Sports

How to Market FAST Sports Content to New Audiences

Published

6 months ago

June 25, 2025

Whether it’s a lesser-known niche sport or a new FAST channel at risk of getting lost in a saturated market, getting attention is an uphill climb for FAST content providers trying to make a splash with sports, as HRM International Media’s Robert Muzac and Swerve Sports’ Christy Tanner affirm to moderator Michael Nagle in this clip from May’s Streaming Media Connect. They suggest some sound content and marketing strategies for reaching new viewers and getting them to engage.

Make the Story About the People

Ashling Digital Founder and CEO Michael Nagle posits that streaming opens the door to feeling a sense of relatability with sports figures. “Not all sports have their Michael Jordan or their Caitlin Clark or their [Wayne] Gretzky or Aaron Judge,” says self-proclaimed Yankees fan Nagle. “How does that relatability bring an audience in that might otherwise find another … way to find out about the sport or about the players in it, Rob?”

HRM International Media Director of Operations Robert Muzac answers that he focuses on human-interest stories. With his show Lacrosse Legends, he offers two types of programs: clips from recent games, which are designed for younger audiences looking for short-form content, and clips from older games, which are designed for viewers who want historical context. “[T]he older-audience guys like me in their twenties and thirties, they want to know what happened back in the eighties and the nineties. So, you relate the human interest with the current events [and what was] happening back then, and then we just sprinkle [lacrosse] on top of it all, but you make the story about them, and that’s what’s relatable. That’s what people like,” he explains.

Muzac provides the example of a Lacross Legends story on James Ford, when he brought out a box of memorabilia from his attic to share with viewers. “He had won so many championships, so many accolades. You would’ve never have known it, but everyone could relate to [squirreling things away] because we’ve all done that. I’ve got boxes right here,” Muzac jokes. He notes that many people don’t know what lacrosse is—when he’s carried lacrosse equipment, he’s had people ask him if he’s cleaning a pool or going fishing. “But streaming does help a lot. I have to give it that,” he says of growing awareness of the sport.

Treat Social Media as the Discovery Engine—But Do ‘360-Degree Marketing’

Nagle adds that “what it comes down to is good, old-fashioned marketing—good, old-fashioned boots-on-the-ground marketing—to drive viewership.” He turns to another panelist, Swerve Sports Chair Christy Tanner, to ask about the experiences of the independent creators she works with in steering audiences toward streaming platforms to increase viewership.

Tanner underscores the significance of social media engagement, especially for Gen Z, in discovering and promoting streaming content. “[W]e have this research study that we just did earlier this year on Gen Z media habits. And what that found—and this isn’t surprising, but the data really backed it up—is that is Gen Z discovers almost all of their media on social,” she says. For example: “How do you discover audio podcasts? On social. How do you discover video podcasts? On social. How do you discover new streaming channels? On social. How do you discover new sports? Or how do you find sports athletes to follow or new teams or et cetera, et cetera,” Tanner shares. She finds that YouTube is the number-one driver of this discovery, with Instagram coming in second and TikTok coming in third.

Athletes and teams with strong social media presences usually draw more viewership, Tanner says, acknowledging that it’s the best marketing available at this time, even though it doesn’t always work “incredibly well.” Some sports have even experienced better-attended in-person events because of streaming viewership. “So there is, I think a need for—let’s call it, I don’t know, 360 degrees of marketing—breaking through all the noise in people’s lives that you kind of have to be everywhere all the time if you want to gain attention, and there’s an expectation that you will be there too,” Tanner asserts. “So that’s our anecdotally and data-driven experience.”

No Easy Answers for Too Much Choice

As a concluding thought, Tanner shares that based on her tenure running TV Guide Digital, she “can say with 100% certainty that nobody knows what time or where anything is on ever, and they never have. And so we have multi-generation learned helplessness on that front. We just made it so easy for people to turn on a TV and find something to watch, that … they’ve never retained anything.” This predated smartphones—those go-to scapegoats for “breaking people’s brains. They’ve always been broken in the realm of what to watch.” The most-talked-about issue has been helping viewers find content. “So someone should do a deep sociological study on that,” she says. “And I also think it’s very specifically American too, because we have so much choice. We have such an abundance of great things to watch.”

Join conference chair Andy Beach and other streaming media experts in person Oct. 6–8 in Santa Monica, CA, for more thought leadership, actionable insights, and lively debate at Streaming Media 2025. Registration is open!

DIY Broadcast: How Underrepresented Sports Are Building Their Own Streaming Stacks

That’s changing. With automated cameras, cloud production platforms, and AI-driven tools now capable of delivering the full suite of broadcast workflows—from live switching and graphics to clipping, highlights, and distribution—sports that once had no way to show themselves are building their own streaming stacks. They’re not waiting to be picked up. They’re going live—and taking control.

23 Jun 2025

Accelerating FAST Revenue With Live News and Sports

The FAST space is experiencing explosive growth. Platforms no longer want channels that simply fill space. They demand content that drives engagement, ad revenue, and repeat viewership. The bar is much higher: content must be immediate, authentic, and often exclusive. That’s why the next phase of FAST will be defined by real-time, high-value live news and sports content as platforms compete to capture and keep audiences.

10 Jun 2025

Sneak Preview: FAST Break: Packaging and Selling Sports on FAST

On Wednesday, May 21, Michael Nagle of Ashling Digital, will moderate the Streaming Media Connect May panel “FAST Break: Packaging and Selling Sports on FAST” with Fubo’s Pamela Duckworth, Swerve Sports’ Christy Tanner, Sports Studio’s Cathy Rasenberger, TATA’s Tom Buffolano, and HRM’s H. Robert Muzac. The panel will explore what FAST sports channels look like, what kind of sports programming works on FAST, and how successful FAST sports channels target audiences, and how they satisfy advertisers while breaking ranks with the industry trend of sports rights exclusivity.

14 May 2025

The State of Live Sports Streaming 2025

The sports media sector continues to undergo rapid change, with streaming aggregators attempting to reconsolidate for greater efficiency but still falling short of traditional broadcast models in reach and revenue.

28 Mar 2025

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Sports

Four Husker seniors play final game for Nebraska

Published

40 seconds ago

December 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — For one last time, four Husker seniors played under the bright lights of the John Cook Arena.

Rebekah Allick, Maisie Boesiger, Taylor Landfair and Allie Sczech all stepping onto the court on Sunday to play against Texas A&M, marking their final game at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

“All of these seniors, their contribution has been amazing and it’ll be sad to see them go but an exciting end to the season for these girls,” said Husker fan, Joel Sup.

SEE ALSO: Nebraska volleyball’s season ends with loss to Texas A&M in regional finals

For many Husker fans, their presence has helped put Nebraska on the map and elevate the sport.

“They just bring so much to not just the team, but the community as well,” said Dave Sutko, owner of Spikes Beach Bar and Grille. “They’re very involved in things. They’re more than just volleyball players to a lot of us. Rebekah is the heartbeat of the team, I think everyone knows that. She’s just always so positive. It’s tough to see them go.”

One of the biggest moments fans won’t forget — the team playing in front of a sold-out 92,003-person crowd at Memorial Stadium.

A game Allick and Boesiger were a part of in 2023.

“I’ve been to a lot of games at Memorial Stadium and in my opinion, that was the most impactful sporting event I have ever attended,” said Joel Sup, a Husker fan. “As a girl dad, it was amazing to see women’s sports take the big stage, and I think it really pushed Nebraska to the forefront of what women’s sports in America can be.”

Despite the Huskers losing to the Aggies, many fans agree that one thing is clear: the future for the Huskers is bright.

“They bring so much to not just the university, but the entire state. Everybody talks about Nebraska and says ‘oh you guys have the Volleyball team!’ Yep, that’s us!”

Tags: allie sczech, bob devaney, bob devaney sports center, Husker fans, Husker Seniors, husker volleyball, Huskers, John Cook Arena, Maisie Boesiger, memorial stadium, Nebraska Volleyball, Rebekah Allick, taylor landfair, Texas A&M, Volleyball

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Wisconsin volleyball finally gets the better of Texas, advances to Final Four | Top Stories

Published

17 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

AUSTIN, Texas — For the last several years, the Texas Longhorns have been the thorn in the Wisconsin volleyball team’s side.

In 2021, the Longhorns swept the Badgers in the Final Four. In 2023, the Horns had a similarly dominant 3-1 win in another Final Four. Last year, it was a regular season sweep in Milwaukee and earlier this year it was a regular season sweep in Madison.

But finally, finally, Wisconsin cracked the code Sunday night.

The No. 3-seed Badgers bid “goodbye to Texas University” on the Longhorns’ home court, knocking off the No. 1 seed 3-1 (25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 25-19) to advance to the 2025 Final Four.

Perhaps all the Badgers needed was the consistency of their ‘Big 4,’ who have been exceeding expectations all season long.

Mimi Colyer ended the match with 23 kills on 55 attacks with just 6 errors. Una Vajagic had 15 kills and Carter Booth had 11. Their ultimate set-up woman, Charlie Fuerbringer, had 57 assists to go along with 9 digs.

The Badgers now turn their focus to No. 1-seed Kentucky, who had a dominant sweep of No. 3-seed Creighton in their quarterfinal match. That match will be played in Kansas City.

Interestingly enough, Wisconsin ends the weekend as the only Big Ten team left in the tournament. No. 1-seed Nebraska suffered a shock upset to No. 3-seed Texas A&M, as the Aggies advanced to their first Final Four in program history. They’ll take on No. 1-seed Pittsburgh.

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Hooked on a feeling: Badgers punch ticket to Kansas City

Published

33 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 3 Wisconsin volleyball team punched their ticket to the NCAA National Semifinals for the seventh time in program history, storming into Gregory Gymnasium to take down No. 1 Texas (25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 25-19) in four sets.

The Badgers and the Longhorns hooked up in a back-and-forth battle in the first set, as UW utilized a quick 4-0 burst to take a lead at 10-9. With the help of a kill from outside hitter Mimi Colyer, the Badgers enjoyed a narrow 15-14 advantage heading into the first media timeout.

Wisconsin went on to enjoy a 6-0 run to pull away from Texas in the latter half of the frame, led by the serving of freshman Kristen Simon, who tallied an ace in the process. After the Longhorns provided a response in multiple match points, Colyer put it away with a kill to push the Badgers to a set one victory at 25-22.

Set two was more of the same for UW, as the Badgers were able to create some separation with the help of back-to-back kills turned in by middle blocker Carter Booth—extending their lead to 14-10. They followed it up with a 3-0 run, highlighted by a kill apiece from right side Grace Egan and middle blocker Alicia Andrew.

Texas once again made a late push to apply the pressure on Wisconsin, but the Badgers answered back quickly to wrap up the second set with a win. It was Colyer again, as the star senior converted on another kill to give UW a 2-0 lead.

The Longhorns utilized their physical presence on the offensive end to get back into a rhythm in the third set, illustrated by a 5-0 scoring run in the middle of the frame.

Outside hitter Una Vajagic provided some momentum for the Badgers in set three, tallying five kills to keep Wisconsin within striking distance. Unfortunately for UW, it was not enough, as they fell 20-25.

Texas maintained their momentum right away in the fourth frame, jumping out to a 4-0 lead to force a Wisconsin timeout.

The Badgers proved to be resilient, winning six of seven rallies to take a 7-6 lead—concluding that stretch with an ace from Colyer. Outside hitter Trinity Shadd-Ceres made her presence felt moments later, recording a pair of kills to extend the advantage to 13-8.

Wisconsin managed to outlast Texas in lengthy rallies down the stretch, continuing to keep the Longhorns off balance on the offensive end. Vajagic and Colyer ended it with kills, securing the victory for the Badgers and etching their spot in the National Semifinals in Kansas City next week.

Colyer paced UW with 23 kills, finishing with a .309 hitting percentage. In similar fashion, Vajagic followed suit swinging at .458 (15 – 4 – 24), marking double-digit kill totals for the sixth consecutive match.

Booth was steady from the front row in a tough road atmosphere, converting on 11 kills. In the middle of it all, setter Charlie Fuerbringer dished out 57 assists and notched nine digs.

Straight from the Court

Head Coach Kelly Sheffield (on tonight’s match): “One of the hardest things to do in sports is what you have to do in volleyball. It’s awesome that we have home environments in this round, but to go on the road and grab a win from a Goliath…the talent they got over there, we knew our players were going to have to stand tall and embrace everything.”

(On how special this team is): “I’m excited to still be playing with these guys. I love this team, I love how far this team has gone. They have grown so incredibly much since the beginning of this season. I know nobody wants this thing to end.”

(on advancing to the National Semifinals): “The Final Four is just so special, it is so incredible. When you’ve been there, every fiber of your being, you want as many of your players that are committed that decide to come here, you want them to experience that. I’m so excited that they are going to be able to experience that.”

Outside Hitter Mimi Colyer (on the emotions of making it to the Final Four): “It’s been so much fun to play for this group of girls, and I think we were so energetic and we were just so courageous out there. We played such good, gritty volleyball and I’m so excited to keep playing.”

Middle Blocker Carter Booth (on embracing the crowd): “I think we walked in knowing exactly who we are and what we have practiced and what we have worked on and the talent that we have. We came in with the intention of showing people exactly who we are and who we know ourselves to be.”

Setter Charlie Fuerbringer (on Una Vajagic’s performance): “She really just led us to this point, and was clutch in huge moments. Going back to the underdog thing, there are no underdogs in this thing, everyone is giving their best volleyball.”

Notes:

With the win, Wisconsin volleyball advances to the National Semifinal for the seventh time in program history and the sixth under head coach Kelly Sheffield.

Wisconsin improves to 5-6 all-time against the Longhorns. The last win previously in Austin was back in September 18, 2016.

The Badgers improve to 74-29 all-time in the NCAA tournament.

For the second-straight match, Wisconsin wore its black jersey. The Badgers are 3-0 this season when wearing black.

The Badgers had three player with double-figure kills, led by Mimi Colyer (23), Una Vajagic (15) and Carter Booth (11).

Libero Kristen Simon had a match-high 15 digs.

Setter Charlie Fuerbringer had a match-high 57 assists. She chipped in with nine digs and three blocks.

For the 13th match this season, Colyer tallied 20 or more kills. She had a match-high 23 kills on 55 swings while hitting .309. Colyer has now recorded double-figure kills in every match but one and is currently on a 19-match streak with double-digit kills.

Up Next: The Badgers will hit the road to Kansas City to take on No. 1 Kentucky in the NCAA National Semifinals on Thursday, Dec. 18. UW last faced the Wildcats during the 2022 season, and have taken three-straight matches over Kentucky.

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Wisconsin volleyball upsets Texas to advance to the Final Four

Published

49 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Updated Dec. 14, 2025, 10:30 p.m. ET

Wisconsin went into Texas and punched its ticket to the NCAA Division I women’s volleyball Final Four on Sunday night.

The Badgers avenged an earlier loss to the Longhorns, who swept them on Aug. 31, to advance to the Final Four for the third time since 2020. Wisconsin (24-4) is a No. 3 seed and the lowest ranked team to make to the semifinals at No. 10 in the country.

Mimi Colyer led the Badgers with 23 kills and five digs. Una Vajagic added 15 kills and Carter Booth 11. The Badgers will play Kentucky (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in the national semifinals on Thursday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

“I just love this team; we fought so hard for each other,” Colyer said. “It’s so much fun to come into an environment like this and pull it off.”

USA TODAY Sports had live coverage of the match. Here’s everything you need to know to know about the action.

SCORE: Wisconsin 3, Texas 1

Set 4 final: Wisconsin 25, Texas 19

The Badgers advance to the Final Four for the third time since 2020. Wisconsin (24-4) is a No. 3 seed and the lowest ranked team to make to the semifinals at No. 10 in the country.

Texas, a one seed, was ranked No. 3 in the nation and sees its season end.

Set 4: Wisconsin first to 15

Can the Badgers close this out and punch their ticket to the Final Four? They have been to Final Four six times and won their lone national title in 2021.

Wisconsin is hitting .318 in the fourth set.

Set 3 final: Texas 25, Wisconsin 19

Cari Spears now leads Texas with nine kills. The Longhorns are using a balanced attack and hit .400 in the third set to get back in the match.

Set 3: Texas first to 15

Torrey Stafford and Cari Spears have eight kills each as the Longhorns are fighting back. Texas is hitting .429 in the third set.

Set 2 final: Wisconsin 25, Texas 21

The Badgers hitting percentage is .315 compared to .246 by the Longhorns. Mimi Colyer got her 10th kill to seal the set. Charlie Fuerbringer has 32 assists in leading the Wisconsin offense.

Set 2: Wisconsin first 15

Wisconsin is enjoying a balanced offensive attack. Mimi Colyer has nine kills, Carter Booth seven and Grace Egan and Una Vajagic six apiece.

Set 1 final: Wisconsin 25, Texas 22

The Badgers went on a 7-0 run before the Longhorns fought back with a 5-0 run on their own. It wasn’t enough as Wisconsin prevailed led by six kills from Mimi Colyer.

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Florida Setter Alexis Stucky Transfers To Penn State Women’s Volleyball

Published

1 hour ago

December 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Florida setter Alexis Stucky announced her commitment to Penn State women’s volleyball out of the transfer portal Sunday night. Stucky posted on Instagram her intentions to transfer to Happy Valley.

As a redshirt junior this past season, Stucky totaled 1,062 assists and 10.31 assists per set, which was top 30 in the nation. She was selected to the All-SEC Second Team.

Stucky will join Penn State outside hitter Kennedy Martin, who spent two years with Stucky at Florida. In her first year as a Nittany Lion, Martin was second in the NCAA with 5.42 kills per set.

Following the departure of star setter Izzy Starck, the Nittany Lions finished the 2025 season with a 19-13 record and went 12-8 in the Big Ten.

Incoming freshman setter Danielle Whitmire, a top-five recruit in the 2026 recruiting class, will also join the Nittany Lions.

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Michael Siroty is a junior from Westfield, New Jersey, majoring in broadcast journalism. When he isn’t writing articles or making TikToks for Onward State, Siroty is probably somewhere talking about college sports. You can contact him to discuss your sushi order or music taste on Instagram and X @msiroty or by email at [email protected].

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