Are Day In The Life Videos Dead?

👋 Welcome back to Sponcon Sports, a weekly newsletter dedicated to sponsored content strategy in the sports industry!

Co-created sponsored content (definition here) is tough to nail.

It requires deep brand integration, and one misstep can instantly make it feel like an ad. You might not get it right on the first try—but iteration is key. Just look at the evolution of the New York Knicks and DoorDash’s partnership and the brand’s player deal with Jalen Brunson.

It began with Dishing On Dishes, a series exploring Brunson’s favorite athlete-friendly meals with the team’s chef. The next year, they shifted the focus to on-court action with Reel Meal, where Brunson and basketball analyst Monica McNutt broke down his highlight reels. The change paid off—Reel Meal doubled the average views per post (6.2K to 12.3K).

This year, the Knicks and DoorDash struck the perfect balance between team storytelling and brand integration.

Three local restaurants—Comfortland, Court Street Grocers, and Win Son Bakery—competed to create a sandwich worthy of Brunson’s name. He and Action Bronson taste-tested the options, with Court Street Grocers’ creation earning the nod.

Now, The Brunson is available exclusively on DoorDash. Not only did the content drive another 15% boost in average views per post (12.3K to 14.1K), but it also became directly measurable (with some local flavor)—DoorDash can track exactly how many fans ordered the sandwich.

Some of the best sponsored content ideas don’t hit on the first try. The beauty of a long-term partnership is that both sides can refine what works against both sides’ objectives, evolving into a winning strategy over time.

In Today’s Edition:

• Why Questions Win In DITL ❓️

• OKC’s Love’s Story ⛽️

• Kraken Mic’d Up With Zero Filter 🎙️

🏊️ DEEP DIVE
Why “Day in the Life” Content Needs a Fresh Hook

What’s more engaging: "Day in the life as an NFL equipment manager" or "How does an NFL team prep gear for new players?"

Both videos might show the same behind-the-scenes process, but the second one sparks curiosity. That’s why sports teams are moving away from generic Day in the Life labels and instead leading with a question.

Here are a few standout examples:

• Los Angeles Chargers: Ever Wonder What Kind of Food Requests NFL Players Have?

• New England Patriots: How An NFL Equipment Staff Prepares For New Players?

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: How An NFL Team Books A Hotel

• Philadelphia Eagles: Everything That Goes Into An NFL Team Travelling To Brazil

• England Rugby: How Much Power Can Rugby Players Generate?

So why does this approach work?

Aligns With Modern User Behavior

Framing content as a question taps into how people search for information today.

• YouTube is the second-largest search engine after Google.

• 64% of Gen Z in the U.S. use TikTok to search for information.

• Nearly half of Gen Z prefers searching on TikTok and Instagram over Google.

• 24% of all consumers use social media to find answers, with that number jumping to 46% for Gen Z.

Younger fans turn to social media for education. The more your content answers commonly asked questions, the more discoverable—and valuable—it becomes.

Creates An Information Gap

YouTube creators Colin and Samir often talk about the power of an "information gap"—the space between what we know and what we want to know. This gap builds curiosity and keeps viewers engaged.

Let’s use the Buccaneers post linked above as an example.

• What we know: NFL players travel for games.

• What we want to know: What goes into booking their hotels?

The tension between the two makes people want to click/stay and watch.

Breaks Through The Clutter

Labeling content as "Day in the Life" makes it blend in with countless other videos.

You don’t need to work in sports to use this format. In fact, I’d wager it’s used more outside of sports than in it.

Leading with a compelling question helps it stand out—especially when the answer is something only very few accounts can provide.

Casts A Wider Net

Not every fan is interested in the daily life of someone from a team they don’t follow.

But if a video teaches them something about the sport itself, they’re far more likely to engage. A well-framed question broadens your reach beyond just your existing fanbase.

Take a look at the examples shown in the introduction of this piece. Notice anything? They all use league (NFL) or sport level (Rugby) search terms to capture attention.

Helps Scale Production

Thinking of Day in the Life videos as a series of answers makes production and promotion much easier. Each question serves as:

• A natural chapter marker for long-form YouTube content.

• A standalone clip for TikTok, Instagram Reels, or Shorts.

• A text-on-screen visual hook to grab attention.

Plus, this type of content is largely evergreen—you can reshare it anytime or update it when processes change.

The Takeaway

"Day in the Life" videos are a staple in the sports industry—and for good reason.

They offer fans exclusive access to places they can’t go and experiences they can’t see just by attending or watching games. Even better, they position rightsholders as the go-to source for premium content.

Instead of just showing what happens behind the scenes, frame your content as an answer to a question. It makes your videos more searchable, engaging, and shareable—while helping you reach a wider audience.

🔍️ SPONCONSPIRATION
Steal These Ideas

[Social Value: $6,101] MLB is diving deeper into its partnership with Build Submarines in 2025. After sponsoring the All-Star Game ballot in 2024, the brand now backs the aptly named Diving Plays content series.

[Social Value: $3,963] Speaking of clever names, the Seattle Kraken rolled out Pepsi Zero Filter—a mic’d-up video featuring Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford at Climate Pledge Arena.

[Social Value: $6,812] Shout out to the OKC Thunder who found every seamless integration (Text on Screen, Caption, Collab, Venue) for their Jersey Patch partner, Love’s, in this surprise-and-delight video.

[Social Value: $12,356] On the jersey patch front, not sure there’s a better, branded celebration than the Kansas City Royals’ Salvy Splash which features a giant QuikTrip Cup.

[Social Value: $7,811] From Uber driver to substitute teacher to the Bronx—New York Yankees catcher Ben Rortvedt took a wild ride to the majors. The team collaborated with Uber to highlight his full-circle journey before his big league debut.

*Social value is defined as the full equivalent media value of this social post based on applicable impressions, video views, and engagements.

🚨 ICYMI
What To Watch For

Super Bowl DITL: Sticking with the theme this week, Rachel Karten caught up with Julie Bacanskas, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Director of Social Media, for an hour-by-hour look at her team's Super Bowl LIX schedule [via Link in Bio].

Views Boost On Shorts: YouTube updated how it counts Shorts views to align with Instagram Reels and TikTok. Now, views include plays and replays, rather than only counting after a specific watch time. The previous metric will still be tracked under “engaged views” [h/t Lindsey Gamble].

AI For Creator Discovery: Meta is rolling out AI-powered tools to help brands find the best creators for their campaigns. New features include AI-driven recommendations in the Partnerships Ads Hub, creator affinity-based matching in Creator Marketplace, keyword search, and expanded insights into creators’ active partnerships [h/t Lia Haberman].

Driving Fan Engagement: Futrhood Media Founder Jo Redfern highlights NASCAR’s year-long investment in Driving Empire on Roblox—showcasing the value of sustained fan engagement over quick attention grabs.

Chipotle’s NIL Play: Adam Grossman breaks down how Chipotle’s NIL partnership with USC women’s basketball—anchored by the Fight On digital menu—shows how intentional brands can leverage women’s sports to drive sales, enhance loyalty, and create long-term value beyond star athletes [via John WallStreet].

Golden Cap Sweepstakes: MLB and Fanatics launched a clever sweepstakes for hat brands: The first fan to catch a home run in the 2025 season wins 10x the HR distance in FanCash—plus the coveted Golden Cap trophy.

Ready, Set, Duel: LIV Golf announced The Duels, a Miami-based competition where six pairs of pros and creators battle for the biggest prize pool in creator golf history.

Obstructed Brews: Coors Light, MLB, and Venmo teamed up for Obstructed Brews, a campaign letting fans upload photos of obstructed-view seats to an AI-powered microsite. If deemed “less-than-chill,” they’ll get a Venmo payment to buy a Coors Light [h/t Dominyck Bullard].