If you spend any time on social media, you’ve probably noticed the NFL is doing something interesting. Not on the field. Not in a draft room. On TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. Teams across the league have quietly added to their content strategy, and it’s paying off in a massive way.
Open almost any team account and you’ll see the same pattern. There’s a huge spike in behind-the-scenes content. Equipment managers show how helmet decals get applied. Another video walks through how a player’s locker is prepped for gameday. Logistics staff explain what it takes to feed a traveling party of 150 people. Sometimes it’s setting up 90 hotel rooms. Sometimes it’s loading hundreds of bags onto a plane. It’s simple stuff. But fans love it.
Scroll the comments and you’ll see the enthusiasm.
“I love this stuff. Please post more.”
“This is so cool.”
“Give us a full series!”
The videos aren’t complicated. They aren’t expensive. They aren’t created for awards or to impress the rest of the industry. They’re created for fans. And fans feel like they’re seeing something special.
So how does that relate to news media? Much more than you think.
Whether you run a news/talk radio station or a major cable news network, your audience is still a group of fans. They enjoy your product. They trust your brand. They follow your personalities because they’re invested in them. And very often, they want to feel closer to the process. They want to know how the machine works.
But news outlets rarely show it.
Most stations and networks are still stuck in a strategy that treats the audience like outsiders. They post show clips. They post graphics. They post promos. Nothing is wrong with that. But it’s not enough anymore. Not in a world where fans want access. Not when the NFL, a famously protective league, is opening the doors and letting people walk through the building virtually.
Other brands figured this out years ago. Barstool Sports turned it into a business model. They talk about their office drama more than sports on some days. It works because the audience is invested in the personalities. Every emotion becomes content. Every argument becomes something fans follow. And every behind-the-scenes moment deepens the connection.
News media already has personalities people care about. You have characters. You have stories. And you simply choose not to share them.
Why not show how a morning show actually gets on the air? Why not show what a producer looks for when screening calls? Show how a newsroom handles breaking stories. There’s real interest in that world. The audience already imagines what it’s like. They’d watch the real version.
People want to see how the sausage is made. Let them.
This doesn’t require a budget, or if it does, it’s a small one. It doesn’t require a strategy meeting. Hand someone a phone. Tell them to capture what they already do. Authenticity wins on social media. Not polish. Not perfection. Access.
The NFL teams didn’t overthink this. Teams simply started posting moments the public usually never sees. And guess what? Fans rewarded them with attention, engagement, and loyalty. It’s the same outcome news media wants. The same outcome news media needs.
Your audience is telling you exactly what they want. They want to feel included. They want to feel connected. They want to feel like part of the team. You can keep giving them the same clips and promos you always have. Or you can open the doors and invite them in.
The NFL chose access. And the results speak for themselves.
It’s time news media did the same.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
