Dude Perfect
Tyler Toney (co-founder)
Coby Cotton (co-founder)
Cory Cotton (co-founder)
Garrett Hilbert (co-founder)
Cody Jones (co-founder)
Candy Smith Photography
The world was introduced to Dude Perfect in 2009, when the group released a grainy YouTube video of a few guys heaving low-percentage shots on a basketball hoop in a suburban Texas backyard.
Fourteen years later, that video has reached 45 million views.
Today, the group’s YouTube channel, which has 60 million subscribers and more than 16 billion views, remains at the core of its business. But the five-man troupe — composed of Texas A&M college buddies Tyler Toney, Cody Jones, Garrett Hilbert and twins Cory and Coby Cotton, all of whom are in their mid-30s — have added many layers to their growing empire.
They are live performers who continually draw sellout crowds, including a North American tour that began taking place annually in 2019 and the Dude Perfect cruise that first set sail earlier this year.
They are the stars of Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” alternate broadcast.
They are a sponsor’s dream, with 28 partner brands listed on their website.
They are, in short, redefining the ceiling for internet content creators.
“Every year, Dude Perfect exceeds our expectations,” Toney said. “Every year, we very much wake up and it’s like, ‘Wow, this is insane. No. 1, how is this our job? No. 2, how much longer can this go? And No. 3, we just really feel like God has blessed us with this platform and this opportunity to be able to impact people and families. And as long as we have it, that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”
Their latest trick: team ownership. In August, Dude Perfect invested in Burnley F.C., becoming minority owners in the Premier League club in a deal that generated much intrigue across the industry.
And their biggest venture is yet to come. Late last year, the group revealed plans for a new corporate headquarters and entertainment destination that will feature a 330-foot tower. A site and city have yet to be revealed.
“Our vision has always been to create a destination where families could just have an absolute blast in a very unique way,” Coby Cotton said shortly after the news broke.
At every turn, Dude Perfect has ensured that much has held true. — Erik Bacharach
