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 New Game Plan: What YouTube's First NFL Broadcast Tells Us About the Future of Sports Media

The world of sports broadcasting is in constant flux, and a recent event truly highlighted where things are heading: YouTube's inaugural exclusive NFL game.

On September 5, 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs faced the Los Angeles Chargers, not on a traditional network, but streaming live and free on YouTube.

This wasn't just another game; it was a major play in the ongoing transformation of how we consume sports.

What Does This Mean for Sports Media?

For sports organizations and media companies, it's a clear signal:

• Massive Reach: The broadcast drew a global average-minute-audience (AMA) of over 17.3 million viewers. To put that in perspective, 16.2 million were in the U.S. alone, with another 1.1 million tuning in internationally. This demonstrates YouTube's undeniable power to attract a colossal audience for a live event.

• The Power of Free: Unlike many new streaming sports deals that require a subscription (think Peacock or Amazon Prime Video), YouTube's offering was completely free. This strategic decision was key to its broad appeal, allowing it to reach a much wider and potentially younger demographic. It's a reminder that sometimes, accessibility trumps exclusivity.

• Beyond the Broadcast: The Creator Economy Meets Live Sports: This wasn't just a re-airing of a traditional TV broadcast. YouTube leveraged its unique ecosystem by integrating its vast creator community. Exclusive content from digital stars like MrBeast, Haley Kalil, and Marques Brownlee, alongside bespoke pre- and post-game shows, created an experience tailored for a digital-native audience. This hybrid model offers the NFL a fresh way to engage fans and create immersive content that traditional linear TV simply can't replicate.

The Chiefs vs. Chargers game on YouTube was more than just a football match; it was a blueprint for the future of sports broadcasting.

Expect to see more of these strategic plays as leagues and media companies continue to adapt to a rapidly changing digital world. Want to discuss how to shape your strategy, talk to us.

Also, here’s a quick look back at the most-read issues:

📈 Top Reads:

1. The Champions of YouTube: Liverpool FC

2. Want to become the YouTube MVP? Steal this strategy

3. 174M Views in just 30 days... find out how Wimbledon Tennis ace YouTube 🤔 | A Breakdown

4. YouTube secrets from La Liga | A breakdown

If you missed any, they’re worth a revisit.

_{Let’s dive into an episode from The Football Biz Formula, our chat with Scott Debson, Managing Director at Men in Blazers Media Network, where we discuss the US & European opportunities when it comes to the world of Football.}

✅ YouTube Expands Multi-Language Audio Feature to More Creators

• Global Reach: Channels can now connect with international audiences by providing audio in multiple languages, breaking down language barriers and expanding their viewership.

• Improved User Experience: Viewers can watch content in their native language, which improves comprehension and makes videos more accessible to a wider range of people.

• Simplified YouTube Channel Workflow: Channels no longer need to manage separate channels for different languages, allowing them to consolidate their audience and analytics in one place.