From CNBC:

In May 2023, YouTuber Deestroying and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell presented at YouTube’s Brandcast. YouTube made a bold move by securing the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket for $2 billion per year, growing YouTube TV from 5 million subscribers in 2022 to over 8 million. The partnership has also enlisted top YouTube creators to promote NFL Sunday Ticket, driving engagement and new subscribers.

YouTube TV costs $73 per month with an additional $349 annual fee for access to NFL Sunday Ticket. The creators attended NFL games during the inaugural season of the partnership, collaborating with advertisers to boost engagement. The NFL also launched various shows on YouTube, such as “Creator of the Week,” to help promote creators on the sidelines.

YouTube accounted for 8.5% of total TV watch time in December, outpacing other major streaming services. A substantial amount of live TV streaming growth last quarter was attributed to YouTube TV’s offering of NFL Sunday Ticket. CEO of YouTube parent Alphabet, Sundar Pichai, highlighted the “disciplined ROI framework” for working with the NFL.

NFL’s biggest creator partnership has been with Deestroying, a sports creator with over 12 million followers. Lifestyle creator Pierson Wodzynski, who has 24 million followers, found her place in YouTube’s NFL strategy by documenting her journey to a 49ers game. De La Haye, Wodzynski, and Evans will be featured in a YouTube TV ad during the Super Bowl.

The creator partnerships have been helpful in capturing a younger demographic, and have increased NFL content. Influencers in romantic relationships with NFL players went viral by sharing glimpses of their game-day experiences. Content creators with huge followings have been successful in bringing new and younger audiences to the NFL.

The NFL’s strategy with content creators is to invite a broad range of audiences into every aspect of the NFL experience. The plan has been highly successful, exceeding ROI benchmarks and leading to plans for supercharging the strategy next season.



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