The sports creator economy – growing audiences through cultural crossovers

Live rights are no longer enough for sports organisations to capture attention. On this episode of StreamTime Sports, host Chris Stone is joined by content creators Maya Stephen and Stella Tran, as well as digital producer Tom Jewell.The discussion explores how the next phase of audience growth lies with sports partnering with content creators who bring cultural relevance and built-in communities. Whether it’s badminton, Formula 1 or women’s soccer today’s fans aren’t just watching they’re connecting through creators.  Key PointsSports media’s blind spot: The industry’s overreliance on live rights and highlightsContent creators bridging the gap: the new media connecting Gen Z and digital first audiences to sportsViral ≠ strategy: Don’t chase trends, build communitiesAuthenticity rules: Fans connect with relatable, low-friction content over polished highlight reelsCulture as currency: How creators are using music, fashion and travel to unlock fandom in unexpected places