In Sports, You Just Can’t Win Without Stars (On or Off the Field)

In an opinion piece on Substack & LinkedIn, Ben Shepherd, General Manager Strategy of the NRL, wrote that long-term commercial sustainability of professional sport is increasingly tied to star power rather than competitive balance or traditional fan loyalty.

While tribalism and team allegiance remain important,  Shepherd said that the broader audience driving media value is made up of viewers who engage with sport primarily as entertainment, not identity.1

This group, often referred to as “non-fans” in a traditional sense, plays an important role in mainstream reach.

Comparable to film and music, where major hits break through once they appeal beyond core fan bases, sports properties achieve scale when they attract casual viewers who are drawn to personalities and narratives rather than purely results.

This is particularly relevant in a media environment where broadcast and digital viewership underpin sponsorship, player salaries, and competitive investment.

While a stadium crowd may number in the tens of thousands, broadcast audiences routinely multiply that scale hundreds of times over.

As such, the drivers of televised engagement, and not just attendance, shape the competitive and commercial hierarchy of global sport.

Shepherd also researched into UEFA Champions League audiences, highlighting this point clearly. A 2022 study found that star players were the strongest determinant of viewership, followed by the presence of “star teams”.

“The analysis here indicates that TV viewers are interested in both the presence of star players and team quality, but not uncertainty of outcome.” 

Game closeness and uncertainty of outcome, traditionally considered central to sports appeal, had significantly less influence. Similar trends have been recorded in basketball and other major leagues.

“It also adds to the growing number of studies that indicate TV viewers’ preferences for team quality and/or the presence of star players in other sports, including basketball,” Shepherd added.

The star-driven model is most clearly illustrated by the NBA.

Its commercial growth since the 1980s has been underpinned by a layered portfolio of recognisable personalities: a “pyramid of stars” ranging from globally known figures (LeBron James, Stephen Curry) to mid-tier athletes who maintain strong followings among regular fans.

This structure allows the league to market storylines that resonate beyond dedicated supporter segments and sustain consistent national and international media interest.

By contrast, Shepherd noted that leagues struggling to scale broadcast value often lack players who are recognisable to the public. Their marketing tends to focus on match attendance and existing fan bases rather than building athlete narratives that could attract broader audiences.

For leagues seeking commercial growth, particularly those in competitive domestic environments, the strategic takeaway is direct: star building is not incidental; it is foundational.

Identifying players with strong personalities, compelling personal stories, and cultural resonance may be one of the most powerful levers for shifting audience composition and unlocking greater media and sponsorship value.

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