YouTube has released a report spotlighting the rising influence of sports creators and how brands can connect with them. Timed to the 2026 FIFA World Cup season, the "Creator Pulse" report argues that sports content now wraps around the entire fan experience, not just live game coverage — a shift with real implications for sports creator marketing.
The report's most notable finding is that 66% of Gen Z sports fans say they turn to YouTube for related content before and after live games. YouTube describes this as "surround sound" around the game becoming central to fandom itself — meaning fans engage with sports through an entire content ecosystem of highlights, analysis, and creator reaction videos, not the match alone.
The report offers concrete creator examples. Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland has about 3.29 million YouTube subscribers and uses the platform as a steady channel for updates to fans. Former college basketball player and sports commentator Rachel DeMita is cited as a prime example of an athlete building an independent media platform on YouTube — illustrating how individual athletes are becoming media companies in their own right, connecting directly with fans.
YouTube proposes two advertising mechanisms for brands to work with sports creators. The first is Takeovers, where brands pay for custom messaging from a creator. The second is the YouTube Select lineup, which places ads adjacent to high-performing content; a new sports category was added in October, widening the options available.
The core signal is that sports marketing's center of gravity is moving from the "moment of the game" to the entire content journey around it. The fact that Gen Z naturally turns to YouTube before and after games suggests marketers should reconsider budgets concentrated solely on live broadcast slots — fan attention now stretches across pre-game buildup, highlight consumption, and creator reaction viewing, and touchpoint design should span that whole window.
Athletes and sports creators becoming media assets in their own right also widens brand opportunity beyond big-name sponsorships into partnerships with creators who connect authentically with fan communities. Ahead of a major event like the World Cup, a partnership strategy that blends naturally into a creator's context and fan community is likely to outperform one-off ad placements. To explore creator partnership strategy, Best Partner's services can help shape your approach, or contact us directly.
66% of Gen Z sports fans say they turn to YouTube for related content before or after live games, showing sports fandom now spans an entire content ecosystem, not just the match itself.
Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland (about 3.29 million subscribers) and former college athlete and commentator Rachel DeMita, both cited as examples of athletes building independent media presence on YouTube.
Through Takeovers, where brands pay for custom creator messaging, and the YouTube Select lineup, which places ads next to high-performing content — including a sports category added in October.
Spread budget and touchpoints across the full fan content journey — pre-game, highlights, creator reactions — rather than concentrating solely on live broadcast ad slots, and consider creator partnerships alongside traditional sponsorships.
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