Sports Media Report
Men’s sports were built on consistent, premium, marketed storytelling. Allez! Sports is unlocking that same white space for women’s sports, driving ecosystem scale and building a first-of-its-kind, market leading, revenue generating new era sports media company built on the backbone of YouTube. It officially launches this week and we caught up with co-founder Allyson Davis to get the lowdown. Follow along here allezsports.com
We are living in a TikTok world of stories here and gone, why do you think there is a need for longer form storytelling?
Short form is fast and forgettable. It’s powerful for discovery, but disposable. The opportunity today is in flexible long form storytelling across multiple formats, content that creates emotional connection and turns curiosity into loyalty.
Who is the audience you think this will resonate with?
- Psychographic. Full spectrum of fans of women’s sports
- 18-54+
- Women have benefited from Title IX so there is deep resonance and skin in the game
- Girl Dads
Nielsen 2023: Nearly 40% of global sports fans want more non-live content tied to sports events — meaning behind-the-game stories, previews, analysis, and narrative content — not just live games. What I found interesting in this study is that the number rises to 44% among ages 16-29, a key demographic for long-form formats such as docuseries and feature storytelling. People think these younger people just want social content and it’s simply not true.
What’s an example of a story that you need to tell that you have already found?
There isn’t just one, that’s the point. There are hundreds of compelling, inspirational, highly engaging stories via multiple formats that should be told – that people are asking for! – that will drive ROI for the entire women’s sports ecosystem. These help fans learn about the players, the rivalries, the dynasties that are rising, and so much more. People want to know who the players are, who the coaches are, who the commissioners are, the entrepreneurs, and so forth. They want to know about their journeys, what drives them, etc. They want to be entertained. This is what draws the myriad spectrum of fans (and budding young athletes) into following the players, the teams, the leagues. This is when sport becomes entertainment.
Do you think this will resonate with brands?
Any brand that wants to be relevant, part of culture, bring in new consumers, extend the life of a customer, knows the power of the women’s sports fan. And if they don’t they’re sleeping at the wheel. What’s missing are consistent assets that allow them to show up credibly and stay engaged in the space. I’ve been told by agencies that represent brands, that not only are brands showing up for women’s sports now, some are even devoting 100% of their marketing budget to women’s sports!
What does success look like for the platform in a year…five years?
Year one we will see consistent engagement, meaningful hours consumed, and early brand participation. Viewers don’t just find a show, they come to Allez! Sports intentionally. That’s when a new media habit starts to form.
By year five, we will see category ownership: a scaled audience, deep engagement, diversified brands, Allez! Sports recognized for premium sports storytelling. At that point, we are not competing show by show. We are competing channel by channel.People are tired of programming their lives. What’s missing are clear destination channels built for today’s audiences.
Longer formats are rarely being greenlit based on great, original, all-access storytelling or on what a platform truly believes its fans want. Instead, content lives inside massive platforms that hold everything, that don’t see storytelling as a priority/as a revenue driver, and that provide little guidance for the viewer.
When you go to Netflix, there is no channel organization like there used to be. Audiences no longer choose between destinations like FOX Sports, ESPN, FX, or E!. They choose a platform and are left to figure out what to watch on their own.
That creates a frustrating experience. Viewers don’t know what show is where, and the average household now spends nearly 20 minutes per day just deciding what to watch. Audiences don’t want more content. They crave curated, destination experiences that are easy to navigate and built around what they care about.
Underserved categories like women’s sports storytelling benefit from being a clear destination in a crowded ecosystem — reducing discovery friction and increasing time spent immersed in the story. This is why we launched the first women’s sports storytelling hub, with Allez! Sports.
The attention for high level athletes who generate impressions is so difficult to catch. Is this more quality vs quantity?
I’m obsessed with quality over quantity. All impressions are not created equal. High value viewers, when truly engaged and given the right community and platform, bring others with them and help build and grow something sustainable. Anyone can buy an impression. But if it’s not the right one, what does it matter? Quality, relevance and marketability constitute the bedrock of our company.
I thought you would find the below comments interesting from a recent LinkedIn post by Laura Correnti/Deep Blue regarding the record attendance at the latest PWHL Takeover Tour:
The Monetization Ceiling: Sponsors want to be part of a culture. When leagues lack 24/7 storytelling, they miss out on the “flywheel effect” and earned media potential. Major miss for the media rights holders who pull up at media rights. Invest in storytelling!
Bottom line: women’s sports needs more conversation. It’s time for the media ecosystem to provide the infrastructure to match the demand. Money & growth are being left on the table.
