Golf's New Frontier: Influencers

Last week, the PGA Tour made waves with its inaugural "Creator Classic." The first-of-its-kind?event brought together top golf influencers from YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to strut their stuff the day before one of golf’s biggest competitions.

The Event:

Taking place just before the PGA Tour's season-ending Tour Championship, "The Creator Classic" saw 16 of the most buzzworthy golf creators compete on the same course as the PGA professionals. Luke Kwon beat Wesley Bryan, Sean Walsh and Roger Steele in a sudden-death playoff (whatever that means…). The event was streamed on numerous platforms including the PGA Tour’s YouTube channel, Peacock, ESPN+, and other FAST platforms like PlutoTV, Roku, and Samsung TV Plus.? The livestream video of the event racked up over a million views in the first 24 hours!?

Who was there?

Among the participating creators were YouTube stars such as Tyler Toney of Dude Perfect, the Bryan Bros, Fat Perez from Bob Does Sports, and Good Good’s Garrett Clark, Brad Dalke, and Sean Walsh. The group also included Paige Spiranac, Gabby DeGasperis (aka 'Gabby Golfgirl'), and Aimee Cho. These influencers, who have collectively amassed millions of followers, not only played a mean game of golf, they also created loads of engaging behind-the-scenes content for their fans worldwide.

Why this matters:

The influence of creators in the sports world continues to grow. Earlier this summer, NBC invited top creators to cover the Paris Olympics, recognizing their ability to attract massive audiences.

The PGA Tour's investment in the ‘Creator Classic’ was a no-brainer. The event spotlighted YouTube golf’s rising popularity, which has seen a massive increase recently, especially with younger audiences.? The event was more than a showcase—it was a hella smart play to grow the sport's fanbase through influencers' massive online reach. It now sets the stage for additional events and partnerships and is sure to inspire other sporting institutions to take note. Competitive skeet shooting, I’m looking at you.?

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Top brands that sponsor family channels on YouTube

Family channels are among the oldest and most popular on YouTube. There's something heartwarming and captivating about watching family challenges, pranks, and the everyday lives of others. Recognizing the appeal of this niche, many brands have jumped at the opportunity to partner with top family channels and integrate their products. From grocery and meal-planning brands to sustainable clothing companies, here are some top brands sponsoring family channels.

Some words from our friends at Memberful*

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Can you name all of the summer's top trends?