Hi. Hello and welcome. However you found us, I’m glad you did.

This is Creating Sports, the only newsletter exclusively focused on creators in sports.

Today, we have one goal: To get this off the ground. And the sooner that happens, the better. Why? Because the changing sports media environment necessitates a better way to follow all that is happening. Social media has a tendency to silo people into their communities, and I’m aiming to centralize creators in sports.

Since time machines can’t take me back a few years, Creating Sports will exist beginning today. Sports and creators have become more intertwined than ever before, and there deserves to be a resource and community solely dedicated to this space.

You don’t have to look far to find those wondering why something like this doesn’t exist yet, either.

Bill Simmons would be a strong, borderline undeniable contender if you created a Mount Rushmore of sports media in the 21st century. He started the BS Report, later becoming the Bill Simmons Podcast. Founded Grantland. Came up with 30 for 30. Founded The Ringer. Sold The Ringer to Spotify. 

What you might not find on an abbreviated resumé, though, is Simmons’ unparalleled tracked record in sports media talent discovery. He noticed, recruited, platformed, spotlighted and grew careers of countless now taken for granted. From Zach Lowe and Robert Mays, to Shea Serrano and Mallory Rubin, to Jason Concepcion, Chris Ryan and well beyond, the deeper-than-you-can-believe list is a sports media version of the 2001 Miami Hurricanes roster.

So, why are we talking about Bill Simmons? Great question!

Last year on a podcast, Simmons offered his thoughts on discovering sports media talent in the modern age. Among his takeaways: It’s harder than ever before. The ecosystem has evolved making it more difficult than ever to spot the next generation of sports media talent. A decade ago, backgrounds were fairly more homogenous – journalism school grads who came up through newspapers or blogs. They were easier to follow and notice. Easier to hear about and understand how they would translate to his media sphere.

These days, Simmons wondered, what is the optimal way to find talent? What used to work well isn’t quite as effective in this splintered, more video-focused digital media world. Does he need to scroll YouTube and TikTok like the rest of us? My mind wandered as I pondered that thought. I realized that there is nothing dedicated to covering the next generation of sports media. Nobody specifically paying attention to creators in sports.

There is now.

What to Expect

I’m going to focus on three key aspects of the sports creator economy:

1. Sports content creators

   Our bread and butter. We will be laser-focused on what sports content creators are producing, pointing out larger trends, breaking down success stories, diving into monetization strategies and much more. We want sports creators to see this newsletter as a community, resource and news source – you are our audience, our heartbeat, and we wouldn’t exist without you.

2. Athlete creators

   Just as direct-to-consumer brands became en vogue, so too have the direct-to-consumer athletes. They don’t have to speak only through interviews and press conferences anymore – they can speak directly to fans. That has resulted in some becoming full-fledged creators on top of their day jobs.

3. Sports teams, leagues and brands

   More and more, they’re buying in. All of the major leagues have influencer marketing specialists, as do just about every national brand and even some teams. One thing everybody understands: Creators are powerful. Teams, leagues and brands all want to target the youngest demos, and creators are increasingly the path they choose to take. We will be paying attention to their moves.

Ultimately, the goal is simple. I want Creating Sports to benefit each category – sports creators, athlete creators, and sports teams, leagues and brands – by serving as a valuable resource and community. And I will keep you entertained while doing so!

I want to be the go-to source in the U.S. for all things that mesh creators and sports. While tons of people cover sports media and do it well – shoutout the likes of Awful Announcing and The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch and Andrew Marchand – nobody yet is writing about the sports creator world the way it deserves to be covered.

Here, we will change that.

Notably, Creating Sports will be free. Accessible to everybody.

The plan is to drop two newsletters a week. Tuesday’s edition will recap the biggest sports creator news of the past week, and Thursday’s will spotlight a sports creator to gain their first-hand insight.

This week, we’re starting strong with three editions – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

Here at Creating Sports, we’re documenting it all, analyzing it all, and bringing you behind the scenes of the sports world’s creator economy. Join us for the ride, why don’t you?

Talk soon,

Colin