Premier League USA on TikTok
The 7th Annual Awards
- Best TikTok Presence
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
We launched the Premier League's official USA TikTok channel to serve as a discovery platform for younger, more diverse fans, tapping into the growing soccer and sports-interested audiences in the U.S. The goal was to break away from traditional social media roles and embrace the way modern fans experience the game—playing by their own rules and discovering the Premier League through unexpected entry points. Beyond driving engagement, our mission has been to expand the league’s role as a marketing and promotional vehicle for clubs, broadcasters, and partners while fostering a new generation of American soccer fans.
How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?
The Premier League USA TikTok sets a new benchmark for how global sports leagues engage modern fans—prioritizing participation over passive viewing. By embracing TikTok as a fan-first platform rather than a traditional marketing channel, we empowered audiences to shape the narrative, making soccer more accessible, inclusive, and culturally relevant in the U.S. This wasn’t just about delivering content it was about sparking conversation, amplifying diverse voices, and redefining what it means to be a Premier League fan.
By moving beyond traditional sports storytelling and leaning into humor, unfiltered takes, and community-driven content, we transformed engagement into active fandom. The success of this approach proves that leagues don’t need to rely solely on legacy or tradition to grow, they can create new entry points that meet audiences where they are. As the sports industry looks to the future, this work offers a roadmap for how brands can foster deeper, more meaningful connections by embracing fan culture, not just broadcasting to it.
Objective
The Premier League's official USA TikTok channel was launched to serve as a discovery platform for younger, more diverse fans, tapping into the growing soccer and sports-interested audiences in the U.S. The goal was to break away from traditional social media roles and embrace the way modern fans experience the game—playing by their own rules and discovering the Premier League through unexpected entry points. Beyond driving engagement, our mission was to expand the league’s role as a marketing and promotional vehicle for clubs, broadcasters, and partners while fostering a new generation of American soccer fans.
Strategy & Execution
Recognizing that the U.S. sports landscape is unlike any other, we approached TikTok not as a brand but as a fan. Our content strategy, anchored in the "Free to Fan" ethos, positioned Premier League USA as an inclusive space where every version of fandom is valid.
Unlike traditional sports channels focused on game recaps, our approach leaned into:
* Community-driven highlights – tapping into fan-made content, amplifying the moments that mattered most.
* Unfiltered takes – instead of just delivering facts, we engaged fans through hot takes, humor, and culturally relevant storytelling.
* Real people as the stars – leveraging creators, man-on-the-street interviews, and unexpected narrative-driven commentary, ensuring the community saw themselves reflected in the content.
We overcame challenges, including:
* Differentiating from the PL's global TikTok presence, which already catered to hardcore fans.
* Bridging the gap for sports fans who were soccer-curious but hadn’t yet engaged with the PL.
* Making the history and tradition of the PL accessible and exciting to a U.S. audience unfamiliar with European football culture.
Our strategy revolved around creator collaborations and proactive community engagement, ensuring our content resonated with both soccer diehards and new fans discovering the league for the first time.
Organizations
- We Are Social U.S.
- Premier League
Links
Credits
Jas Dhami
VP of Sport & Streaming
We Are Social U.S.
Dana Byrnes
Associate Account Director
We Are Social U.S.
Loraine Miranda
Senior Project Manager
We Are Social U.S
Matt Walker
Executive Creative Director
We Are Social U.S.
Martin Staaf
Sport Group Creative Director
We Are Social U.S.
Julien Llerena
Senior Copywriter
We Are Social U.S.
Niki Mahmoodi
Copywriter
We Are Social U.S.
Amanda Kopacz
Motion Designer
We Are Social U.S.
Sasha Mariano
Associate Design Director
We Are Social U.S.
Casey Hobgood
Strategy Director
We Are Social U.S.
Celebrate in NYC
Join us for the 7th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 24, 2025 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.
