QVC + Pickleball: An Unlikely Blueprint for Sports IP Monetization
What This Deal May Portend...
In the race for sports IP monetization, billion-dollar media rights often dominate the conversation. However, the recent partnership between QVC and USA Pickleball may offer an unexpected blueprint for sports IP looking to create revenue streams outside of “traditional” monetization.
The QVC + Pickleball Model: What It’s Trying to Achieve
QVC’s partnership with USA Pickleball includes:
Exclusive broadcast rights for key pickleball events, such as the Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships.
Live streaming of matches on QVC+ and HSN+, alongside behind-the-scenes content and interviews.
Curated commerce via an “On the Court” shopping experience, selling USA Pickleball-approved products to viewers.
On-site activations at events, where QVC hosts and showcases products live to audiences attending the tournaments.
Targeted audience reach by tapping into QVC’s established demographic of women over 45, a key market for pickleball.
The partnership focuses on combining sports content with shopping experiences, where viewers (45+ females) can both watch and purchase products tied to the sport.
While QVC’s partnership with USA Pickleball presents a compelling case for blending live sports and commerce (and we applaud the creativity), it remains largely rooted in a traditional broadcast structure—where one platform reaches a broad audience. However, in today's social / digital landscape, sports fans are increasingly seeking deeper, more interactive experiences. This is where creator-driven communities come into play, offering a more dynamic and participatory model that could push this blueprint even further.
From One-to-Many to Many-to-Many: The Role of Creator-Driven Communities
QVC’s model is largely “one-to-many”—a single platform broadcasting to a wide audience. However, modern sports audiences crave deeper, more interactive connections. Creator-driven communities offer a “many-to-many” model, where fans can engage with multiple creators and participate in conversations that extend beyond the game itself. Here’s a comparison of the two approaches:
DISRUPTIVE PLAY - Unlocking The Power of Creator-Driven Communities
Creator-driven communities offer something traditional models often miss—an authentic, interactive relationship between creators and their fans. In these communities, creators serve as ambassadors, engaging their audiences not just through sports content but also through behind-the-scenes access, personal insights, and product recommendations. Fans aren’t passive; they’re active participants, deepening their connection to both the sport and its culture.
This dynamic creates unique opportunities for sports leagues and rights holders to engage fans and unlock new revenue streams. Creator-driven communities offer direct interaction through live chats, polls, and personalized content, building long-term loyalty and creating multiple monetization touch points beyond just live sports broadcasts.
The Value for Rights Holders: Blending Live Sports and Commerce
For emerging sports IP and existing rights holders, social-first, creator-driven platforms that enable commerce offer a unique opportunity to drive both engagement and monetization in ways that traditional models can’t. By partnering with creator-driven communities and live commerce platforms, rights holders can transform their live sports broadcasts into interactive, revenue-generating experiences.
Platforms like Fanatics Live, TikTok Shop and Whatnot have already started leveraging this community-driven model with big sports like the NFL, NBA, and MLB, primarily through memorabilia sales and live "breaking" events (where collectors open sports card packs in real-time for fans)…
Importantly, These Platforms Do Not Have Live Sports Rights for These Sports…. But What If They Did ???
Real-Time Commerce During Live Events: Fans are most engaged when live sports are happening - Here’s where emerging sports IP or underserved sports communities come in. These rights holders are much more likely to allow for the distribution of “live” than any of the big leagues. Emerging sports give platforms like Fanatics Live and Whatnot new markets to tap into, with the potential to attract highly engaged, passionate fan bases that aren't already saturated by big-league fandoms.
Platforms and creators can get creative with what they sell - While traditional merchandise like official trading cards or major licensed gear may not yet exist, For these leagues, the focus can shift to offering unique, exclusive, and experiential products that align with the community's culture and passion for the sport. Some examples:
Exclusive Event-Based Merchandise: Limited-edition products tied to specific events (like championships or tournaments) can create scarcity and excitement. This could include jerseys, hats, and other apparel designed around specific matches, teams, or players, even if they aren’t officially licensed yet.
Personalized Memorabilia: Customizable gear, such as equipment used by players (pickleball paddles, for example), signed items, or even virtual memorabilia like NFTs, allows fans to feel more connected to the athletes and events. Even offering personalized shoutouts from players could sell well in smaller, emerging leagues where fans want more direct interaction with athletes.
Event Experiences and VIP Packages: Platforms like Fanatics Live and Whatnot could sell tickets to events, backstage passes, or digital experiences like virtual meet-and-greets with players. Offering unique fan experiences helps monetize the personal connection fans feel with the sport.
Creator Community-Driven Merch: Emerging sports often have strong, grassroots fan bases, so creator-driven merchandise—such as gear designed by popular figures within the community—can sell well. Platforms could partner with influencers or players to create limited-run items that resonate with fans.
Sport-Specific Gear: For pickleball, this might include performance-related equipment (paddles, balls, shoes) that appeals directly to active participants in the sport. The connection between watching the sport and purchasing the right gear to play could be a significant opportunity.
The Hybrid Future: Combining Creator-Driven Communities and Live Commerce
The QVC-USA Pickleball partnership is a strong example of blending live sports with commerce. Social-first, Creator-driven platforms can take this concept further by integrating live interaction, creator engagement, and real-time commerce—a model that’s particularly potent for emerging sports looking to scale.
For rights holders, this hybrid model provides a roadmap for unlocking new revenue streams while building engaged communities. By empowering creators to drive fan engagement during live events and seamlessly integrating commerce, emerging sports can expand their reach, grow their fan bases, and create sustainable, long-term value.
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