete BOC, also known as Peter Cosgrove, 36, from Lawrence Weston in Bristol, is perhaps the biggest example of an everyday fan turned internet celebrity. Once a common PE teacher at a local school with a passion for the Reds, Pete’s Darwin Nunez remix of "Better off alone” by Alice Deejay went big online which has not only led him to TikTok immortality but has even led him to start his own Cameo.
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For many unfamiliar with Cameo, it is a service in which people pay celebrities for video messages and despite Pete being a normal Liverpool fan just months ago, he is now charging fans £16 for a personalised video or £61 for a business video in which he can say happy birthday or sing one of his famous songs. The PE teacher now has over 300 reviews on the service, and stands to make thousands of pounds off his fame.
Those who have paid for the service are delighted with what they have gotten for their money. “It was longer and more personalised than I could have wished for so thank you Pete, you legend! YNWA” one said, whilst another simple put:” Best birthday present ever.”
Jonathan Morley is another example of an influencer whose enthusiasm for Liverpool FC has awarded him a huge reputation online. His daily videos regarding transfer rumours, player ratings and this season’s enraged match reactions has led him to nearly 200 thousand loyal followers on TikTok alone.
These levels of fame do not come at a cost, however. Each creator receives a huge amount of hatred and bitterness online.. Many users have made compilations of Morley and his frantic videos with thousands of people rehashing his content for their own gain with a lot of them even gaining more traction than Morley himself.
Becoming a Liverpool content creator can also place a target on your back for the whole of the internet to shoot at. Evolving from a regular fan to an online personality is now a short process where one or two videos can lead to millions of people seeing you from around the globe.
It is clear now that becoming famous or at least well known is easier than ever. One simple video of a Liverpool fan expressing their thoughts after a game can attract more clicks than some of the biggest sporting networks like Sky Sports and BT Sports despite their simple style and fan-made production quality.
