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There’s no denying that New York sports not only continuously shape American culture but also constantly evolve.
According to “Beyond Media Rights: A Whole New Ballgame for Sports” a report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), top sports properties saw media rights values surge 113% from 2014 to 2024, but secondary properties grew just 40%, showing a growing ceiling for rights-only revenue. As a new generation of sports fans emerge, they’ve preferred social platforms, gaming, and creator content over traditional TV broadcasts, watching fewer minutes of live games.
Steve Hirsch, CEO and co-founder of Hirsch Leatherwood, understands the future of sports growth will rely on direct fan relationships and data-driven engagement rather than media rights alone.
This led to Hirsch’s decision to found Underscore Media, a new creator-led media venture dedicated to New York sports built for modern fan experience, centering on sports culture, fandom, storylines, and debates. It will produce feed-first daily live programming, YouTube programming, podcasts, watchalongs, and newsletters. The venture is built around three established New York sports personalities, Sal Licata, Jimmy Traina, and John Jastremski. Licata is co-founder and a partner in the company.
Origins of The Plan
Hirsch recalled his plan originating during his work at Hirsch Leatherwood, a strategic communications firm, strategizing ways to help B2B companies.
“Over the last couple of years we’ve been really working on developing a new offering for clients that allows them to easily understand the new media mix which we defined as broadly YouTube, socials, newsletters, and events,” Hirsch said.
It was through these experiences and Hirsch’s experiences in the New York sports media world, that he came to grasp the power shift in distribution found in the creator economy. The wide audience connections and creative content people produce on a daily basis.
“I wanted to replicate what I’ve been doing at our PR firm but for New York sports fans. Really give them a platform that actually reflects how fans consume media today which include sports and anything else,” Hirsch said.
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| (L-R) Jimmy Traina, Sal Licata, Steve Hirsch, and John Jastremski. |
| Photo credit: Abigail Wornock for Underscore Media |
Formulating The Team
Through his and Licata’s New York sports industry connections, Hirsch approached Jimmy Traina and John Jastremski with an idea for a new dedicated sports media platform.
Neither New York sports personalities were a stranger to the new media, in fact they’ve experimented and delved into careers in it. Jastremski, who’s been on New York airways for 15 years, began a podcast, “New York, New York with John Jastremski,” over five years ago. Originally a part of the The Ringer network before transitioning independently.
Traina began writing a daily sports media column, “Traina Thoughts,” for Sports Illustrated, almost a decade ago. Later the column would transition into popular weekly closing segments on the SI Media Podcast featuring Licata. Then, after departing Sports Illustrated to join Underscore Media, came the formal launch of “The Traina Thoughts Podcast,” officially expanding it into a standalone audio and video program.
Hirsch believes Underscore Media gave everyone the opportunity to come together to reflect the new and growing change in the industry.
“From a credibility standpoint, from an awareness standpoint, and an influence standpoint, I think more people are really starting to understand being in the new media mix is what allows you to break through so I think that is what they all recognize,” said Hirsch.
Click, Connect, Cultivate
As a new creator-led media venture, building a community of New York sports fans is crucial. Analyzing its growing audience determines guidance in content and marketing strategies. Speaking on this, Hirsch shared that Underscore Media will be looking at the traditional metrics of views such as likes, subscriptions, and downloads, but they’ll be leaning towards a more sophisticated approach to their metrics.
Underscore Media’s marketing strategy focuses on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram by testing different languages and interview formats, determining what resonates most with their community.
Growing up, Hirsch recalled there was a real emotional attachment from fans when he’d listen to “The Fan” (WFAN), seeking this kind of engagement on the venture’s social media platforms. This will be done through the production of clippings, the practice of cutting long-form videos into short, bit-sized clips and adding audio-visual elements to them. Through interviews, podcast tapings, etc. they’re going to produce numerous clips and release them as standalone clips on Underscore Media’s social media platforms. Then they’ll view and collect the metrics of those clippings.
Hirsch explained he would take the clipping with the best performance and put money behind it to boost it on other social media platforms. “I know that clip without any dollars is already performing and so I know that if I take something that is organically performing well and I put a little bit of juice behind it, to make it appear more in people’s algorithms, that’s really going to get the numbers to go up.”
The venture will have three revenue streams. Sponsorships, which will be a major drive. Their Substack newsletter, while simultaneously broadcasting daily live programming on YouTube and various social media feeds. And hosting exclusive live events, which include live podcast recordings and tailgates.
Bringing Fans Closer To The Game
Upon reflection, Hirsch wants Underscore Media to bring an unique authenticity, realness, and culture to the New York sports landscape.
“I am of the belief that sports are local and that the platform that serves fans needs to be local as well, so that’s why I’m really exclusively focusing on New York sports,” said Hirsch.
Designed to capture the energy of New York sports fans and build a community capable of stretching beyond its initial target, this launch is just the beginning.
Underscore Media’s launch was announced Wednesday, August 19, and its official website is available to view now. Discover more at underscoreny.com.
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