The Washington Commanders Hire Influencer Katie Feeney As Their First-Ever Social Media Correspondent

Source: The Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders hired TikTok star Katie Feeney as the first-ever "Commanders Social Media Correspondent,” a first-of-a-kind partnership in the NFL. Feeney, who has over 10 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, will help amplify fan engagement throughout the upcoming football season. She will share content on her personal accounts as well as the team’s accounts to cover events such as the team's Draft Party, media day, training camp, and select home games.

Feeney's massive following demonstrates her ability to create engaging content and build an audience. These skills align well with the Commanders’ needs, as they are in the middle of a brand refresh. As a result of her unfiltered access to what will be the biggest moments of the Commanders’ inaugural season, she can give a behind-the-scenes look at the team and bring in new fans. 

The hire reflects two trends that have gained traction recently. The first is sports organizations leaning into creators to reach a younger audience. The second is companies hiring creators for full-time roles or consulting gigs and becoming an extension of their companies. 

Other notable examples of this include the NHL hiring Josh Richards as a special advisor and the MLS tapping Noah Beck as its first “Social Playmaker.”

Feeney's role primarily focuses on content creation. In contrast, Richards’ and Beck's roles have additional components on top of content creation. Still, they are all rooted in organizations seeing creators and their platforms as key to increasing engagement amongst the younger demographic, mainly Gen Z.

Creators are equipped with an array of skills and expertise, including trendspotting, distributing content, garnering attention, and building community. Coupled with their entrepreneurial spirit, creators can contribute to almost any business, allowing them to impact many functionalities within an organization. This will lead to more companies expanding beyond traditional influencer marketing and starting to see creators as extensions of their brands.