We are truly entering an unprecedented era of sports media.
Teams are no longer just subjects of media scrutiny; they’re now teaming up with the media itself. And not just any media, but production companies run by personalities who sit on ESPN panels and trade hot takes for a living.
Take Shannon Sharpe.
Sure, he’s not your typical media member. He’s a Hall of Fame tight end, a fixture on sports TV, and someone who once nearly sparked a courtside brawl with the Memphis Grizzlies over his beloved Lakers.
He’s also the founder of Shay Shay Media, which has quickly established itself as a powerhouse in the digital content space.
And now, the Atlanta Hawks are joining forces with him.
On Tuesday, the Hawks announced a strategic partnership to bring their official team podcast and video series, Hawks AF (And Friends), to Sharpe’s Shay Shay Media network. The show, hosted by Atlanta native D.C. Young Fly, now finds itself alongside some of the most-streamed original shows in sports and entertainment, including Club Shay Shay, Nightcap, The Bubba Dub Show, Humble Baddies, and Club 520, which features former Hawks guard Jeff Teague.
This isn’t just a move to boost visibility.
Shay Shay Media has built a massive digital following — over 10 million strong — and racked up over 10 billion YouTube impressions in 2024 alone.
To announce the deal, D.C. Young Fly appeared on Nightcap alongside Sharpe and Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson, putting the partnership right in front of the audience it hopes to win over.
“As a Georgia native, I’ve seen firsthand how Atlanta has grown into a hub for sports, music, and entertainment,” Sharpe said. “Credit to the Hawks for capturing that cultural dialogue with Hawks AF. We look forward to working with D.C. Young Fly and the Atlanta Hawks organization to bring their phenomenal content to an even wider audience.”
But this partnership also raises some interesting questions. What happens when the person distributing a team’s podcast is also one of the loudest voices in sports media, unafraid to take shots at players or call out front offices? What if Trae Young finds himself in Sharpe’s crosshairs on a future episode of Nightcap?
We’ll find out soon enough.
