The Business of YouTube

A weekly strategic lens for senior leaders into how YouTube is reshaping the business of technology, sports, music, entertainment, and culture.

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To your favourite newsletter, The Business of YouTube, brought to you by Paola Marinone and Bengü Atamer, founders of BuzzMyVideos and previously at YouTube and Google. We are bringing our exclusive insights from 20 years of experience leading strategy at YouTube and Google.

The Creator Coup: 27 Million Views vs. The Status Quo: The Economics of YouTube’s New Pro Tour

Hey everyone, it’s Bengu & Paola here. It’s been a wild week in the golf world, and for once, the headlines aren't about merger delays or LIV’s latest signing.

Grant Horvat and the Bryan brothers just stopped asking for a seat at the table and decided to build their own dining room.

The announcement of Your Golf Tour (YGT), a $1 million creator-led league, is a massive signal that the "influencer" era of golf is officially pivoting into a "rights holder" era.

The Statement: YGT “Your Golf Tour” is the "Third Way"

For years, the PGA Tour and LIV have tried to "court" the YouTube audience. The PGA launched the Creator Classic; LIV formed a "Creator Council." But there was always a ceiling.

The Data Reality:

• Engagement vs. Reach: Last summer’s Internet Invitational (a precursor to this) pulled 27 million views across six episodes. For context, the 2025 Masters final round averaged around 12.7 million.

• Demographic Shift: While traditional TV golf skews 50+, the YGT audience is firmly in the 18–34 bracket; the "unreachables" for most legacy broadcasters.

• IP Ownership: This is about retaining 100% of the digital rights. These creators realize their individual libraries are more valuable than a one-off check from a legacy tour.

Traditional sports models are built on exclusivity. YouTube golf is built on access.

YGT is betting that fans care more about the "process" and the personality than the prestige of a 100-year-old trophy.

1. NO "Gatekeeper" Model

The Bryan brothers and Horvat aren't "waiting" for a TV deal. They are the network.

By partnering with Wynn Las Vegas for a $1M finale, they’ve proven that high-end sponsors are ready to bypass traditional ad buys to go directly to the source.

2. MAIN Character Economy: Personality Over Performance (Mostly)

Traditional sports prioritize the "best" players.

YGT prioritizes the "most relatable" players who can also play at a high level.

They’ve cracked the code on Parasocial ROI: fans are watching people they feel they know and they feel they can relate to!

Actionable Takeaways for CEOs and Digital Leaders

• Audit Your IP Constraints: If you are a rights holder (league or club), ask yourself: Are our restrictive media policies driving our biggest stars to build elsewhere? 

  If your athletes/players can't create "behind the scenes" content because of broadcast blackouts, you are losing the next generation of fans.

• Invest in "Builder" Partnerships, Not Just "Influencer" Ads: Don't just pay a creator to wear your logo.

  Look at how Wynn Golf partnered with YGT to become the "permanent home" of the finale. This is a platform play, not a marketing spend.

• Gamify the Boring Bits: YGT succeeds because it ignores the 72-hole stroke play "monotony."

  Digital leaders should look at how to break their sports products into "challenge" formats or high-stakes mini-seasons that fit the 20-minute YouTube viewing window.

• The "Creator-to-Owner" Pivot: We are entering an era where creators will own the teams and the leagues.

  If you’re a sports club, consider a "Creator-in-Residence" model where the creator has a genuine equity stake in the team’s digital growth, rather than just a fee-for-service contract.

The YGT is simply proving that in 2026, you don't need a legacy invite to build a multi-million dollar sports empire. You just need a camera, a high-speed connection, and the guts to own your own masters. But more importantly, you need to build and own THE AUDIENCE

Have you missed our Sport Masterclass?
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The Business of YouTube - Job Board 📈

We have curated what is open and available in the market, and who is hiring!

Happy job hunting!

Europe

YouTube Channel Manager - Social at Manchester United (Manchester)

Creative Director at Jungle Creations (Maternity Cover - London)

Head of Video at Tottenham Hotspur FC (London)

Product Activation Manager - Partner Sales at YouTube (London)

𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿 (𝗺/𝘄/𝗱) 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝘂𝗯 at DFL Bundesliga (𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗲)

Director of Content Coordination at IOC (Madrid)

Executive Assistant to the CEO at Albachiara (Como - hybrid)

NORTH AMERICA

Senior Coordinator, Content Marketing at MLS (New York)

Senior Content Production Manager at FIFA (Miami)

Creator Acquisition Manager at Suno (Los Angeles)

If you have a senior YouTube/Video/Social Media/Content opening, and you want us to add it to our Job Board, please write to us at [email protected] or [email protected].

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