👋 Hello newsletter enthusiasts,
How did your Fantasy Football draft go? Have no idea what we’re talking about, we didn’t either until a couple of years ago.
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Maybe you’re a big Fantasy Football fan, or focus on the major tournaments like the US Open, or are fascinated by the business angles in the sports world?
Well, guess what? You’re not alone.
Sports newsletters have become more and more prevalent, with focuses ranging from specific sports to a broad spectrum of global sports happenings.
For this deep dive, we’re focusing on “general” sports newsletters — those not concentrated in one sport or topic.
And boy are there are lot.
There are so many that we decided to make this a two-part series.
👉 Fun fact: Did you know that Sports Officials have a newsletter from the National Association of Sports Officials?
Let’s take a look at five different sports newsletters and what makes them unique. We’ll be looking at five main areas:
Side note: It may go without saying, but most of these newsletters — as the essence of newsletters has come to embrace this — are less “newsy” in the traditional sense and more… writer or personality-focused? For example, a newsletter may come from a bigger organization, but the newsletter part of the business, the voice and tone of it, can be more reflective of the writer than the brand.
Ready? Coffee's brewed, comfy chair located, let's dive in!
The Sportsletter is a daily newsletter with “No Spam. No Bias. Just Sports & Highlights”. With over 100,000 subscribers according to their LinkedIn page, and founded by Jeff Yoder in ~2018.
The Subject Line for their emails are ~1-4 words usually accompanied by an emoji:
The Preheader will include more about what’s in the newsletter, here’s an example:
There is an introduction at the beginning with a consistent sign off of “Letter Rip!”, embodying the passion packed within the newsletter.
The newsletter frames each section with an outline with rounded corner boxes giving it a neat and organized look.
The dual headline system, featuring a broader category cue (mini headline) followed by a more specific headline, prompts a smooth and engaging reading experience.
They have a couple of Link Sections too. Each section offers readers a multifaceted dive into the world of sports, and makes easy to navigate various sections.
Sometimes they’ll include a Storylines section.
The Sportsletter introduces Sponsored Content seamlessly, matching the design of other sections.
They also highlight Partners:
They feature a prominent “🔈️ SHARE SPORTS” button at the top of their emails that lead to their referral program.
The Sportsletter asks a Question of the Day, with the Answer featured in next day’s send, building anticipation and a habit for readers to open the next email.
Shoutout to newsletter operators having users reply to the email with responses 😳. So much reading.
They include a Schedule towards the bottom with a “Must-Watch” list across various sports, and a prompt to download their ”Must-Watch Calendar”.
It’s not just about content; it’s about community. The shoutout to the team, including a message to “Please consider supporting The Sportsletter, an independently operated and bootstrapped publication,” emphasizes their mission. It also mentions access to an exclusive Sunday edition if you do support The Sportsletter.
Grab your morning coffee or your evening tea because Front Office Sports is here to keep you entertained not once, but twice a day during the weekdays, plus a special Sunday edition.
With a focus on “The influence of sports on business and culture”, it's no wonder their newsletter has ~800,000 subscribers, according to a 2022 Bloomberg article.
The Subject Line for their emails are ~five words, and if it’s in the PM, they’ll include “FOS PM:”.
The Preheader will include more about what’s in the newsletter, here’s an example:
There is an introduction at the beginning with the consistent sign off of the writer linked out to their author’s page, a nice shoutout.
The layout is easy to follow. There is a light grey line acting as a Content Divider for each section providing a smooth reading flow, with unique Social Sharing links at the bottom of sections to share that particular story “via FOS”.
They consistently use shades of blue to highlight things like their Podcast:
And as a highlight color for the mini headlines in the Sponsored Content section.
Front Office Sports curates a blend of sections that house a variety of links, including some Editor Picks.
The trademark blue, as seen throughout the newsletter, acts as a mini headline, as well as denotes Sponsored Content, creating a seamless content flow.
We did not notice one mentioned in the email.
Front Office Sports asks a Question of the Day, with the Answer featured in next day’s send, building anticipation and a habit for readers to open the next email.
They did not include a “What we’re watching”-like section.
The footer functions like a mini-navigation hub, complete with links to Advertise, Learning, Videos and more. This section also tends to include disclaimers.
Axios Sports ring a bell? Their main writer, Kendall Baker, recently joined Yahoo and is their “Pilot” for Yahoo Sports AM. The “All the sports, all in one place,” newsletter is sent to an unknown amount of subscribers, and launched ~week ago. There isn’t a large sample size for analysis, and based on their introductions are adapting and fine-tuning as they go.
🎉 You got this, Kendall and Jeff!
The Subject Line for their emails are an emoji + Yahoo Sports AM + ~three words (similar to the subject lines of Axios Sports).
The Preheader will include more about what’s in the newsletter, here’s an example:
There is an introduction at the beginning with a sign off of “Let’s sports…”
Though the sample size is small, they launched with a blend of consistency and spontaneity in their design. Each section uses a light grey line as a Content Divider and they’re including some interesting sections!
The Headlines section takes a prime spot towards the beginning of the newsletter, instead of the typical placement towards the bottom.
Interestingly, we noticed a slight evolution in design between September 5 and 7, signaling a potential phase of experimentation and//or refinement.
Example from September 5 (mini headline and emojis):
Example from September 7 (No mini headline and no emojis):
The newsletter continues with a couple of sections, highlighting different sports and news depending on the day.
Not… yet? Though there was a link to BetMGM in the Betting section, it didn’t have a disclaimer, leaving us unsure of its official stance as Sponsored Content.
We did not notice one in the email. Unsure if Yahoo newsletters offers a referral program for any of their newsletters.
Yahoo Sports AM offers a variety of interactive, engaging elements, like sharing an “On This Day” fact, highlights of top plays along with some trivia.
September 5 example (with emoji and mini headline):
September 7 example (without emoji and mini headline):
The answers are featured at the bottom of the email. Talk about instant gratification.
September 5 answer:
September 7 answer:
This links out to Baker’s Twitter where you can watch the Top 10 plays.
They include a Watchlist section towards the bottom:
Yahoo! Sports AM doesn't shy away from promoting their platform with distinct callouts in sections like Headlines and Betting, guiding readers to explore more exciting content on their website.
Headlines example:
Betting section example:
Boardroom sends out a daily and two weekly newsletters. We’ll be focusing on the daily: HeadlineToGo. It provides “A morning rundown of the day’s biggest business news across sports, entertainment, culture and the key players in the industry.” Sent out to an unknown amount of subscribers.
Founded in 2019 by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman and is a 35V company.
Shoutout to Kevin Durant for spotlighting boba, arguably one of the most delightful beverages around. We certainly are enthusiasts!
The Subject Line for their emails are speaker emoji + HeadlineToGo + date. This creates a rhythm like pattern, and a consistent look in the inbox.
The Preheader will include more about what’s in the newsletter, here’s an example:
There isn’t a standard introduction like in some of the other examples. There is a header image with an image of the writer, Vinciane Ngomsi.
A minimalist yet captivating approach marks their visual aesthetics. A black line acts as a Content Divider framing the series of headlines, encouraging readers to explore each segment.
HeadlineToGo goes for comprehensive summaries in each section instead of too many external links. This approach nurtures a focused reading experience, helping readers soak in the essence without venturing out of their inbox.
We typically see “Presented by,” or “Sponsored by,” language at the top of a section. HeadlineToGo found a spot nestled under the image, adding a unique presentation.
It also featured collaborations styled as “From Our Friends at”, which may or may not have been a paid collaboration.
Although the newsletter doesn't overflow with interactive elements, and may not be their goal with HeadlinesToGo, it features a referral program encouraging readers to be a part of a growing community.
We didn’t notice any in the newsletter.
They didn’t include a specific “What we’re watching” or a Watchlist section with a variety of things to watch, but did have a shoutout to Boardroom.TV:
True to its name, HeadlineToGo seeks to offer readers a quick, yet informative reading session every morning. A notable choice is the limited external links, encouraging readers to soak it all in in the inbox.
The Underdog Newsletter confused us a little since there is a beehiiv page and a JokerMag page. From our understanding, The Underdog Newsletter is a part of Joker Mag, and is written by Tyler O’Shea.
Going with Joker Mag wording: “Get inspired by the best sports stories you’ve never heard & learn powerful lessons from underdogs beating the odds.” With over 7,000 subscribers according to their sign-up page.
The Subject Line for their emails may be undergoing a rebrand since they started including a dog emoji in their subject line accompanied by a couple of words:
The Preheader will include more about what’s in the newsletter, here’s an example:
There is an introduction at the beginning with the consistent sign off of “Let’s dive in.”
Visually, there’s a consistent yellow found throughout. Used as the color of the Content Divider, and in the graphics, maintaining a cohesive and vibrant look throughout.
The Underdog Newsletter was one of the few newsletters we analyzed using a graphic as a headline. Typically, a headline like “Top Stories 📰“ would be in an H1 or bigger font, but The Underdog Newsletter uses a graphic to denote most sections. Examples below.
Nestled towards the latter part of the email, Top Stories appears to be their Link Section.
As you venture further, the Extra Innings section is found below the referral program section towards the bottom, and offers shoutouts to readers along with a selection of additional links.
Sponsored Content finds its dedicated section, complete with a call-to-action button and multiple links, offering readers avenues to explore further.
The referral program finds its spot towards the bottom of the email, offering readers an opportunity to spread the word about The Underdog Newsletter.
The writer prompts readers to reply to the email, asking readers to let them know which story you liked most. Or you can take a poll to rate the edition of the newsletter. Both elements encouraging a dialogue, and can help with engagement and deliverability.
The Underdog Newsletter incorporates trivia into the newsletter with the answer found at the bottom.
We did not see a “What we’re watching”-like section, but it also might not be applicable since they’re focusing on one particular story in each newsletter.
Ending on a positive note, the Feel-Good Post section encourages readers to leave with a smile, a wonderful way to wrap up a newsletter filled with inspirational narratives.
💌 Thanks for joining the pack of newsletter enthusiasts! Keep on reading, writing and sharing your newsletters with the world.
Also want to shoutout folks that have been sharing their feedback with us. Thank you!
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