In-Depth
2021 trends to watch: Entertainment
Entertainment content creation has never been more popular, whether it’s from athletes or brands. And with streaming video more accessible, expect that trend to grow.
Trendsetters
Chris Paul, guard, Phoenix Suns
Paul is drawing up the blueprint for athletes hoping to step behind the camera. He has already executive produced several documentaries through his Ohh Dip!!! Productions. Now, Paul is producing and will feature in HBO’s “The Day Sports Stood Still,” an Antoine Fuqua-directed film about the March 2020 sports shutdown, and a new docuseries with Roadside Entertainment will explore basketball programs at historically Black colleges and universities. Paul will make his debut as a feature film producer with “American Sole,” a comedy about the secondary sneaker market being co-produced by Kevin Hart. And Disney announced an upcoming Paul biopic last month.
Brett Rapkin, founder and chief executive officer, Podium Pictures
Rapkin’s focus on impact-driven projects is raising awareness and, critically, funding for important causes. Most recently, “Weight of Gold” debuted on HBO in July and has since received widespread attention, amassing over 1.5 billion impressions. Narrator Michael Phelps and an array of Olympic standouts — including Lolo Jones, Apolo Ohno, Katie Uhlaender and Shaun White — openly discussed the pressures of the Games and the subsequent mental health issues many Olympians face as a result. The film is arguably the most high-profile effort yet toward eroding the stigma around mental health in sports.
courtesy of hbo
Maverick Carter, chief executive officer, SpringHill Entertainment and Uninterrupted
Few athletes have established a bigger foothold in the entertainment world than LeBron James, and his childhood friend Carter has been his right-hand man from the start. He and James co-founded production house SpringHill Entertainment in 2008, leading to projects with CNBC, Disney, Facebook, Showtime and Starz. More recently, Carter joined James in front of the camera for “The Shop,” the star-studded HBO series produced in collaboration with Uninterrupted, James and Carter’s digital platform for athletes to tell their own stories. The duo also landed an interview with former President Barack Obama (above). Carter is producing the “Space Jam” sequel as well as “Hustle,” an upcoming Netflix movie starring Adam Sandler.
Trends
Athlete video production
It’s never been easier for athletes to build their brands off the field. Video game streaming has been popular for years, with NBA stars like Gordon Hayward of the Charlotte Hornets and Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers amassing tens of thousands of Twitch followers. COVID lockdowns have only accelerated that trend. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster have built huge followings on YouTube, where they offer exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage to millions of viewers. And lesser-known athletes like National League Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer and New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban are carving out market share on the platform.
The multipart docuseries
The war of the streaming platforms has created massive demand for original content, and viewers have proved they’ll binge watch for hours at a time. The result is a new wave of lengthy, multipart docuseries. ESPN helped drive the trend in sports with 2016’s eight-part, Oscar-winning “O.J.: Made in America,” and last year took it a step further with the 10-part, Emmy-winning “The Last Dance.” Even more routine subjects are getting longer runtimes: ESPN’s recent “30 for 30” on Lance Armstrong got two episodes, as will HBO’s upcoming Tiger Woods documentary. And later this year, Tom Brady will get the docuseries treatment with the nine-part “Man in the Arena” airing on ESPN.
Brands expand into content creation
Corporate sponsors have long looked for opportunities to attach themselves to popular sports content, from pre-roll ads to product placement. But old strategies are growing stale in an increasingly crowded marketplace, and COVID has only further fueled the hunt for new ways to cut through the noise without appearing inauthentic. New creative activations include companion content, associated humanitarian efforts and even the financing of original content production. Content ownership and production is a strategy that’s long served Red Bull well, and now studios — with upstart game1 leading the way — are hoping to capitalize on a broader appetite by offering brands the opportunity to seamlessly integrate with and invest in upcoming projects.
