Baddog Sports: An Xperience Interview

By Rob Skane.

On a platform that is inundated with highlight reels and hot (well, mostly lukewarm) takes, Baddog Sports stands out. He has carved out his own corner of social media by turning a passion for sports into a fast-growing YouTube channel. The reactions and analyses are always sharp, informative, and spirited. BaddogSports has built an audience of 152,000 people who tune in regularly for the personality as well as the play-by-play. I recently had the chance to ask a few questions, and here’s what BaddogSports had to say:

RRX: What inspired you to start your YouTube channel, and what was your very first video like?

BS: Back in 2007, I was searching YouTube for Giants highlights, and I came across a channel that had a highlight video of still shots of Giants history. I clicked on the channel and found a guy who had videos of him talking about the New York Giants, and I immediately said, “Man, I would love to do that!” So I made a channel and began talking about Giants football. I had that channel from 2007 to 2009. I left YouTube for five years and came back with a new channel in 2014.

RRX: How do you come up with ideas for your videos, and what does your creative process look like from concept to upload?

BS: When I make videos or content, the ideas are kind of made by the team itself. I discuss the game, or things I’d like to see within the organization. I talk about things I like and dislike.

I also broadcast live games, giving play-by-play and analysis for the Giants, Yankees & Lakers.

The best idea I came up with was the roundtable concept. I came up with this during COVID in the summer of 2020. With no sports to watch at the time, I thought it would be cool if I got a content creator from each of my division rivals Cowboys, Commanders, Eagles, and myself [Giants]). This was immediately popular and has become a staple all over YouTube, with others using the idea for each division. Even beat writers used this concept (Giants, Eagles, Commanders, and Cowboys beat writers did a roundtable as well)

RRX: What was the turning point when you realized your channel was gaining traction?

BS: When I began doing live play-by-play and reaction streams during sports games. I noticed my channel starting to gain a lot of traction. I’d always wanted to be a play-by-play commentator. It was my dream job, but I never pursued it. YouTube allowed me the outlet to live out my dream, and do it without censorship, allowing my personality to shine through. The Los Angeles Lakers live streams are where I really began to grow. Although I’m a Knicks fan, I began doing Lakers games in 2018-2019 because they played late at night. This allowed me to still spend time with my family and stream after they went to sleep. The Lakers have a massive global following, and my channel started to grow in other countries.

RRX: How do you build and maintain a genuine connection with your audience?

BS: I try to say hello to each and every person who enters one of my live streams. Sometimes there are thousands of people in there, but I try to make it a point to greet everyone who enters the chat if they comment. I do my best to interact with them during stoppages in play as well.

RRX: What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a creator, and how did you overcome it?

BS: The biggest challenge on YouTube is trying to figure out their ever-changing algorithm. It is a very complicated thing that nobody seems to quite understand. So it is a constant challenge trying to keep up with the algorithm so people will continue to see your videos in their feed and get notifications when you’re live, or make a video

RRX: How do you balance making content you love with adapting to YouTube trends and the algorithm?

BS: As mentioned previously, trying to figure out the algorithm is definitely a challenge. When I see a video that exceeds my normal analytics, I try to use the same keywords, description, and similar thumbnails, but my content rarely changes. I continue to cover the same three teams (Giants, Lakers, Yankees)

RRX: What’s something surprising or misunderstood about being a YouTube creator that people don’t see behind the camera?

BS: There’s no difference between what people see on camera and how I am in real life. The only surprising thing may be how much time it actually takes for a content creator to make videos and live-stream games. Especially when you work a full-time job on top of it.

It may seem pretty easy just to sit in front of a camera and give your thoughts. And while the concept is easy, the amount of time spent making the content may be underestimated. Most of the bigger content creators do not work full-time jobs, have wives, or children. I have all of the above. And, as you know, I also go to the gym five days a week, so I stay pretty busy. I take great pride in my work ethic, and always want to give my best for the people who tune in to my channel.

RRX: How do collaborations or networking with other creators shape your work?

BS: Collaborations are a great way to have your channel seen by another audience. It is a great way for content creators to help one another get seen. My buddy and I were the first to have a weekly running show of one particular team (the New York Giants), and it helped both of us grow at the beginning of our YouTube careers. Some people have the misconception that YouTube is a competition. That is the farthest thing from the truth. The great thing about YouTube is, anyone can tune in to anyone’s channel at any time. You do not need to pick and choose one particular content creator to watch.

RRX: In what ways has creating content changed you personally or professionally?

BS: There really has been no change for me personally or professionally. I just get less sleep, lol.

Also, once in a great while, someone may recognize me, in public, from my YouTube channel.

It’s extremely humbling when people thank you for what you do. As a guy who is just an average person, and a fan of a team who shares his opinions, I’ve been humbled many times by people who thank me for what I do and how I may have helped them through tough times in their lives. Or people who look up to me as a content creator, or a fan.

RRX: Where do you see your channel and creative journey going in the next few years?

BS: I don’t plan on making any drastic changes to my channel. I enjoy covering the teams I do. Doing play-by-play and collaborating with other creators. I’m just hopeful my channel and audience continue to grow over the years. When I started doing live streams in 2018, I had around 2,000 subscribers. I never imagined my channel would grow to over 150,000 subscribers.