Creator Cohorts Invade Sports Marketing: Dick's Sporting Goods Varsity Team Sees Explosive Growth

The creator cohort model has been gaining traction in various industries, and sports marketing is no exception. Dick's Sporting Goods' Varsity Team program drew 10,800 applicants for 60 spots, a significant increase from 5,300 applicants the previous year.

The cohort model involves building an owned creator roster rather than renting influencers on a one-time basis. Retail brands have been planning to spend $12.3 billion in creator spending in 2025, a 38% increase year-over-year.

Youth sports could be the next logical market for this model, given its natural fit with the existing creator roster system. Parents are already documenting their child's sports experiences on social media, reaching an audience of fellow parents making similar purchasing decisions.

The model extends beyond sporting goods to include Ulta Beauty's Collective and Sephora's Squad. The Home Depot has also launched a creator portal for thousands of creators, while Starbucks is piloting a custom TikTok Creator Network.