According to Front Office Sports, ESPN is attempting to appeal to Gen Z by supporting a new network of content producers with its social media clout. The Worldwide Leader in Sports is introducing the ESPN Creator Network, a program that will provide up-and-coming content creators exclusive access to ESPN’s sports franchises as well as the company’s substantial resources.
The ESPN Creator Network will launch in October and will initially last for roughly four months. Omar Raja, a talent and social strategist, will be the chief ambassador for ESPN and will choose 10 creators. The program’s primary focus will be TikTok. It was the most popular app of 2021, and ESPN has a significant presence there.
For the ESPN Creator Network, the company is collaborating with social-driven entertainment company Blue Hour Studios. In exchange for their participation, creators in the program will receive access, equipment, travel expenses, tickets, and educational opportunities. The Walt Disney Company, the parent company of ESPN, has done something similar before. The company’s parks sector debuted a comparable initiative in 2021 under the name Disney Creators Lab.
Rox and Ken discuss if they think the program will be a success and if it should be adopted by American soccer leagues.
