Sports Marketing Tactics

A lot of people are citing the Wasserman report that says coverage of women’s sports has grown from 4% to 15%. The only problem? That’s not what the report actually says. The report says in its intro that the widely-shared stat that women’s sports receive only 3.5-5.5% of coverage fails to include things like digital media and streaming. If you include those, women’s sports received 10% of coverage in 2018, and that’s now up to 15% in 2023. Interestingly, women’s sports coverage on linear has basically stayed stuck: from just under 5% in 2018 to just over 5% in 2023. It’s everything else that has been on the rise. I’ve pasted the key chart below. As you can see, the main drivers of increased coverage for women’s sports have been social media and streaming (not linear television). And nowhere does it say, we’ve gone from 4% to 15%. So what are some of the actual takeaways? 1. Linear broadcasting isn’t the answer It basically hasn’t budged, even as women’s sports have exploded in popularity. Obviously, games need to be on TV. But if that’s all the coverage they ever get, women’s sports will stay stuck exactly where they are. 2. Digital media has been – and will be – the real driver of growth Viewership numbers get all the play, but what’s building the women’s sports audience is the day-in and day-out world of digital media. Not the occasional blow-out event.   Plus, according to the report: Female athletes drive twice the engagement of their male counterparts, half of Gen Z uses social media while watching live events, and “Gen Z and Millennial fans have increased interest in highlights, docs and social media storytelling over live sporting events.”   I’m obviously biased, but all of this continues to validate our hypothesis at Just Women's Sports, that if you want to build and engage a women’s sports audience, you need to meet people where they are, on their feeds, each and every day.   Digital media has been the backbone of this space. It’s what brought us to where we are today, and it’s what’s going to lead women’s sports into tomorrow. Read the report for yourself: https://lnkd.in/eYBaCgiS

💡 Could YouTube’s NFL Brazil game broadcast reshape the future of sports approach to live rights? On the latest episode of the StreamTime Sports podcast, we dove into the potential industry impact of YouTube’s upcoming free global broadcast of the NFL game in Brazil — a first-of-its-kind move. 🎙️ While one game won’t upend the system overnight, here’s why it could be a watershed moment: 🔹 The current model is under pressure - For the past 10–20 years, live sports have thrived behind pay-TV walls, driven by subscriber dollars. 🔹 YouTube have proven that there's other ways to make media work By offering free, global access to premium live sports content, they’re testing whether: - Ad-funded models can deliver strong ROI thanks to Youtube's powerful ad machine, maximising all inventory throughout the broadcast - The broadcast and access to live sports events can be scaled without subscriptions, - And advertisers will pay premium rates for reach and engagement. 🔹 If they get this right, it could: - Validate free-to-access, ad-funded distribution of elite sports - Open the door for more leagues and competitions to follow suit - Signal a major power shift from traditional broadcasters to digital platforms - be a great marketing tool in the US to push consumers to their Sunday ticket package 🔹 Advertising is the battleground There’s a huge opportunity if YouTube can bridge the gap between: - Low-margin, automated programmatic ads and - High-touch, premium brand partnerships It's a big if though. 🧠 With AI-driven ad insertion and unmatched global scale, YouTube may be able to find that elusive middle ground. 👀 If they break even — or come close — it’ll be a clear signal: “We can do this with live sports, globally, for free. Who's with us” ⚡ As we said on the show: “That’s the Holy Grail.” As not only does it mean that audiences will grow, and more sports can monetise live, but piracy will struggle to maintain their presence if access is democratise. I know this is the best case, and it's extremely unlikely to be a 100% knock out success. But what if it works. I can dare to dream can't I!?

Cable TV is dead to young athletes. Only 50% of tweens watch live games anymore. The other half? Living on TikTok and YouTube. This isn't a trend. It's a reset. Gen Z and Gen Alpha don't consume sports. They experience it through screens they control. 85% check social media for sports content weekly. 25% do it every single day. Here's what they actually want: • 30-second trick shots that go viral • Behind-the-scenes locker room access (authentic, not polished) • Motivational clips they can share with teammates • Meme-able moments that feel like inside jokes Your tournament highlight reel on Facebook? Invisible. That same content sliced for Reels? Game changer. Youth sports orgs are responding with "create once, publish everywhere": • Game footage becomes Instagram highlights • Player interviews become TikTok content • Trending sounds amplify organic reach The data backs this shift hard. 90% of Gen Z watches sports content on social. Instagram engagement is 4× higher than Facebook for youth sports. This isn't about chasing trends or vanity metrics. It's about understanding where your community actually lives. The market has shifted beneath our feet. What worked five years ago doesn't work today. What works today won't work in three years. Organizations that adapt will stay relevant to families. Organizations that don't will wonder where everyone went. The message isn't complicated: Meet young audiences where they actually are. Mobile-first. Social-first. Authentic-first. Not because it's trendy. Because it's where the next generation lives. ___________ Follow for youth sports insights, marketing strategy, and what’s working (and what's not) as we build the first +$1B Youth Sports Ecosystem. 👉 Kylee Renouf

If you want proof that creator-led sports media is now the default, look at what the AFL - Australian Football League just announced. The AFL’s media restructure caught my eye this week. They’re closing their main studio, reducing their in-house production team and shifting toward independent creators, specialist partners and a new digital network to run everything. A few years ago this would’ve looked dramatic, but it feels like the direction a lot of rights holders are moving towards not because it’s trendy, but because audience behaviour has already changed and the set-up many pivoted towards isn’t built for it. Younger fans live on platforms that reward speed, personality and relevance. They connect with moments that feel close to the action, not with polished studio features that arrive days later. And whether we like it or not, creators now set the pace for how sport is talked about online. You can see the same shift in other places. Brands moving more of their marketing money into creator-led work & fans gathering in communities that often sit completely outside club channels The AFL’s new Digital Network is basically an admission that sports organisations now need a different type of media operation one built for distributed attention rather than one central pipeline. The messy funnel. None of this replaces matchday or the core traditions of the sport. It just recognises how people actually follow it now. The challenge is finding a set-up that allows you to meet fans on the platforms they already use, without losing the character of the sport or the relationship with your local community - fish where the fish are as i like to say. The AFL won’t be the last to do this. The gap between how fans consume sport and how sport is produced is still far too wide. This is one way of closing it.

Brazil continues to lead the way in digital disruption — with CazéTV once again at the forefront of global sports media innovation. A seismic shift hit the Brazilian media landscape — and it didn’t come from Globo or any legacy network. It came from YouTube. CazéTV, the wildly popular digital channel just secured Brazilian rights to all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Let that sink in: a creator-led channel, born less than 5 years ago, is now the destination for the most watched event on Earth in one of the most football-obsessed nations. 🔹 A First in Global Sports Broadcasting This is the first time in history that a YouTube channel has outbid a traditional broadcast titan for full World Cup rights in a major market. Globo — the undisputed king of Brazilian TV for decades — will only show 52 matches. The rest? Only on CazéTV. 🔹 Why this matters: This isn’t just a broadcasting coup. It’s the clearest signal yet that the power has shifted — from legacy media to creator-driven platforms. Casimiro didn’t inherit a network. He built a community. 🔹 The Numbers Behind the Movement ⌙ 6.1 M concurrent viewers on CazéTV for Brazil vs Croatia (2022) — a global record for YouTube Live ⌙ 32.4 M hours watched during the 2023 Women’s World Cup — more than any platform globally ⌙ Multiple broadcasts from the FIFA Club World Cup ranked among the Top 10 most-watched long-form videos on worldwide ⌙ Engagement? Off the charts. His streams trend on X, flood TikTok and dominate meme culture post-match. This isn’t fringe fandom. This is mainstream sports consumption — just not on TV. 🔹 CazéTV × Disney+: The Hybrid Distribution Win CazéTV also has a content hub on The Walt Disney Company streaming platform in Brazil, offering live streams, highlights and archives. 💡 Why FIFA Bet on CazéTV FIFA’s decision wasn’t experimental. It was strategic. Casimiro delivers: ⌙ Massive reach with Gen Z and Millennials ⌙ Real-time interaction, not just passive viewership ⌙ A brand-safe, inclusive, entertaining environment This is not one guy with a webcam. This is a full-blown digital network — lean, scalable, and fan-first. 💡 Global Ripple Effects Brazil is the test case, the implications are global: ⌙ Could creators creators in other markets co‑stream major sports? ⌙ Might YouTube become the next ESPN, with other platforms following? ⌙ Will sports federations worldwide pivot from networks to creators? We’ve entered the platform parity era — where creators and networks compete on even ground. 🔹 The Big Picture Casimiro’s rise isn’t an anomaly—it’s a blueprint. We’ve entered the TikTok-ification of sports coverage: bite-size highlights, personality-led commentary, and 24/7 interactivity. 💡 When the biggest event in the world goes hybrid in one of its biggest markets, it’s not a glitch—it’s the new playbook. Welcome to the age of creator-led broadcasting. Parabéns Sergio e ao time da CazéTV e LiveMode! #YouTube #Fifa #Disney #Media

The definition of “live sports” has changed over the years and decades. They’re no longer confined to a stadium, a fixed broadcast window, or even a traditional league structure. Digital-native competitions draw in massive communities and fanbases from across the globe.     Team Liquid’s recent “Race to World First” victory is a powerful example of how these digital-first formats have redefined live competition. This month-long, always-on competition blended elite performance, real-time strategy, and high-level production. It brought together hundreds of thousands of concurrent viewers and millions of hours watched.    Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s investment in Team Liquid reflects our belief in the power of digital formats to unlock new ways of competing and building lasting fan connections.    In esports, there’s no offseason. No geographic boundaries. No single definition of what “broadcast” means. Instead, what’s taking shape is a model built on continuous competition, creator-led storytelling, and real-time fan participation – one that’s influencing how we think about engaging fans globally. 

Australia’s media and entertainment landscape is shifting, and sports are at the heart of this evolution. Here’s what you need to know: 1. Young Audiences Are Redefining How Sports are Consumed • Gen Z prefers sports on-the-go: With 1.5 times higher likelihood of streaming on mobile over traditional TV, Gen Z is shaping a mobile-first sports culture. This shift demands a mobile-optimized approach that keeps young audiences engaged across devices. • Supplementary content is critical: Highlights, social media recaps, and behind-the-scenes content significantly influence Gen Z’s sports habits. 70% of them report changing viewing behaviour based on social media clips alone, spotlighting the power of multi-platform engagement. 2. The Rise of Women’s Sports is Transforming Fan Engagement • Interest in women’s sports, buoyed by the success of events like the FIFA Women’s World Cup, remains high, especially among younger Australians. Over 60% of Gen Z engage regularly, with two-thirds eager to see even more representation. This marks an opportunity to deepen fan engagement and drive sponsorships within women’s leagues. 3. Live Experiences Still Matter—but Fans Want More • Stadiums and live event venues are no longer just about the game. Fans crave immersive experiences—whether through upgraded digital integrations, enhanced facilities, or social opportunities. Up to 56% of fans report that improved stadium tech, like wayfinding apps, would boost their experience. 4. The Challenge of Subscription Saturation • Subscription fatigue is real: 75% of Australians express concerns over rising subscription costs, and the average household spends $63 monthly on media. Despite this, most Australians remain committed to their streaming subscriptions. The lesson? While consumers are price-sensitive, they value quality content—offering flexibility, like ad-supported options, could help manage costs. 5. A New Era of Trust (and Distrust) in Sports Media • Traditional broadcasters maintain the highest trust among Australians, yet Gen Z is increasingly influenced by content from social media and online platforms. AI-generated content and user-generated sports clips are rising, yet they remain the least trusted sources. To maintain credibility, sports brands must ensure transparency in content sourcing and quality. These shifts signal an opportunity for sports organisations to innovate, creating multi-platform strategies that resonate with Australia’s digital-first, mobile-centric fan base. Insights from Deloitte - 13th annual Australian Media and Entertainment Consumer Insights report - https://lnkd.in/g9Cf_wcc How are you adapting your strategy to reach your fans? Let's chat, that's what we do at Sports Geek

From The Economist: Although much tv viewing has migrated to streaming platforms, when Americans want to watch sport, old-school “linear” tv is where they go. Is that about to change? On February 6th three of America’s biggest sports programmers—Disney (home of the espn sport network), Fox and Warner Bros Discovery (wbd)—unveiled a plan to bring their most valuable content to a new platform.  If it succeeds it could be a game changer for the #media business. Most other kinds of #tv have already shifted online. Last year streaming accounted for more minutes of viewing in America than either broadcast or cable tv, according to Nielsen, a ratings firm. Sport is the exception. Although big #tech has added sport to its menu—Amazon and YouTube have bought rights to American football, Apple has dabbled in proper football and Netflix is about to grapple with wrestling—true sport fans still need to shell out for cable. The audiences are vast: 44 of America’s 50 most-watched broadcasts last year were sport. The new service would be the biggest sporting bet made on streaming. The total value of sports rights on the platform—golf, nascar, hockey and much else—will be about $16bn a year, reckons Bernstein, a broker. In all, the content slate will encompass about 55% of American sports rights by value, says Citigroup, a bank. What is in it for Disney, wbd and Fox? They stand to lose out at first, as the juicy cable market shrinks. But the target market is streaming-only households that have never had cable, Lachlan Murdoch, Fox’s boss, told investors on February 7th. And by giving viewers a streaming bundle including sport, they could cut customer churn. People can easily cancel their Disney+ subscription after bingeing the latest “Star Wars” spin-off (some 5% do so every month). But they cannot binge a #football season. And when that ends, it will be time for #basketball, then #baseball and so on. Joining forces may also improve the trio’s bargaining power relative to #sports leagues. The competition for sports rights is intense as new bidders such as big tech pile in. If The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox Corporation bid jointly, they could rein in the price inflation that leagues now demand. For companies left out of the initiative, its successful launch would represent their “worst nightmare”, argues LightShed Partners. Firms like #Paramount and NBCUniversal may find it harder to lure viewers to their own sport-#streaming initiatives, even as the decline of the cable market, which is where they still make most of their money, speeds up. Time for a new game plan. 

It needs saying again. Rights holders and leagues that obsess over trad broadcast deals are not paying heed to the fact an ENTIRE generation has changed channel to YouTube. Many sports are fighting the wrong battle, and the war is being won elsewhere. Gen A (and now Beta) won’t be going backwards. Such habitual shifts don’t suddenly change when they become teens, as many observers including me have said. YouTube's watch time on TV grew 15.6% last year, while Netflix crawled up 3%. 35 billion hours of sports content were consumed in 2023, and a billion hours of YT content is now watched on TV, the main screen in the home EVERY DAY. This isn't just another streaming statistic. It's a seismic shift in how younger demographics consume their sports media AND how it is created and monetised. YouTube paid out $70 billion to creators in the last three years. That's $23 billion p.a. and more than Netflix's $13 billion content spend and rivaling Disney's $24 billion. When you add revenue from paid sponsorships, merchandise and subscriptions, YouTube's creator economy likely generates $50 billion annually. Yet some rights owners continue to chase broadcast deals like they're the panacea. They're not. Gen Z, the core of sports' customer base for the next decade, has never known a world without social platforms. The good news is that the opportunity is massive. YouTube is fast becoming the most powerful TV platform in the world. And they're doubling down on long-form content, live streaming, and sports partnerships. Huzzah! So, the question isn't whether this shift will happen, it becomes WHEN major sports will be bold enough to embrace it. Those prescient enough to adapt models to this new reality will unlock ways to engage with fans and monetise content. The future of sports media isn't about choosing between binary models, it's about understanding that the line between them has disappeared and making changes now.

The US Digital Fan Engagement Index 2026 benchmarks how fans in the United States discover, search for, and engage with sports online, across major US leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, WNBA) and key international properties (EPL, LaLiga, F1, NASCAR, PDC). The report argues that the traditional broadcast-led sports business model is weakening. As media rights fragment and leagues move toward direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategies, digital fan readiness, the ability to attract, capture, and retain fans online, has become a core strategic asset. Key findings include: • Active digital engagement (search, websites, Reddit) correlates far more strongly with revenue than passive reach (Instagram). • The NBA and MLB show the strongest links between digital engagement and team revenue, while the NFL remains powerful but still less digitally monetized relative to its scale. • International leagues and challenger sports (F1, EPL, PDC) are growing US interest rapidly through athletes, storytelling, and YouTube-led discovery. • Less than 1% of elite athlete search demand is currently captured by the teams that employ them, highlighting a major missed opportunity. • Geography still matters: leagues show wide state-by-state variation in brand persistence, especially MLB and NHL. • Teams that best convert high-value attention into owned platforms (the “Digital Capture Matrix” leaders) are structurally best positioned for a DTC future. Overall, the report reframes digital not as marketing support, but as infrastructure for future revenue. Takeaways 1. Digital fan engagement is now a revenue driver, not a vanity metric Active engagement consistently shows strong correlations with team and league revenues, especially in the NBA and MLB. 2. Owning the fan relationship will replace reliance on broadcasters As leagues inherit distribution and marketing responsibilities, success will depend on first-party data, platforms, and communities. 3. Athletes are underutilized as acquisition channels Fans often discover sports through players, not teams, but teams capture almost none of that demand today. 4. Passive reach ≠ durable fandom Instagram builds awareness, but search, websites, and community platforms are what predict long-term value. 5. Challenger and international sports are winning digitally in the US F1, EPL, LaLiga, and PDC demonstrate how personality-led content and digital-first strategies can outperform legacy reach. 6. The competitive gap will widen Teams with strong digital ecosystems will compound advantages; those dependent on broadcast exposure risk long-term decline. Bottom line TV built sports empires, but the internet will decide who keeps them. Digital fan readiness is becoming the most important strategic asset in modern sport.