When the pandemic halted live sports, most media outlets cut back. Essentially Sports took a contrarian approach, betting that bored fans would consume more content. They expanded their team and coverage, a move that successfully fueled their growth by riding the wave of increased consumption.
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Instead of focusing on a central brand account, Essentially Sports built over 150 niche social media communities for specific players or teams. They believed that on social platforms, users connect more deeply with their specific fandom than with a broad media company brand.