In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, traditional sports viewership is undergoing significant transformations. As television audiences decline, especially amongst younger generations, fans are turning their attention to platforms like YouTube. This is creating new, pivotal channels for sports content and in turn, offering unparalleled opportunities for engagement and growth. For sports businesses aiming to stay ahead, understanding and leveraging YouTube's algorithm is no longer optional - it's essential.
THE SHIFT TO DIGITAL: YOUTUBE'S ASCENDANCY IN SPORT
More and more sports fans (and wider audiences) are moving away from traditional TV and towards digital platforms. For example, it is projected that the number of U.S. viewers streaming sports events at least once a month will surpass 90 million in 2025 - up from 57 million in 2021. This shift emphasises a broader trend: fans are looking for platforms that offer flexibility, interactivity, and personalised content.
YouTube, in particular, has experienced a remarkable surge in sports viewership. In 2024, sports content consumption on YouTube grew by 45%, with viewers watching over 35 billion hours of content. This growth is not confined to mobile devices; YouTube's big-screen application saw a 30% increase in sports viewing, highlighting its integration into living room entertainment.
WHY YOUTUBE MATTERS FOR SPORTS BUSINESSES
For sports organisations, teams, and athletes, YouTube offers a dynamic platform to:
Reach a Global Audience: With over 2.5 billion users, YouTube provides access to a vast and diverse viewer base.
Engage Younger Fans: More than half (50.6%) of YouTube viewers are either Gen Z or Millennial compared to the average age of a Sky Sports customer being in their 50s, making it ideal for connecting with younger audiences.
Monetise Content: Beyond ad revenue, YouTube holds features like channel memberships and Super Chat that enable direct fan support and interaction.
DECODING THE YOUTUBE ALGORITHM
YouTube’s algorithm is one of the most advanced content recommendation systems in the world. Unlike linear TV broadcasting, YouTube is an active discovery platform - powered by machine learning, user behaviour, and predictive analytics.
At its core, the algorithm serves two primary functions:
Selecting videos for the Home Feed & Suggested Videos: These are based on the user’s past interactions, trending content, and engagement likelihood.
Ranking search results: Unlike Google Search (where results are based heavily on backlinks and domain authority), YouTube prioritises watch time, user intent, and engagement metrics.
In 2024, 70% of all watch time on YouTube came from the platform’s recommendation engine rather than direct searches. This means understanding the ranking signals is critical to reaching your audience.
THE 5 KEY FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE YOUTUBE'S ALGORITHM: HOW TO WIN IN 2025
1. WATCH TIME AND AVERAGE VIEW DURATION
GOLDEN RULE #1: The longer people watch, the more YouTube promotes your content.
Videos with an average watch time of >50% perform significantly better in search rankings and recommendations.
YouTube rewards videos that keep viewers watching multiple videos in succession - Session Watch Time is a crucial ranking factor.
Longer videos often perform better because they increase total watch time. A study from Backlinko found that the average length of a top-ranking video on YouTube is 14 minutes and 50 seconds.
Pro tip: Hook viewers in the first 10 seconds. Make it clear why they should keep watching and Use chapter markers to keep engagement high throughout longer content.
2. CLICK-THROUGH RATE (CTR) & THUMBNAIL OPTIMISATION
GOLDEN RULE #2: If people aren’t clicking, the algorithm won’t push your video.
A CTR above 6-8% is considered strong.
90% of the best-performing YouTube videos have custom thumbnails rather than auto-generated ones.
Titles should be compelling but not clickbait, misleading titles cause drop-offs, which hurts watch time. It’s all about positive expectation setting.
Pro tip: Use bold, high-contrast thumbnails with an emotional or action-driven face and A/B test your titles and thumbnails using YouTube’s "Experiment" feature in YouTube Studio.
A/B testing thumbnails for our Mercedes-Benz G Wagon Challenge content we produced for Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Esports Team. The thumbnail design on the right side drove a 36% increased click through rate on the main Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One YouTube channel.
3. ENGAGEMENT (LIKES, COMMENTS, SHARES, SUBSCRIPTIONS)
GOLDEN RULE #3: The higher the engagement, the more valuable your content is considered by YouTube.
Videos with over 500 comments perform 4.8x better in search rankings.
The first 60 minutes after upload are crucial, early likes and comments significantly boost discoverability.
Pro tip: Proactively ask questions in your video comment section to drive more engagement. This is especially powerful during a live stream on YouTube. Viewers want direct engagement with the channel. They're moving away from a one-way interaction on linear broadcast for a reason.
4. RELEVANCE AND SEARCH INTENT
GOLDEN RULE #4: YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine, SEO still plays a crucial role.
75% of YouTube videos are discovered through search.
Long-tail keywords (e.g., "best social media strategy for sports teams in 2025") outperform short, generic ones.
Video descriptions with 250+ words rank better - use them to add context, links, and calls to action.
Pro tip: Use YouTube’s autocomplete feature to find trending keywords. Include keywords in the first 25 words of your description.
5. CONSISTENCY AND UPLOAD FREQUENCY
GOLDEN RULE #5: Regular posting trains the algorithm to favour your channel.
YouTube prioritises channels that post at least once per week.
Channels posting 2+ videos per week grow at 2x the rate of those posting once a month.
Shorts feed need to be utilised.
Pro tip: Stick to a consistent posting schedule - YouTube prefers predictability. Batch-produce content and schedule uploads in advance to stay consistent.
"We often see brands and rights holders start strong on YouTube but lose momentum over time. Don't let the top-line vanity statistics solely dictate your strategy. Instead, focus on the stats that matter - watch time, click-through rate, audience retention and traffic sources. Doing this will allow you to focus on making each video 5% better than the last which is crucial. When it comes to YouTube growth, trial and error is key for long-term success" - Wajahat Kan, AND THE NEW
STRATEGIES FOR SPORTS CONTENT SUCCESS ON YOUTUBE
To capitalise on YouTube's platform, sports entities should:
Create Engaging Content: Behind-the-scenes footage, athlete interviews, and training sessions resonate with fans seeking authentic connections.
Leverage Live Streaming: Broadcasting live events or interactive Q&A sessions fosters real-time engagement.
Optimise Metadata: Use relevant keywords in titles, descriptions, and tags to enhance discoverability.
Engage with the Community: Responding to comments and encouraging fan interaction builds a loyal community.
Collaborate with Influencers: Partnering with popular creators can expand reach and introduce content to new audiences.
Utilise different forms of content: Cater your content to reach new audiences, short form brings more views, long form creates the dedicated audience.
CASE STUDIES: SPORTS ENTITIES THRIVING ON YOUTUBE
Bryson Dechambeau: This is the perfect example of the rise of the athlete channel. Through creating engaging content that direct interacts with the viewer and makes them feel part of his journey to the challenge-based content and the highly optimised thumbnails, it's no surprise Bryson's channel has overtaken the PGA's for YouTube subscriber count.
Australian Open's Animated Live Streams: Innovating with technology, the Australian Open launched AO Animated, streaming matches with computer-generated avatars on YouTube. This approach attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers, showcasing the potential of blending sports with digital innovation.
FIA’s Deeper Storytelling: AND THE NEW worked with the FIA throughout 2024 to develop a YouTube strategy that engages new audiences by spotlighting untold motorsport stories and dives into deeply technical content in an engaging way. The results, born from creativity and consistency, saw 7.6M more views in 2024 compared to 2023 and average views per video rising from 2,500 to 75,000.
CONCLUSION: EMBRACING YOUTUBE FOR SPORTS MARKETING
The way in which people are watching sport is changing and sports businesses must fully embrace platforms like YouTube if they want to stay relevant and engage their audiences more effectively. At AND THE NEW, we can vouch for the strengths in crafting strategies that harness the power of platforms like YouTube and through this, have helped sports brands connect authentically with their audiences and drive incredible growth in this digital age.
If you’re either exploring a YouTube channel and commercial strategy or taking it to the next level, feel free to reach out to us to discuss - ryan@andthenew.agency.
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