Sports are huge on social media. The biggest official YouTube channels, including those of the English Premier League in soccer and the NBA in basketball, have between 9 and 24 million subscribers on YouTube alone. LeBron James has 51.8 followers on X; Novak Djokovic has 17 million on Instagram; Lionel Messi has 117 million Facebook, and so on. But what can other industries learn from sports companies and sports stars?
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Treat Followers like The Real Humans They Are
Some stars are slightly more reserved and seem to have earned their huge followings mainly through their presence on the pitch, field, or court. Messi, for example, does not tend to reveal much. His posts contain minimal personal detail and one could imagine that his social media team is entirely responsible. But others have earned followings through being honest and open, sometimes surprisingly so. Tennis’s Nick Kyrgios, despite barely playing in recent years, is hugely popular thanks to his controversial and thoroughly human takes. While being as open as Kyrgios might be too risky for many businesses, treating readers and viewers as real humans is not a bad idea.
Tailor Content: Different Content for Pros and Casual Followers
In sports betting, companies identify their more casual users and separate them from the professionals. Certain offers are aimed at more casual fans. For example, at the start of a World Cup, a sportsbook might offer a sign-up bonus. This wouldn’t appeal so much to an experienced bettor who is already a regular user of several different platforms. This translates to other industries: certain products will not be desired by regular, long-time customers; others might have a wider appeal. Social data can help inform businesses about their separate audiences. In sports, casual fans may be found more on Facebook and YouTube, while X may be used more by serious bettors and professionals.
Use Humor to Gain A Following
Sportsbooks offering odds for cricket, rugby, soccer, and other sports regularly post on X in an effort to gain a wider audience. They are not always explicitly advertising odds; in fact, often the most successful bookies will post humorously with no mention of betting and hope their posts will be widely shared. Then they will occasionally mention an offer or link to their EPL betting markets, for example. In 2026-27, Arsenal are considered favourites for the title, but some bookmakers are just as likely to post a funny image of Kai Havertz or Viktor Gyokeres as they are about Arsenal’s odds compared to Manchester City’s.
Create Videos
Videos and shortform videos are huge. Clips on tutorials, strategies and features with celebrities can provide a significant boost to a business’s following. In sports, this may be quick interviews with star players. The official leagues have, in more recent years, followed the trends that unofficial and fan channels started years previously by creating fun, lighthearted, and easy-to-consume content. The English Premier League and its clubs, for example, partner with games and companies like EA FC to ask players about their in-game player ratings. The players are quizzed about whether their pace or finishing should be higher, for example. One video with Erling Haaland has been viewed 6.8 million times on YouTube.
Be Transparent
LSports, a sports day company, says that businesses should prioritise transparency. Being helpful may lead to more customers staying loyal and forming a core. In sports betting, this could mean providing betting tips, explaining the more complicated odds and markets, and responding to questions from followers on social media. In other industries, the principle remains: if a business is responsive, helpful, and honest, their customers may be more likely to stick around.
Partner with Creators
According to Deloitte’s 2025 State of Social research, some 42% of users follow sports and recreation topics on social platforms. In Deloitte’s words, over half of brands that were “monetizing their fan base” reported that user-generated campaigns and challenges were their most successful ways of improving return on investment.
In terms of boosting viewership of live events, companies had the most success by partnering with online creators. Regarding live events specifically, 54% of brands surveyed named creator partnerships or paid social media campaigns as the most effective tactics.
Partnering with creators works across industries. In music, the popular ARIatHOME, who livestreams his improvisations while walking the streets of New York City on Twitch and YouTube, has partnered with fellow musicians (1TRAIN) and companies like Formula 1.
But businesses may wish to keep in mind that some of the most successful social media campaigns were started not by “authentic” creators but by charities and commercial giants. ALS Association started the viral ice bucket challenge, and Ford’s “Fiesta Movement” boosted its younger audience.