Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
Being a high-profile skilled athlete means residing underneath fixed scrutiny, with a billion-dollar trade constructed round analyzing your each transfer. From tabloids to speak exhibits to tweets, sports activities content material is sort of not possible to flee.
Have a nasty sport? Sure media members are licking their lips. A playoff dud? You will be dodging bar TVs enjoying ESPN for per week. However what occurs while you give athletes the instruments to degree the enjoying area? What occurs once they get to reply?
That is the query Brandon Harris needs to reply with Playmaker.
Rewriting the playbook
Based in 2018, Playmaker has grown right into a globally acknowledged sports activities media enterprise, that includes video podcasts — or, as Harris calls them, exhibits — with top-tier athletes like Angel Reese and Shaquille O’Neal. Harris based Playmaker after rising disillusioned together with his position in sports activities advertising and marketing.
“I used to be on the shopping for facet, and I at all times noticed folks on the opposite facet having far more enjoyable,” he says. “I used to be bored with simply getting folks to purchase merch. I needed to construct issues that followers might take pleasure in.”
For Harris, that meant creating distribution channels targeted on sports activities storytelling straight from the athletes.
As soon as Harris outlined his content material technique, his subsequent precedence was setting Playmaker other than the competitors. He did this by emphasizing video, in contrast to main gamers within the house who targeted on audio.
“Our pitch was easy,” Harris says. “We perceive the panorama, know the right way to interact on social, construct communities, and create participating video.”
Since launching Playmaker, Harris and his workforce have produced tens — if not a whole bunch — of 1000’s of items of “graphic content material,” together with three- to six-minute breakout movies. He makes an effort to devour as a lot suggestions as doable, estimating he is learn tens of millions of feedback.
“I used to name myself the widespread man barometer,” Harris says. “I’ve learn sufficient and posted sufficient that I believe I perceive most sports activities followers.”
Associated: How Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart Turned Their Facet Hustle Right into a Booming Enterprise
One purpose an athlete would possibly hesitate is the chance of changing into a viral meme after a nasty sport or seeing main sports activities retailers report stats like, “Participant X has recorded extra podcast episodes this season than video games performed” whereas recovering from an damage. Whether or not it is jealousy, insecurity, or loyalty to a rival workforce, some sports activities followers – and even conventional media – are likely to react negatively to athlete-hosted exhibits, typically for causes which have little to do with the precise content material.
“I believe it is ridiculous,” Harris says. “It appears like a ‘shut up and dribble’ mindset. Individuals applaud athletes for constructing companies, and that is precisely what that is. They’re spending an hour or two per week on it—if that is taking away from their apply, then there are greater points at play.”
Associated: Kelce Brothers Rating $100M Deal for ‘New Heights’ Podcast
Turning clips into clicks
In 2024, Playmaker’s authentic content material generated over $25M in earned media worth from greater than 1,000 posts and articles shared by publishers. Earned media, which refers to publicity a model beneficial properties from third events with out paying for it, is taken into account a holy grail in digital advertising and marketing.
Harris likens this natural content material to a “funnel” that directs viewers of viral clips towards the complete present. He attributes Playmaker’s success in earned media to 2 key components: its huge social distribution and dynamic expertise roster.
“Now we have expertise that’s genuine and prepared to say issues some safer personalities keep away from for PR causes,” Harris says, highlighting figures like Shaq, Angel Reese, and Marshawn Lynch. “We have at all times prioritized expertise that’s genuinely entertaining and will not simply regurgitate PR messaging each episode.”
As a reasonably small firm, Playmaker would not have the posh of limitless assets. Due to that, Harris could be very specific about who he chooses to work with.
“There’s lots of expertise that I actually like and respect that I’ve needed to say no to,” Harris says. “We do not tackle initiatives except we’re assured in our capability to dedicate the time, assets, and a spotlight wanted to make them profitable.”
Associated: ‘Authenticity is Key’: How Two-Time NBA Champion Jrue Vacation is Prioritizing Psychological Health and Trend With Rhone
Not like a lot of their opponents, Playmaker permits athletes to retain full management of their property and IP.
“For those who’re an athlete, partnering with Playmaker means having a platform constructed for you that you may take with you, monetize now, and use to develop your different manufacturers,” Harris says. “So why would not you do it?”
This turns into significantly related with streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon eyeing the video podcast house. Whereas Playmaker is open to distribution offers, Harris insists any partnership should be non-exclusive. That stated, he is not ruling out a collaboration with one of many content material kings.
“We might work with them to develop one thing new and non-exclusive,” he says, “however for us, the precedence has at all times been digital and social native.
Although Playmaker’s enterprise mannequin is comparatively new, Harris admits they aren’t the primary to do an athlete podcast. Nonetheless, moderately than constructing an organization in an trade with many years of confirmed success tales to mannequin plans on, Harris began Playmaker at a time when athlete podcasts had been nonetheless seen as a novelty moderately than a norm. As a substitute of balking, Harris embraced the uncertainty, believing he was onto one thing with large potential.
“As an enormous sports activities fan myself, I take into consideration what I wish to see extra of and what I wish to see much less of,” Harris says. “And I’d moderately watch a high quality, genuine athlete podcast than something that is on TV.”
