Minor Sports Coolies Across the Spectrum Find a Home in a Gathering New Journalism Venture
EssentiallySports Transforms Sports Journalism with Audience-First Approach
In 2014, three engineers, Jaskirat Arora, Suryansh Tibarewal, and Harit Pathak, founded EssentiallySports with a vision to revolutionize sports journalism. They set out to create the content they wanted to read, focusing on sports with highly engaged but underserved fanbases like tennis and Formula 1, a niche that few U.S. outlets were addressing at the time [2].
Their strategy paid off. By 2017, EssentiallySports was drawing more tennis traffic than the official ATP site [2]. This early success was further boosted during the COVID-19 pandemic when many traditional media organizations scaled back coverage. EssentiallySports, however, expanded its team to over 40 professionals, maintained a rigorous publishing schedule, and responded to increased fan demand for in-depth content, documentaries, and deep analysis [2].
The platform's content included thematic explorations such as analyzing leadership in popular sports documentaries, appealing to a devoted subset of sports fans who care deeply about more than mainstream sports coverage [2]. As a result, EssentiallySports grew to engage over 30 million monthly readers on its website and over 1 million newsletter subscribers daily [1][2].
In addition to digital content, EssentiallySports has expanded into live activations and creator programs that provide independent sports writers tools and access to passionate readers [2]. This multi-pronged, community-focused strategy has reshaped their presence in the modern sports media landscape and underpinned their significant audience and influence [2].
Notably, EssentiallySports has also made strides in women's sports. Their dedicated vertical, launched in recent years, has seen success with newsletters such as "She Got Game" now exceeding 100,000 subscribers [3].
With a team of experienced media leaders from major international platforms in advisory roles [1], EssentiallySports has outpaced traditional publishers, becoming one of the top sports publishers in the United States [3]. Their NASCAR newsletter alone reaches over 200,000 subscribers [1].
In golf, consistent coverage helped EssentiallySports build a subscriber base that doubled industry averages [2]. Their coverage of popular series like "The Last Dance" analyzed broader themes such as leadership in sports and its relevance in business, further broadening their appeal [2].
In a world where sports coverage can often feel shallow and formulaic, EssentiallySports stands out for its commitment to depth and audience engagement. Their success serves as a testament to the power of an audience-first approach in the ever-evolving landscape of sports journalism.
References: [1] EssentiallySports. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.essentiallysports.com/about [2] Mistry, N. (2021, February 1). EssentiallySports: The Rise and Rise of the Sports Publisher. Retrieved from https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/infochooze/essentiallysports-the-rise-and-rise-of-the-sports-publisher/article34141345.ece [3] EssentiallySports. (n.d.). Press Kit. Retrieved from https://www.essentiallysports.com/press-kit
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