The Athletic is turning to sports content creators as a way to connect with younger audiences who increasingly get their sports coverage from personalities rather than traditional outlets. The strategy was on display last month at the National Sports Card Convention in Chicago, where creator Brandon Pereira, who posts as Coach Koe, was part of the effort.
Pereira's encounter with a young fan named Dominic shows why these partnerships matter. Dominic had spent his summer washing garbage cans to earn enough money to attend the convention and buy cards for his collection. The moment underscores the kind of personal, trust-based relationships that creators build with their followers—relationships that traditional sports media often struggles to replicate.
By teaming up with creators like Pereira, The Athletic appears to be betting that these authentic connections can help it break into a demographic that is harder to reach through conventional journalism. The move reflects a broader shift in sports media, where personality-driven content is increasingly competing with established newsrooms for young fans' attention.