Next in Media – "How the NFL Dominates the Creator Economy"

Guest: Ian Trombetta, SVP Social Influencer and Content Marketing, NFL
Host: Mike Shields
Date: January 20, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features Ian Trombetta, the NFL’s SVP of Social Influencer and Content Marketing, discussing how the league has strategically embraced the creator economy. The conversation covers the NFL’s approach to partnering with creators, engaging new and global fans, protecting its powerful brand, lessons from major collaboration initiatives, and what’s next for sports and media amid the rise of technology and AI. Ian also shares insights from his prior roles at Red Bull and Activision and reflects on the complexities and innovations required in the evolving landscape of sports marketing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The NFL’s Evolving Approach to Social and Influencer Marketing

• Managing Global Channels and Content Team:

  • Ian leads all league social channels globally, including NFL accounts, NFL Network, and local channels in markets like Brazil and the UK. His remit now includes a growing influencer marketing team, player marketing, and club marketing groups.
  • “We also have within that a player group, a club marketing group and a variety of others that fit within, within that, that department…content creation on the advertising front…and a pretty scaled up content team out in LA.” (02:03–02:51)

• Creator Collaboration as a Strategic Priority:

  • Despite strong TV ratings, the NFL actively invests in the creator economy to connect with the next generation of fans, especially casual and international ones.
  • Creators help showcase non-sports sides of the league—fashion, gaming, lifestyle—driving engagement among youth and new global audiences.
  • “Creators are a great way to engage fans, especially those…more casual…who aren’t watching games on Sunday…It’s a great entry point for them.” (03:23–03:50)

2. Finding and Nurturing the Right Creators

• Identification and Early Partnership:

  • The NFL scouts emerging creators, aiming to build long-term relationships rather than one-off campaigns.
  • Example: The league’s early collaboration with streamer Kai Cenat before he hit mainstream fame.
  • "Our strategy has always been to get in as early as possible because…we can…showcase a ton of value for them…It’s that media exchange that we’re talking about.” (06:32–07:06)

• What Makes a Creator Right for the NFL:

  • Momentum, cultural relevance, and authentic connection with youth and sports culture are key, rather than just metrics or mainstream fame.
  • Example: Bringing rising creator Sketch to the NFL draft generated higher engagement than some drafted players.
  • “He outperformed any of the players who were drafted right at the draft.” (09:26–09:34)

3. How the NFL Integrates Creators

• Moving Beyond Simple Promotions:

  • Partnerships go far beyond “watch the game at 1pm” posts; creators are integrated across the NFL’s calendar for content, community engagement, and cause marketing.
  • Involvement spans everything from Super Bowl activations and NFL Shop product promotions to NFL-inspired cooking competitions and fashion shows.
  • “They’re really cutting through just about everything that we’re doing now in a great way, which is all going back to…reach…engagement and awareness.” (11:08–11:17)

• Brand Safety and Control:

  • Protecting the NFL brand is paramount. The league uses advanced listening and digital security tools—even monitoring the dark web—to manage risks with unpredictable live content.
  • “That’s a pretty robust set of tools and security teams that we have…looking at just all the different kind of conversation…not only happening…at the front door of the Internet, but also on the dark web.” (13:55–14:07)
  • Livestreams are flagged as moments of heightened risk for creators to go off-message.

4. Metrics, Challenges, and Industry Evolution

• Desire for Better Measurement:

  • The influencer space lacks standard metrics and transparency, especially regarding creator-owned data and ROI.
  • “I hope that there’s a more…general way for the industry to evaluate performance. I think that would be really helpful…It’s still sporadic to say the least.” (12:23–12:34)

• High-Touch Execution:

  • Unlike traditional TV ad buys, creator collaborations are resource-intensive and often require custom approaches.

• AI and Content Overload:

  • AI is reshaping content at a dizzying pace; the proliferation of content poses discoverability and effectiveness challenges.
  • “The AI dance is one that we’re always…Trying to stay kind of at the front of the line on that…The platforms are getting flooded now with more and more content. So how do you cut through that?” (29:38–30:16)

5. Highlights from the YouTube NFL Broadcast in Brazil

• Record-Breaking Engagement:

  • Simultaneous traditional and creator-driven alternative streams for the NFL’s first YouTube broadcast led to all-time streaming and social media records.
  • “We set the all-time streaming record for YouTube…well north of 17 million people watch live on that Friday night.” (18:36–18:41)

• Experimentation and Learnings:

  • NFL tried new formats, bringing creators like Ishowspeed into the live broadcast experience.
  • Plans to further personalize creator integrations and fine-tune promotional strategies for future international streams.
  • “There’ll be more opportunities…I think, to create more bespoke opportunities for creators. But being really, really targeted…and how we get those audiences…” (18:57–19:16)

6. Player Marketing & Players as Creators

• Expanding Player Brand Platforms:

  • NFL is increasing support for player social brands, tapping into fans’ curiosity about players’ lives, personalities, and causes.
  • “We have such a great opportunity from a league perspective to probably do more for our players than some of the other leagues…We only have 17 games…the guys are wearing helmets and they’re a little less recognizable.” (20:49–21:10)

• Notable Players Highlighted:

  • Jason Kelce (family/lifestyle content), Pat McAfee (media personality), Andrew Whitworth and Cam Heyward (community involvement) as examples of diverse player-driven narratives drawing in fans.
  • “Today it’s much more democratized…some of our most famous players today are not quarterbacks…That’s a really good thing for us.” (21:13–21:33)

7. Lessons from Red Bull, Activision, and Gaming

• Red Bull:

  • Mastery in athlete-driven storytelling turned niche athletes into mainstream personalities through serial digital content.
  • “There’s all kinds of opportunity with storytelling around interesting people who are doing fascinating things…and also weave in the product in a really interesting way.” (23:14–24:20)

• Activision:

  • “There’s such a premium on community…That’s really going to make or break the success…We paid a lot of attention on serving those communities, especially online…” (24:33–25:02)

• Game Worlds (Roblox, Fortnite, Metaverse):

  • Brand integration in gaming is challenging and requires long-term investment, not one-off appearances.
  • “The main thing…I think any brand sort of underestimates within gaming is the…quality bar is so high…You’ve got to have a full-on business wrapped around that.” (25:47–26:15)

8. Super Bowl 2026 and the Creator Explosion

• A Massive Creator Rollout:
  • Plans for 150+ creators on-site, with integrations spanning EA collaborations, YouTube, influencers for NFL Honors, music, fashion, and cause programming.
  • “We definitely plan on having more creators on site, activating with us than, than ever…So many different partners are going to be activating either directly with us or indirectly with creators and influencers.” (28:02–28:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Brand–Creator Fit:

  • “Our secret sauce has really been all about creating long term relationships with these creators and…working with them at the very early stages of their growth.” – Ian Trombetta (05:42–06:23)

• On Live Streaming:

  • “Just imagine that every single day for hours with, with a ton of people…it’s a hell of a way to make a living.” – Ian Trombetta (14:35–14:43)

• On Brand Safety:

  • “That’s a pretty robust set of tools and security teams…looking at just all the different kind of conversation…also on the dark web.” – Ian Trombetta (13:55–14:07)

• On Industry Change:

  • “If anybody tells you they know where [AI in content] is going, it seems to be changing every day. I need to meet that person.” – Ian Trombetta (29:39–29:45)

• On Player Storytelling:

  • “There’s all kinds of opportunity with storytelling around interesting people who are doing fascinating things…” – Ian Trombetta (23:14–23:16)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:35 – Ian Trombetta’s NFL remit and team structure
• 03:23 – Why creators matter, even for the NFL
• 05:32 – How the NFL finds, vets, and nurtures creators
• 09:26 – Sketch at the NFL Draft: creators’ impact
• 10:27 – The NFL’s multi-pronged approach to creator collaboration
• 11:37 – League-wide buy-in and the “heartbeat” of creators
• 12:23 – Measurement and industry challenges
• 13:31 – Brand safety and digital risk management
• 17:28 – Inside the YouTube/NFL Brazil broadcast
• 20:42 – NFL players as emerging creators and personalities
• 23:14 – Lessons from Red Bull and Activision
• 25:47 – How gaming and the metaverse challenge brands
• 28:02 – Super Bowl 2026: creator and partner activations
• 29:38 – AI, content proliferation, and future challenges

Tone & Style

Ian’s commentary is conversational, enthusiastic, and often candid—emphasizing both the massive opportunity and day-to-day realities behind the NFL’s creator partnerships. The discussion is optimistic but clear-eyed about complexity, with a consistent focus on authenticity, community, and innovation. Mike Shields brings an appreciative, slightly wry perspective, keeping the conversation accessible and practical.

This summary offers a comprehensive yet engaging guide to the conversation, with structured insights and actionable takeaways for anyone interested in the future of sports, creators, and marketing at global scale.