Move Over ESPN — YouTube Is The New Worldwide Leader in Sports
Breaking down my bold prediction for 2025
Whatsup Squad,
I have to get something off of my chest — I strongly believe YouTube will become the worldwide leader in sports in 2025.
The platform is well-positioned to dominate the sports media landscape, but with all the coverage of Netflix’s entry into live sports, I don’t think YouTube is getting enough attention.
YouTube’s Origins
Founded in 2005, YouTube democratized both sides of the content equation – creation and consumption.
On the creator side, YouTube allowed publishers to reach a wide audience at virtually no cost.
On the consumer side, YouTube offered visitors access to millions of videos from a variety of publishers at no cost.
Despite the growing popularity of rival platforms like TikTok and Instagram, YouTube still reigns supreme with over 2.5 billion monthly active users.
According to the 2024 State of Sports Media report, YouTube boasts a staggering 90% reach among sports fans, solidifying its position as the go-to destination for sports news, highlights, analysis, and even live programming.
YouTube Makes its Mark on Live TV
YouTube TV launched in April 2017 to provide audiences with a new, more flexible way to enjoy live TV outside of a traditional cable subscription.
Then in 2022, YouTube signed a seven year, $14 billion deal with the NFL to become the exclusive home of the “Sunday Ticket” package.
The company had previously worked with the NFL (and other pro sports leagues) on highlights and analysis, but the Sunday Ticket deal gave YouTube a new level of legitimacy in the sports world.
According YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, more than 35 billion hours of sports content was viewed on YouTube in the past year, marking a 45% increase on the previous year.
While the majority of YouTube viewership comes from mobile traffic, a growing portion of those viewers are watching YouTube on TVs.
By 2026, YouTube TV is projected to become the #1 U.S. pay-TV service, as it continues to grow while the three linear carriers in front of it—Charter, Comcast, and DirecTV—are all in a state of decline.
The Rising Influence of YouTubers
Outside of live programming, sports television has traditionally been dominated by sports talk shows.
But now video podcasts like New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce are the new sports talk show.
And YouTube has largely become the home for these media outlets.
From creator-led channels like New Heights to league-owned channels like the NBA’s, YouTube offers a comprehensive library of sports content.
One of the NBA’s most significant digital accomplishments is that its YouTube channel became the first professional sports league account to surpass 20 million subscribers.
From the onset of its channel in 2005, the NBA’s strategy was to embrace and leverage content creators as ambassadors to extend its brand.
And their commitment to creators hasn’t wavered. They now provide select influencers with access to over 25,000 hours of NBA game footage and AI-driven editing tools to create content.
Beyond the NBA, YouTubers have tremendous influence over sports fans because they can reach and engage fans in ways that traditional sports media has not been able to.
Zooming in on the Caribbean
The same way the NBA works with content creators to expand their audience, so too should Caribbean sports properties.
Look no further than the CPL for an example of success. The CPL partnered with digital advertising and technology services company Brave Bison in 2021 to manage its YouTube channel.
At the time of the deal, the CPL had a subscriber base of 823,000.
Along with live streaming matches in 150 countries, they also shared behind the scenes content, highlights, and analysis.
Just a few years later, the channel now has 2.25 million subscribers and counting!
Especially in a region with limited stadium infrastructure, YouTube offers a modern solution to boost visibility for Caribbean athletes, leagues, and teams.
Final Thoughts
More than any other sports provider, Youtube is positioned to win over sports fans on their phones and on their TVs.
I predict YouTube will become the worldwide leader in sports because:
YouTubers attract a new type of sports fan, making the platform attractive to marketers.
YouTube TV will become the #1 pay-TV provider, making the platform attractive to rights holders
YouTube channels allow sports properties to directly reach (and monetize) their audience
As a creator-led sports property, BACKCOURT is actively working to increase the awareness and exposure of the Caribbean sports ecosystem.
If you are a Caribbean athlete, team, league, or federation, please reach out. We’d love to collaborate.
Until next time ✌🏾