Tomorrow, DAZN will broadcast what will likely end up being one of the most-talked-about boxing matches of the year.



However, the names involved might be a surprise: KSI and Logan Paul, who are more known for their exploits on YouTube than in the ring.



This will be their first fight as licensed professional boxers after facing off in an amateur match in August 2018. However, DAZN’s approach to the fight goes well above that weight class.



That will be showcased in COUNTDOWN TO KSI VS. LOGAN PAUL 2, a live, three-hour fight night special from the Staples Center that DAZN is streaming live for free on its YouTube channel tomorrow. It will also be on the network’s Twitter and Twitch channels, as well as on KSI’s and Paul’s YouTube channels - reaching an audience of more than 40 million subscribers.



Logan Swaim, who is an executive producer at DAZN and is overseeing COUNTDOWN, spoke to FOS about DAZN’s approach to the fight, how digital storytelling is playing a large part in that, and why he left the NFL Network to join the upstart DAZN earlier this year.



FOS: This fight seems tailor-made for a digital-first approach - how are you leaning into that?



Swaim: Our research from the first fight showed that 88% of viewers bought the fight in the final 24 hours. Armed with that information, we wanted to create a program that amplified the message about the rematch in the hours leading up to the final bell. Working strategically with our new head of digital Steve Braband (formerly ESPN), our goal with COUNTDOWN is to create a lot of noise on social starting at 8 pm ET and get people into one of the streams. Once they’re watching, we’ll be reminding viewers regularly that once the show ends on Twitter, Twitch and Logan and KSI’s YouTube pages, the internet fight of the century begins exclusively on DAZN.



FOS: How important is digital storytelling in driving people to this fight, especially for fight fans that might not know who either of these guys is?



Swaim: Every major fight has a simple, compelling story. With Joshua v Ruiz it was all about the upset, ‘The real-life Rocky story.’ Canelo v Kovalev it was ‘Can Canelo climb two divisions and still dominate?’ With KSI v Logan Paul, this is about legitimate animosity; beef between two internet superstars that will be settled in a professional ring. That’s a story that everyone, including boxing purists, can get hyped for. It’s our job to explain the backstory of that beef and make it sizzle.



FOS: Do you see this attracting the same audience as Alvarez-Kovalev or a different one?



Swaim: Our goal is to get the largest audience possible. This is a professional fight with 10oz. gloves and no headgear. Sure, there are boxing purists out there who’ve never heard of KSI or Logan Paul, just as there are YouTubers who’ve never heard of Mike Tyson. The beauty of this particular fight is that it’s not complicated. There are no politics. No belt jargon to read up on. It’s two famous people that want to kick the crap out of each other, with a ton of pride, press, and probably some followers on the line.



FOS: Pat McAfee is hosting the special, and more broadly is having quite a year in terms of rising in the industry - what do you think it is about him that has put him on this sort of trajectory?



Swaim: Pat is talented at everything. On camera, he has this authentic and electric personality that just draws you in, and he’s an incredible storyteller. And behind the camera, he’s a businessman, a producer, a marketing genius, a social media savant, and one hell of a human being. Swiss Army Knife doesn’t do him justice. Pat is a Swiss Army sword, which is far more powerful and rare. There’s nothing he can’t do, including the moonwalk. The dude can moonwalk.



FOS: What interested you about DAZN's approach that prompted your move to the company?



Swaim: I wanted to be a part of that next wave of sports entertainment. There are so many things that were enticing about DAZN, but the bold, edginess that’s evident in all of our content is what really stood out. It feels like there’s no more room in Linear TV to build something fresh and unique, whereas OTT is the Wild West. Giddyup.