The NBA’s contract with YouTuber Kenny Beecham could be a new blueprint for sports leagues

The financial agreement was not disclosed, but the partnership underscores how legacy sports leagues, long built on TV and radio, are increasingly using creator-native formats to reach more fans in more places, and how creators can work with leagues rather than being targeted by them for distribution and branding rights issues.

“Audiences are moving to digital platforms,” said Cameron Ajdari, CEO and co-founder of creator agency Currents. “They’re watching game recaps on TikTok… A generation ago you would get highlights and recaps of sports games in newspapers, then the radio, then ESPN, now you’re doing that on digital platforms.”

Jon Crowley, partner and head of strategy at advertising agency FUSE Create, thinks this is a way for the NBA to leverage social media personalities outside of its players — especially if those players aren’t available or are unaffordable.

It’s also a way for the league to control the narrative beyond broadcast television and radio, and Beecham offers an angle that tends to be more positive than other basketball commentators.

Cody and Cole Hock, brothers and co-founders (along with Beecham) of the Enjoy Basketball media and lifestyle company, who are also involved in the partnership, told Digiday that they’ve worked alongside the NBA for years now, but the league has become more invested in the last few months — a shift that coincides with the playoffs, though neither Enjoy nor NBA would confirm that this was the driver.

That partnership gives Beecham special access to NBA footage and production resources, and the ability to go behind-the-scenes at big events, all of which adds a layer of professionalism and exclusivity to his content.

In the last few months alone Beecham has inked deals with NBC Sports to bring his basketball podcasts to streaming channels, launched a podcast on Sirius XM, and produced two original series with the Charlotte Hornets and the National Basketball Players Association.

Cody Hock told Digiday that Beecham meets weekly with the league, though he has “creative freedom” when it comes to content production. “They want to lean in on what we do best: storytelling and utilizing our talent and distribution,” Hock said.

Beecham said that the NBA wants his content to continue to feel thoroughly his own, and have given him creative flexibility, offering suggestions but not demands. “That’s the biggest plus, because if the people involved understand the recipe, then I feel like the meal that you’re going to create is going to be good,” he said.

Brad Hoos, CEO of influencer marketing agency Outloud Group, said that dynamic is an important distinction to note when it comes to creator partnerships.

“The NBA understands Kenny’s value comes from his independence. The audience trusts him because he feels like a creator first and not a corporate talking head,” Hoos said. “That’s smart. The moment creator content starts feeling overly managed, audiences disengage.”

A spokesperson for the NBA directed Digiday to an already prepared statement in response to queries for this article. As for the league’s goals in working more closely with creators, the experts who spoke with Digiday suggested they’re more complex than just pure ROI.

“The obvious metrics are views, engagement, shares, and overall reach, but the bigger goal is cultural impact, audience growth, and building familiarity between certain personalities and the leagues,” said Max Litke, director of talent partnerships at Millennial Entertainment.