Live Sports
for Leagues
CSN reaches the 18-34 audience your TV deal cannot. Creator-distributed live broadcasting that runs alongside existing rights structures, unlocks incremental revenue, and extends the franchise into the audience that drives long-term growth.
The audience problem leagues are facing
Sports rights deals are being negotiated against an audience that is structurally aging. Median age for major US sports TV broadcasts now sits above 55. The 18-34 audience that powers long-term franchise loyalty has migrated to creator platforms - YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch - and they are watching live sport there, not on cable. Existing TV partners cannot reach them at scale.
The risk for leagues is not next year's rights cycle. It is the cycle after that, when the next CMO running a media plan asks why they should pay for an audience that no longer exists. CSN is the structural answer: distribute the live broadcast through the channels the next-cycle audience already uses, without disturbing the deal that pays the bills today.
How a CSN deal works
CSN licenses live rights from the league or rights holder, then activates a curated network of trusted creators to broadcast the same live event simultaneously across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch. Each creator hosts the broadcast for their own community, in their own voice. CSN handles the production stack, the brand integration, and the unified measurement across the full network.
Most league deals are structured as Keyhole Rights - narrowly scoped to a specific audience or moment that the existing TV deal does not reach. The TV partner keeps everything they already own. CSN unlocks the audience the TV partner could never serve.
What it unlocks for the league
- Reach the 18-34 audience that drives long-term franchise health, on the channels they actually use.
- Incremental rights revenue from a market segment the existing TV deal does not monetize.
- Brand demand from advertisers actively trying to reach the same demo, channeled into your live moments.
- Audience data from the creator distribution layer, which gives the league a view into the next-generation fan that broadcast viewership no longer provides.
- Optionality at the next rights cycle, because you'll have proof the audience is reachable and monetizable through this channel.
Past partners
CSN has worked with rights and partners across soccer, basketball, combat sports, motorsport, and emerging properties. The current and past list includes Bundesliga, Formula E, Liverpool FC, ONE Championship, Tottenham Hotspur, BIG3, FPF Taca de Portugal, Brasileirao Serie A, Savannah Bananas, Inter Milan, USA Basketball, Mountain West, and PRCA ProRodeo.
How to test a CSN deal
Most league relationships with CSN start with a single live event or a short pilot window before scaling. This lets the league validate audience reach, brand integration revenue, and operational fit on a contained scope. The pilot answers three questions:
- How big is the incremental audience? Measured against the live event, by demo, by platform.
- How does brand demand respond? Sponsorship sold against the activation tells you what the inventory is worth.
- Does it disturb the existing TV deal? Almost always no, especially under Keyhole Rights structure.
Common questions from leagues
Does CSN compete with our broadcast partner?
No, when structured correctly. Keyhole Rights are designed specifically to operate alongside existing broadcast deals by scoping CSN's distribution to audiences and moments the TV partner does not serve. We've structured deals around all major broadcast partners.
Can creators broadcast the live signal verbatim or are they re-broadcasting?
Each broadcast is a fully cleared live distribution. Creators host the live signal on their own channels with CSN-provided overlay graphics and brand integration. The legal structure is licensed, not derivative.
What happens to highlights and clips?
CSN coordinates with the league's existing highlight and clip distribution model. The live broadcast distribution sits separately from short-form rights, which is generally where existing TV deals retain control.
How do we know which creators are in the network?
The CSN creator network is curated and disclosed per event. Leagues see and approve the creator slate before any live event runs.
What is the typical lead time for a pilot?
4-8 weeks from agreement to live event for a fully scoped pilot. Faster turnarounds are sometimes possible against existing rights structures and existing creator relationships.
How do we get started?
Email mc@creatorsports.net or use the contact form on creatorsports.net. We'll scope a pilot against an upcoming live event that fits the property and the rights structure.