• Loading stock data...
Sunday, June 1, 2025

Whistle Sports Looks to Long-Form Content for More Opportunities

Content might be one of the industry’s biggest buzzwords, and for good reason.

According to the 2018 Nielsen Total Audience Report, the average American adult spends over 11 hours per day consuming some sort of media.

Born out of this content frenzy are companies like Whistle Sports, which has been able to capitalize on the desire for higher-quality content on feeds of both creators and brands.

Having now raised over $100 million, Whistle Sports is taking an even deeper look at long-form content — as the willingness for platforms like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and even Facebook to pay for content has increased.

“One of the ways we are evolving as a business is through long-form content,” said John West, founder and CEO of Whistle Sports. “We are creating this content, owning it, and then licensing it to both digital and OTT platforms.”

READ MORE: Will Snapchat Still Be Useful in 2019? Sports Marketing Pros Weigh In

One of the ways the company has done this is through a new partnership with CAA. A deal four months in the making, the goal of is to leverage CAA’s ability to “up-level” the packaging surrounding its long-form content, as well as the relationships the team has with its roster of athletes. This is something that West sees as the perfect one-two punch for Whistle Sports.

“We think there is a really exciting intersection there, where we can be a media partner for a lot of top athletes and help them be relevant on social and with younger audiences while still being able to work with CAA to take our long-form content to the next level through the packaging of it.”

With over 200 OTT services already in the U.S. market alone according to Parks Associates, in West and Whistle’s mind there is an “if you build it, they will come” opportunity when it comes to high-quality, long-form content.

[mc4wp_form id=”8260″]

Seeing a consolidation of the digital media landscape ahead, West is looking to be active when it comes to acquiring companies that are complementary to the capabilities Whistle has developed over the last 10 years — chief among them being data and analytics and international growth.

“Building a great media company of today and tomorrow is a combination of great production capabilities and great insights. Much of what we do when it comes to the creation of our original content is based on what the data is telling us.”

With the struggle of some digital media companies widely covered, West is still bullish on being able to build a successful company in today’s landscape, even with algorithms shifting almost daily.

READ MORE: How The Lacrosse Network Has Become a Go-To Source for Content Surrounding the Sport

“In my opinion, there’s no better way or more influential way to reach that younger demographic than the creator with a social media presence. Their audience is not looking at billboards, watching TV, or watching pre-roll ads. They really want a story that is entertaining in the video that they’re watching. I continue to believe that’s where brand dollars will migrate.”

Whether it’s a news show on Snapchat, a long-form video sold to Netflix, or a four-part docuseries distributed via YouTube, one thing is for certain: quality never goes out of style.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.

Featured Today

Around the Horn - October 26, 2020
May 23, 2025

‘Quirky, Nutty, Bombastic’: 10 ‘Around the Horn’ Faces on Their Top Moments

“A quirky, nutty, bombastic, mostly wrong, sometimes right, crazy sports family.”
AA Mint Cards
May 18, 2025

Young Collectors Are on a High-Stakes Chase for Ultra-Rare Trading Cards

“They just want that excitement of the chase,” says a 23-year-old collector.
Donnie Gobourne JDL
May 17, 2025

U.S. Professional Softball Players Are Flocking to Japan to Get Paid

The Diamond League offers paychecks and amenities that the U.S. can’t beat.
May 30, 2025

Panthers-Oilers Rematch Could Be Big in Canada. Will U.S. Ratings Dip?

Likely viewership declines in the U.S. are countered by robust Canadian audiences.
May 30, 2025

French Open Scheduling Sparks Backlash Over Women’s Time Slots

Coco Gauff has also said the French Open schedule could be improved.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
May 28, 2025

NBA East Finals Delivers Strong TV Ratings, but West Is Struggling

The Pacers and Thunder are both up 3–1 in their conference finals series.
Around the Horn
May 23, 2025

Behind the Scenes of Around the Horn’s Final Days

FOS followed Tony Reali at the penultimate taping of the ESPN icon.
May 22, 2025

NBC Eyes MLB Rights, Looks to Own Sunday Nights Year-Round

The league continues to shop media rights being forfeited by ESPN.
May 21, 2025

Paige Bueckers’s WNBA Debut Delivers 121% Ratings Bump on Ion

Friday’s doubleheader averaged 612,000 viewers.