Athletes as Media Brands: The Future of Sports Storytelling with Lars Bengston

The lines between sports, media, and entertainment have officially disappeared—and athletes are now at the center of it all. This week on Skin in the Game, John and Tim sit down with Lars Bengston, Head of Agency at HardScope, to explore how the next generation of athletes are becoming media brands. From his early days at Vice during its explosive growth, to co-creating Some Good News with John Krasinski, Lars shares a front-row perspective on how storytelling, authenticity, and platform-native content are reshaping the sports landscape. The conversation dives into the rise of athlete-creators, the impact of NIL, and why today’s players don’t need traditional media to tell their stories—or build their businesses.