Beyond Sponsorship: The Rise of Athletics Brands In-House Content Studios

The demand for digital content—whether on social media or streaming platforms—combined with the name, image, and likeness (NIL) era, where athletes actively monetize their personal brands, is reshaping how sports content is created and distributed.

Last year, women’s basketball star JuJu Watkins partnered with UNINTERRUPTED, 4.4 Forty Media, and State Farm to produce On the Rise: JuJu Watkins, a six-part documentary giving viewers a behind the scenes look of her rise to stardom. The series aired partially on NBC and is available on Peacock. NBC posted the first episode on YouTube which has surpassed 270,000 views alone.

Similarly, Amazon paid $1 million to LSU to produce The Money Game, an NIL-focused documentary featuring athletes like Jayden Daniels, Angel Reese, Flau’jae Johnson, and Livvy Dunne. Each athlete received individual NIL contracts, in addition to Amazon’s payment for exclusive production rights.

However, these examples represent more than individual NIL deals, they signal a broader shift in brand advertising strategy. Much like how major studios exclusively licensed their films to Netflix or Hulu, and then these streaming platforms began producing their own content, athletic brands are now developing in-house production studios to tell stories on their own.

Historically, brands relied on product placement, event sponsorships, and traditional advertising campaigns. But these methods are no longer as effective as they once were. Everybody skips YouTube ads, scrolls through their phones during commercial breaks, or pay for ad-free streaming. Why? Because traditional ads interrupt the content audiences actually want to consume.

Today, these brands are building entertainment studios to produce original series, films, and content that engage consumers directly. This in a way parallels the streaming revolution and highlights the value of creating and controlling content. These projects are not simply long-form product placements, though brand visibility is almost certain. Rather, they seek to tell authentic, premium stories that reflect the values and ethos of the brand.

Dick’s Sporting Goods recently launched its in-house production studio, Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios, following a decade of producing feature-length films and documentaries. These films earned the company two Emmy Awards. Notably, We Could Be King documented the merger of two rival Philadelphia high schools due to the district budget crisis, while The Turnaround highlighted Phillies superfan Jon McCann’s who helped turn the team’s 2023 season around. Most recently, the brand released Big Dreams: The Little League World Series 2024 in partnership with Imagine Entertainment and MLB Studios.

Under Armour is following suit, launching LAB96 Studios in October. Under Armour hit its peak in 2015, competing neck and neck with Nike, but has struggled in recent years. LAB96 represents part of its comeback strategy. UA believes its new in-house studio will help deliver athlete stories in “fresh, episodic, and cinematic ways.” Lab96 Studios has already announced partnerships with Overtime to create a series featuring IMG Academy’s football team and with SMAC Entertainment following St. Frances Academy’s women’s flag football team. Under Armour is also investing in building a film and podcast studio at their headquarters in Baltimore.

As brands expand into this longer form content, they must navigate the same legal framework as traditional studios. These productions, though meant to educate and entertain, are still subject to advertising and consumer protection laws, including the Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guides, which mandate clear disclosure of sponsorships, product placements, and endorsements.

Other key considerations include:

• Intellectual Property Rights: Contracts with creative talent, NIL, licensing agreements, and ownership of original footage.

• Permitting: Securing authorization for shoots in public or private spaces.

• Insurance: Obtaining specialized film insurance and also covering production-specific risks such as IP infringement or equipment damage.

• Union Compliance: Meeting compensation and working condition requirements under SAG-AFTRA, WGA, DGA, and Teamsters agreements.

• Distribution and Licensing: Negotiating streaming, broadcast, and territorial rights with distributors.

• International Compliance: Adhering to varying censorship and disclosure laws across global markets.

Expect more athletic brands to establish in-house studios as this model redefines how sports narratives are shared. The benefits extend beyond marketing as these projects give the brands and athletes creative control, offer another source of revenue, and build unique connections with audiences that a commercial or ad simply cannot do. The association of a brand with a heartwarming story is enough to change customers’ minds and give a brand a chance, even if the product is not heavily featured.

In a rapidly evolving media landscape, the most successful brands may not just sponsor stories—they’ll create the means to tell them.

Andrew Gagnon is a licensed attorney in KS practicing labor law. He can be found on Twitter @A_Gagnon34 and LinkedIn as Andrew Gagnon.