Gek enough: Chris Woerts' streaming gamble backfires spectacularly

While sport marketer Chris Woerts proudly announced a €4.99 guarantee that every Ajax fan could watch the European clash, columnist Ivar Hoekstra could only laugh at the KIJK-debacle that unfolded on Thursday evening, when the stream of the FC Sion‑Ajax match collapsed entirely.

Columnist Ivar Hoekstra wrote in De Limburger that he laughed in his fist after the KIJK-debacle on Thursday evening. He highlighted that the stream of the Europese duel between FC Sion and Ajax “liep compleet in de soep”. The failure left many supporters empty‑handed.

Sportmarketeer Chris Woerts was juist zo enthousiast, boasting at De Oranjezomer that a one‑time payment of €4.99 would let anyone see the FC Sion‑Ajax game via the streaming service KIJK. He described himself as the “grote fixer” who can arrange anything behind the scenes. He also noted that Ziggo, the club’s main sponsor, had promised that all European matches would be available on its platform.

Woerts' €4.99 promise

The promise meant that paying Ajax-fans would receive a KIJK pass, granting access to the Conference League fixture in Switzerland. Woerts’ reputation for pulling levers in the sport business added weight to the claim, even though the mechanics remained vague.

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When the match started, the paying Ajax-fans missed the first quarter‑hour of the game, and some viewers reported no picture at all. The KIJK platform failed to deliver the promised stream, turning the €4.99 fee into a source of frustration.

Talpa offers compensation

Talpa announced on Friday that all affected viewers would be compensated for the disrupted broadcast. The statement came after a wave of complaints from fans who felt let down by the service they had paid for.

Hoekstra sneered, “Gek genoeg ziet niemand het gevaar van Woerts.” He argued that sport marketers like Woerts view broadcasting rights, sponsorship and media value only as cash cows, making them the biggest threat to sport.

The clash between Woerts’ money‑driven optimism and the stark reality of a botched stream underscores how unchecked commercial ambition can alienate the very fans it seeks to serve, leaving the future of such deals in doubt. The episode may prompt clubs and sponsors to reassess reliance on single‑point streaming solutions.