Digital Audience Growth for New Sport Properties
With over 25 years in global sports—co‑founding ONE Championship, helping launch The Snow League into China, working on the Commonwealth Games, and now building EPIC—I’ve written these articles to share practical insights for the next generation of sport builders and leaders.
In modern sports, no property is truly “local” once a smartphone camera is rolling. When we built properties ranging from Asian combat sports to winter events in China to today’s EPIC pickleball platform, digital wasn’t a marketing add‑on; it was the backbone of the business model. A stadium or resort can host thousands of fans; a well‑run digital ecosystem can engage millions before, during, and long after the event.
The first principle is content‑first, not schedule‑first. Many new leagues treat digital as a highlight reel after the fact. We flipped that mindset. For snow events, that meant documenting athletes adapting to new conditions and cultures; for pickleball, it means showing what makes the sport accessible and fun for every age and skill level. A steady stream of short‑form, mobile‑optimized, locally subtitled content keeps fans engaged daily, not just on game day.
The second principle is to own your data and direct‑to‑fan relationships. Traditional broadcast deals are important, but they often wall off the audience from the rights holder. By building our own channels—web, social, email, apps—we can see who is watching, where they are, what content they love, and how that changes over time. That insight informs everything from venue selection and ticket pricing to sponsorship packages and athlete storytelling.
The third principle is to prioritize community over pure virality. Viral clips are nice, but they don’t build a durable fan base. Whether in winter sports, combat sports, or pickleball, focus on values‑driven narratives: personal transformation, cross‑cultural experiences, and the joy of competition. When fans see themselves reflected in the stories, they become advocates, creating and sharing their own content that amplifies your reach organically.
For new sport properties, digital audience growth isn’t about chasing the latest algorithm tweak. It’s about designing a living story universe around your athletes, venues, and fans—and building your business so that every view, share, and comment compounds the value of the property itself.