Does Sport Need to Take the Creator Economy More Seriously?
Millions watch golf daily, but with the PGA and European Tour teeing off Thursday – Sunday, how are they capturing eyes 24/7? Here's the twist: these millions aren't watching the pros; they're watching a bunch of friends hack their way around 18 holes in a way that is authentic, relatable, and most importantly – entertaining.
The creator economy isn't just a buzzword. It's here, it's been here for a while, and with no signs of slowing down, it seems poised to stay. As someone who has engaged more and more with ‘YouTube Golf’ over the past few months (in an attempt to improve my own game), I’ve come to the realization that sport organizations and governing bodies are lagging behind in grabbing this opportunity with both hands, leaving new audiences and significant commercial opportunities on the table.
In this article, I will explore the ‘Sport Creator Economy’, the undeniable opportunities for sport with this new age of ‘athletes’, and investigate those already doing so in a powerful way.
Creator Economy: Logan Paul and KSI paved the way for Youtube sporting creators
The Irresistible Rise of Creator-Led Sports
YouTube boxing, originally, felt like a joke – a stain on a sport that had earned respect from the greats for decades. It felt niche, for the kids, and nothing more than a trend that would come and go. But what began as Logan Paul and KSI having it out in a ring for a ‘one-off’ has grown into a multi-million-pound industry with significant pay-per-view numbers, substantial sponsorship, and entirely new audiences.
YouTube Golf (my current downtime obsession) is the ultimate creator-sport success story. The likes of Fore Bros, Good Good Golf, and Rick Shiels have gained followings and fans that dwarf traditional golf media outlets. The reason? It goes back to what I said at the very start of this article: relatable and authentic. Seeing Ronan Moloney shank one down the opposite fairway and then stick his approach over the trees to 5 feet (only to then miss the putt) – we as amateur golfers know exactly the beauty and the enjoyment in all of this. We’ve even seen professional golfers follow suit, with Bryson DeChambeau leading the charge.
Beyond individual creators, we're seeing the emergence of entirely new competitive formats built for the digital age. Case in point: The Baller League. Originating in Germany and now expanding into the UK, this six-a-side indoor football league blends ex-pros, influencers, and celebrities into a high-octane, entertainment-first product. With unique "gamechanger" rules and shorter matches, it’s designed to capture the attention of a generation accustomed to TikTok and Twitch. The appointment of a colossal YouTube personality like KSI as president of Baller League UK isn't just a gimmick; it’s a shrewd, strategic move, signalling a deep understanding of who holds the keys to future fan engagement. This isn't just football; it's infotainment, much like how esports built its global empire.
Need some more persuading? Here’s some data:
In 2024, sports content on YouTube saw a remarkable 45% increase in viewership, with more than 35 billion hours of content watched. (Source: What's Trending, February 2025).
The global creator economy is currently worth an estimated $250 billion in 2025. This figure is projected to surge to over $500 billion by 2027. (Source: Sprout Social, March 2025 article).
Nielsen data from July 2024 shows that YouTube now has the highest TV audience share on US smart TVs (10%) versus Netflix's 8.4%. (Source: Midia Research, January 2025).
Good Good Golf:
Nearing 2 million subscribers (currently at 1.83M+ as of May 31, 2025).
Receives roughly 10 million views a month, with daily views in the hundreds of thousands. (Tubefilter, March 2025; vidIQ, May 2025)
Recently secured a massive $45 million funding round in March 2025 with over 50 investors, including Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions – a huge validation of the commercial potential and growth trajectory. (Tubefilter, March 2025)
The Missed Opportunity: Why Traditional Sport Has Been Slow to Adapt
So, with such compelling evidence, why is there still hesitation from established sports brands and organisations? It’s fairly subjective, but here's my take:
Control: Minimal editorial control over the end result can panic detail-oriented marketers into sleepless nights.
Legacy Broadcast Deals: Existing, often hugely lucrative, broadcast agreements can create a powerful disincentive to experiment with new digital distribution models.
‘Amateurism’: An outdated, almost patronizing view that creator content lacks the professionalism or authenticity of traditional media.
Lack of Understanding: A fundamental generational and cultural gap in truly grasping how digital natives consume content and what truly resonates with them.
Siloed Thinking: Too many sports organisations operate with separate, often competing, departments for "traditional media" and "digital/social," rather than integrating them into a cohesive, forward-thinking strategy.
The Commercial Imperative: Why Collaboration is Key
It’s not about jumping on a trend for trend’s sake. There is a genuine commercial argument for engaging in a creator-led content and marketing strategy.
Access to New Demographics: Creators have built direct, trusted relationships with audiences that traditional sports struggle to reach. This isn't just about instant eyeballs; it's about building long-term, passionate fan bases from the ground up – the lifeblood of any sport.
Authentic Brand Integration: Beyond simply plastering a logo, creators offer brands the opportunity for organic, native integration. From product challenges to sponsored segments that genuinely entertain, or behind-the-scenes content that feels authentic rather than an in-your-face advertisement.
New Revenue Streams: For governing bodies and leagues, partnering with creators unlocks entirely new ways to monetise their assets. This could involve licensing archive footage or current highlights, co-creating new content series, or developing bespoke, creator-focused sponsorship packages that appeal to a different segment of brands than traditional broadcast deals.
Enhanced Storytelling & Narrative: Creators are masters of crafting compelling narratives. They can delve into the personal stories of athletes, build rivalries, and offer behind-the-scenes glimpses that deepen fan engagement far beyond just game highlights. This human element is precisely what young audiences crave.
Who Is The Current Best In Class?
While the broader sports world often grapples with how to navigate the creator economy, a select few have moved beyond hesitation to truly embrace it, setting a benchmark for what's possible. When it comes to effective, large-scale collaboration, two major American leagues stand out: the NBA and, increasingly, the PGA TOUR.
The NBA has long been the gold standard for digital innovation in sports, and their approach to the creator economy is a prime example of foresight. Instead of viewing creators as a threat, they saw an untapped opportunity to amplify their reach and engage new audiences. They understood that their athletes are not just players; they are personalities with colossal social media followings, often exceeding the reach of the teams or even the league itself. The NBA hasn't just tolerated this; they've actively facilitated it. Their "Creator Program" is a masterclass in empowerment, providing select digital creators with unprecedented access to over 25,000 hours of NBA game footage and AI-driven editing tools. This isn't just handing over clips; it's equipping creators to craft their own compelling narratives, highlight specific moments, and essentially become extensions of the NBA's marketing and storytelling arm. The results speak for themselves: record video views – over 53.7 billion this season alone, a 21% year-over-year increase – fostering a thriving, digitally native fanbase that spans the globe.
Hot on their heels, and perhaps even more surprisingly given its traditional roots, is the PGA TOUR. They have taken a remarkably proactive leap into the creator space with the launch of the 2025 Creator Classic Series, a direct collaboration with YouTube. This initiative, which teed off in March 2025 at iconic venues like TPC Sawgrass, features prominent YouTube golf creators – the likes of Bryan Bros, Bob Does Sports' Fat Perez, and Grant Horvat – competing on hallowed grounds. These events are not hidden away; they are streamed live on the PGA TOUR's official YouTube channel and other platforms, signifying a clear, public commitment. As Angela Courtin, VP of YouTube Marketing, succinctly put it in February 2025, "Creators are redefining what must-see sports content looks like and fans today are seeking more than just live coverage — they want immersive, interactive experiences with their favorite creators."
Embracing the Future of Sports Entertainment
The creator economy is not a passing fad or a minor distraction for traditional sports. It is a powerful, growing force that is actively reshaping how sports content is consumed, engaged with, and monetised. Ignoring this shift is no longer a viable strategy; it’s a path to diminishing relevance and missed commercial opportunity.
Sports organisations must:
Invest in truly understanding the creator landscape.
Develop strategies for genuine collaboration, not just control.
Foster partnerships with creators, viewing them as allies and innovators, not competitors.
Be open to new formats, new rules, and new approaches to storytelling that resonate with a digitally native audience.
The future of sport isn't solely confined to the hallowed grounds of a stadium or the grandstands of a golf course. It’s increasingly vibrant and lucrative in the digital space, built by creators and consumed by a generation hungry for authentic, engaging content. Embracing this reality isn't just smart business; it's essential for the very longevity and vitality of sport itself.
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