Sport

Why Creator Investors Are Becoming Football’s New Distribution Partners

KSI’s minority stake in Dagenham & Redbridge is the latest sign that celebrity ownership is changing how lower-league clubs grow. In this week’s issue: the rise of creator-backed football clubs, New Balance’s chess-inspired Eberechi Eze campaign, Kith and On’s cinematic running film.

Mar 10, 2026

Share this post

Roughly a week ago, YouTuber-turned-media and business entrepreneur KSI purchased a reported 20% minority stake in National League South club Dagenham & Redbridge.

It’s not the first time a celebrity has stepped into football ownership. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney famously acquired Wrexham, Tom Brady holds a minority stake in Birmingham City, Snoop Dogg has invested in Swansea City, and Natalie Portman helped launch NWSL side Angel City FC.

But KSI’s arrival adds another dimension to the trend. Increasingly, celebrity investors are becoming more distribution partners than owners.

Lower-league clubs have historically struggled with reach, often relying on local support and modest commercial deals. A creator or celebrity investor can instantly change that dynamic, injecting global audience, narrative and media value into a club that previously operated largely within its community.

Winning the World Cup Before Kick‑Off

Brands may chase the magic of a World Cup moment, but the real wins will go to marketers who design their creative and media to work together in the feed, long before the first whistle.

Sport Creativity

Michael Isaacs-Olaye

Mar 3, 2026 — 3 min read

Why the NFL Is a Masterclass in Winning New Fans

A century-old American institution is learning to win hearts in markets with no history, no marching bands and no generational loyalties – by building fandom from the ground up, one digital touchpoint at a time.

Sport Marketing

Contributor

Mar 2, 2026 — 4 min read

Love’s Weird: Why Imperfect Brands Win Deeper Affection

In a culture hooked on scroll-stopping tricks, the real competitive edge for brands isn’t understanding and playing into the algorithm, it’s about being brave enough to lean into a niche, be a bit weird, and show up unmistakably themselves.

Branding

Sam Hollis

Mar 9, 2026 — 4 min read

Why Visual Social Listening Is The Next Frontier For Brands

With an increasingly visual-first internet, brands still obsessed with text-based social listening risk missing the real signals hiding in images, videos, and the emotions they capture.

Culture

Hannah Bowler

Mar 7, 2026 — 4 min read

When AI Starts Selling, What Happens To Trust?

For many AI chatbots feel closer to confidants than simple search tools. As they start recommending products and slotting in sponsored answers, the real question isn’t only whether we trust what they’re saying, it’s whether we’re willing to pay to keep that sales pitch out of the conversation.

Marketing

Hannah Bowler

Mar 3, 2026 — 4 min read

Revenge Of Millennial Cringe: How Brands Can Grow Up With Their Fans

As Millennials’ “cringe” era loops back into cool, brands face a harder question: not how to stay young forever, but how to stay culturally legit while their fans grow up – and a new generation wants nothing to do with them.

Marketing

James Kirkham

Mar 3, 2026 — 4 min read