Welcome to the digital age of sports media, where fans like you lead the way

By Kevin Ruiz

Independent digital sports creators are leading the movement

Are you a passionate sports fan? Have you ever thought about making content following your favorite sports league? Well, Cassie Chantel has done just that. Chantel runs an Instagram and TikTok page that has pulled in over 40,000 followers and counting due to her coverage of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). “I can tell you right now, like across my platforms, I'm getting 12.5 million views a month, and that's regularly,” Chantel said. 

On her pages, you can find postgame interviews with coaches, analysis on trades and games, player stats, and general news from across the league. Chantel, who currently coaches youth basketball when she’s not creating content, has taken her journey as an independent digital sports creator all the way to the press room, interviewing some of the league’s biggest names like A’ja Wilson. 

Photo owned by Cassie Chantel

In the 2024 season, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) saw all-time records for digital consumption. Its social media engagement more than quadrupled from 2023. This spike in digital consumption is part of the growing popularity of the WNBA and reflects a pattern across multiple sports leagues. Instagram and TikTok have become major sources for sports news and content, led by independent digital sports creators.

Generation Z and millennial audiences are now using digital platforms as their primary news source, and the shift to digital media is giving independent digital creators an opportunity to fill the voids left by traditional sports media. A soccer page by the name of “FutbolAsada” covers the first division Mexican soccer league, Liga MX, and has over 118,000 followers. The account has capitalized on the large audiences of Latin American fans living in the United States who follow the league. The league isn’t covered by U.S. media companies, so finding English-based content and up-to-date news was difficult before pages like Futbol Asada started appearing, as most news comes from Mexican media outlets that provide the content specifically in Spanish.

Photo owned by Futbol Asada.

A sentiment can be shared between WNBA and Liga MX fans, given the lack of coverage for the league before the WNBA’s surge in popularity. Chantel saw an opportunity to fill this need. “When I was doing the content, I was looking on Google, trying to find images and just trying to find stories and history, and it just wasn't a lot. So the entrepreneur brain that I have, there's a need to fill this void. So that's what made me take it a little more seriously,” Chantel said. 

Another account, called “Hoops for Hotties,” creates content catered to her audience of “hotties,” who are new to the sports world. The account has over 115,000 followers covering NBA, WNBA, MLB, and more. The owner of the account, Mariah Rose, takes a unique approach covering the drama, fashion of sports, and breaking down sporting events like the MLB All-Star game. An example of how creators are finding innovative ways to cater content that fills voids in sports media. 

Is digital media the new major media?

Media conglomerates are following in similar footsteps to bring coverage to their niche audience bases. ESPN continuously ranks among the highest in digital sports consumption. Across their social media, they have specific accounts for soccer, WNBA, UFC, F1, etc. Their content is more catered to social media than ever before. “Networks like ESPN have reverted to social media to push everything. So I would say that social media is equal to any other platform. More people are watching social media for their content, for their news resources, than anything else,” Chantel said. The push from companies like ESPN has increased the opportunity for digital creators in the sports industry. At the end of the day, money talks, and major corporations won’t miss out on an opportunity to bring in more viewers.  

Another great sign for creators is the rise of streamers. During the WNBA’s 2025 All-Star Weekend, Minnesota Lynx players, Natisha Hiedeman and Courtney Williams, livestreamed for 72 hours on Twitch, capturing the raw and authentic behind-the-scenes of the All-Star festivities. 

In a media environment where TV personalities are trained to say the right things, followed by minutes of commercials, streaming allows creators to engage with audiences through an authentic lens. Major corporations like ESPN and FOX Sports are already finding ways to blend authentic digital sports media with traditional sports media, and as the major stakeholders in the industry, the shift is showing that independent digital creators are starting to gain more control over the digital landscape. 

Though the new age of digital sports media requires money, and with that arise issues of monetization. An issue arises where misinformation and rumours devour the internet because creators are looking for clicks and views. Social media companies sell the attention and data of fans to advertisers. It is up to sports fans to understand how not to get caught up in the fake news and clickbait. Whether that's through the creation of their own content to understand media from a creator perspective, or consuming different forms of content that provide in-depth perspectives and research. As well as creators and fans, to push for regulations and community standards that hold perpetrators accountable. 

Perpetrators need to be held accountable because there continues to be racist, homophobic, and abusive commentary that is directed at athletes and creators. According to The Athletic, Manchester United flagged 2.6 million posts that fit under that category across their social media channels in 2023. Social media companies are now faced with addressing these issues, especially as major industries like sports begin shifting their content to these platforms. Otherwise, people will continue to capitalize on that opportunity at the expense of creators and athletes. 

Why athletes are more invested in digital sports media than ever before

For athletes, it’s just as important to have a say in the commentary about them. After many years, the mainstream media has controlled the discourse around athletes. Athletes are now just as involved in the process. Several former and current professional athletes have their own shows and podcasts. In 2024, LeBron James started the “Mind of the Game” podcast. The biggest NBA star’s investment in creating content during the off-season shows just how much the space has changed. Several other former and current professional athletes have done the same, continuing the movement towards a sports world where the authentic perspective of athletes and creators is shining through. 

“I don't have that type of personality where I need to mince my words for the truth. I just tell the truth, then at the same time, I feel like, as humans, there's always going to be bias,” Chantel said. 

More creators are delving into that biased facet of digital content creation and allowing their personalities to shine through their fandom. Which in turn creates even more niche content that helps resonate with more specific audiences. Communities are then formed, and fans not only have a place to go, but they also have a space where they can be just as involved in the discourse. The space is available for everyone to be involved. 

“Just do it and don't think about it too much. The biggest block for creators is thinking things have to be perfect, and you perfect things along the way, but the first step is you have to do it,” Chantel said. 

For growing leagues like the WNBA, independent content creators taking the leap into digital media are paying dividends and contributing to the surge in popularity. At the same time, it works as a gateway to advocate for athletes and fans. In a space that felt controlled by three or four companies for the longest time, now there is an opportunity to have a real voice. 

"It's important to me because I was a player, and I wish that there was this type of coverage to educate me on the game. And as athletes continue to become better athletes, they need this type of notoriety, and women need their fair share, and they need to be earning millions of dollars for basketball contracts just like the men are,” Chantel said. 

Covering smaller leagues like the WNBA proves valuable for those younger generations of athletes who aspire to be professionals one day. As younger athletes are beginning to dominate on the court, they are also the generation that will grow up in this new digital age. 

“I have a sense of duty at this point to keep it going for the younger generations, like just the kids, just the younger ones that are coming up now, like Malaysia Fulwiley, JuJu Watkins, Olivia Miles, the ones that are about to be pros, It’s important for them to have their stories told,” Chantel said. 

Looking towards the future, athletes, fans, and creators are more connected than ever before. It provides a perspective on how far the passion of fans and athletes has taken the digital sports world and how far it can extend into the next generation. Independent creators have a significant impact on the sports world, and with that comes the responsibility of fighting for justice and fairness in the prism of sports.