The NFL is attracting more viewers thanks to the support of YouTube stars, the league claims.

• In 2022, YouTube TV had 5 million subscribers. However, after securing the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket for $2 billion per year, the platform's subscriber count increased to more than 8 million in 2023.
• The NFL boosted engagement among millions of users by recruiting some of YouTube's top content creators to advertise NFL Sunday Ticket, according to the league.
• The football season is being elevated by the "helmets off strategy" approach, which aims to broaden the scope of content.

The NFL has played a crucial role in increasing YouTube's subscriber base, with content creators playing a significant part in that effort.

YouTube TV's subscriber count increased from 5 million in 2022 to over 8 million in 2023, thanks to the league's $2 billion annual commitment to secure NFL Sunday Ticket rights. The promotion of NFL Sunday Ticket by YouTube's top creators helped boost engagement among tens of millions of users, the league stated.

Christian Oestlien, YouTube TV's vice president of product management, stated that combining people's favorite creators with traditional TV elements around professional sports and the NFL would allow us to reach a new generation of fans.

The monthly cost of YouTube TV is $73, and there is an additional annual fee of $349 for NFL Sunday Ticket access.

YouTube TV recruited well-known YouTube personalities, including lifestyle, vlog, and sports content creators, to draw in new viewers to the NFL. During the first season of the partnership, these creators attended NFL games and produced content, while also collaborating with advertisers to increase engagement.

The NFL promoted creators on the sidelines through various YouTube shows, including "Creator of the Week," which featured creators such as Sean Evans and Ninja.

The football season is being elevated by the "helmets off strategy" approach, which aims to broaden the scope of content.

Ian Trombetta, NFL senior vice president of social, influencer and content marketing, stated that the new approach is a way to expand the organization's messaging and promote the lifestyle associated with football. He emphasized that the number of new fans is not limited to the US but is global.

In December, Nielsen reported that YouTube accounted for 8.5% of total TV watch time, surpassing other prominent streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+.

Despite a decline in overall YouTube viewership last year, Nielsen reports that YouTube TV experienced significant growth in live TV streaming last quarter, thanks to its offering of Sunday Ticket.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of YouTube parent Alphabet, stated during an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box" that NFL Sunday Ticket is a valuable partnership with valuable content that has been great so far. However, they will have a disciplined ROI framework to ensure a positive return on investment.

Drawing new, younger fans

The NFL has had a significant partnership with sports creator Donald De La Haye, also known as Deestroying, who has over 12 million followers across various platforms. Recently, De La Haye signed with the United Football League to play for the San Antonio Brahmas.

The game is attracting new fans due to its amazingness, as stated by De La Haye.

Pierson Wodzynski, a lifestyle creator with 24 million followers, discovered her niche on YouTube by filming her trip to a San Francisco 49ers game using various modes of transportation. The video received 1.4 million views.

During the Super Bowl, a YouTube TV ad featuring De La Haye, Wodzynski, and Evans will be shown.

The creator partnerships have been helpful in capturing a younger demographic.

According to Rogers, the NFL's ratings surge this season could not have been achieved without younger audiences tuning in. Since it is challenging to reach younger audiences through TV advertising due to their lower viewing habits, Rogers believes that the league's use of influencers played a crucial role in boosting ratings.

They’ve also increased NFL content from off the field.

This season, influencers like Alix Earle and Kristin Juszczyk, who are in relationships with NFL players, went viral by sharing their game-day experiences. Juszczyk also gained recognition for her custom game-day outfits, which were worn by Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

This season, Travis Kelce's relationship with Swift became a viral topic on social media.

Travis Kelce and his brother Jason, a center for the Philadelphia Eagles, have a popular podcast called New Heights, which has over 670 million views on YouTube.

This season, the NFL's global head of brand marketing, Angela Courtin, revealed that the strategy with content creators was to include a diverse audience in every aspect of the NFL experience.

These creators are at least as good as any other channel I would consider using in my immediate plan," Courtin stated. "They surpassed our ROI benchmarks so significantly that we will be increasing their budget next season.