The Arena Group (AREN) -), a technology platform and media company home to Sports Illustrated, Parade, TheStreet, Men’s Journal, and more than 265 other brands, has launched the "Arena Creator Network" (ACN) backed by iconic brands across its portfolio.
The network will consist of more than 100 creators reaching over 100 million followers, covering all genres – from culture to food, fashion, sports, travel, and more. The creators are activated to launch rapid integrated social campaigns on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube with original creator content, exclusive editorial coverage, OTT offerings, and over-the-air channels.
The ACN is fully supported by targeted and powerful content distribution with the brand prestige and audience reach of nearly 90 million monthly users across Arena’s sports, finance, and lifestyle media brands, as reported by Comscore. The programs deliver smart targeting through audience and interest matchmaking that is cost-efficient and effective, equipping brands to reach millions of consumers.
Additionally, the ACN is developing significant advantages for creators and brand partners through unparalleled access to in-person experiences spanning major sporting events, personal finance, food and travel, as well as entertainment and lifestyle.
The Arena Group sees a surge in social-media growth
The creation of the ACN follows a surge in social growth across The Arena Group properties under the guidance of Senior Vice President of Audience Development Ting Wang including:
- Achieving 120% growth in social referrals across its brand portfolio from 2021 to 2022, as per Google Analytics.
- Video views are expected to triple to 1.5 billion this year from 2021, totaling 175% growth, as reported by ListenFirst.
- Consistently securing the #1 share of voice on Facebook link posts among all major sports competitors over the past year for Sports Illustrated, as confirmed by CrowdTangle.
- As of August 2023, Sports Illustrated F1 boasts nearly 120,000 followers, establishing itself as one of the fastest-growing Formula 1 TikTok accounts as compared to individual F1 creators and publishers over the same three-month time frame.
- Sports Illustrated Media Group, the company’s sports vertical, achieved the #2 ranking in Comscore’s audience measurement of U.S. sports properties in July 2023.
- Parade grew social referrals by 161% year over year from last year to this year, according to The Arena Group’s internal data.
“This network is a natural next step in media and the evolution of our business. We are leading the way in the movement toward creator and brand collaborations, putting creators and influencers front and center in our coverage of culture and events in sports, lifestyle, and finance worlds," The Arena Group President of Media Rob Barrett said.
"Our goal is to foster strong relationships between content creators and our iconic, trusted brands to empower the next generation of storytellers to deliver impact for sponsors and unlock new revenue streams for all parties.”
To continue the company’s audience development growth strategy in the social space, spearheaded under Wang, The Arena Group has welcomed:
- Lindsay Calabrese, General Manager of Creator Network, leverages over 12 years of experience in leading innovation, cultural impact strategy, and creator programs with theAmplify (acquired by Brandtech group), Whalar, and Cashmere Agency.
- Amanda Solomon, Vice President of Creator Relations, has an extensive background across gaming, technology, esports, and entertainment. She previously held the position of Director of Influencer Partnerships with Viral Nation.
- Nadine Jarrard, Vice President of Social Sales, contributing 15 years of experience building high-performing teams, most recently as a founding member of PROJECT Z.
- Monique Kakar, Vice President of Creator Strategy and Partnerships, brings almost 20 years of marketing experience; and led a strategic sales partnership with Made In Network and integrated brands into leading YouTube channels paired with media and exclusive editorial content across various owned and operated platforms.
“We are embracing the rapid change in how consumers interact, learn, search, and experience content and how creators use new platforms to express themselves and connect with audiences. We are reimagining storytelling by partnering creators with brands in front of and behind the lens," said Calabrese.
"The result is deeper through line, social-first content that will inform editorial coverage from our iconic brands. This is how we are uniquely built to help brands tap into culture and move at the speed of culture in a very authentic, integrated way. It’s really a modern, creative media solution, built with purpose.”
