The media landscape is undergoing a significant shift, with athletes increasingly taking center stage. For years, they’ve fought for a level playing field where their perspectives and expertise were recognized. While respect between athletes and journalists has always existed, a recent surge suggests athletes are reclaiming the narrative by embracing media roles previously held by individuals with traditional backgrounds.
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton exemplifies this trend.
Since the start of 2024, he has become a prominent figure in sports media discussions. He even aims to become the most successful athlete-turned-YouTuber, a testament to his belief in the power of athlete-generated content.
During his recent appearance on The Big Podcast with Shaq and Adam Lefkoe, Cam Newton boldly declared that “we’re living in the golden age of athlete-generated content, more than any other time in sports history.”
“People tune in to podcasts — this is a podcast epidemic, you know what I’m saying?” Newton told Shaquille O’Neal. “Everybody got one. You get a podcast; you get a podcast. But the truth of the matter is, people are leaning into receiving their content in a different way; digesting it in a different way. If I want to hear about basketball, I want to hear from Shaquille O’Neal, not ******* respectfully, Stephen A. Smith.
“And Stephen A.’s a good guy. But, it’s like, are you comparing apples to apples? Yeah, am I a fan of Scott Van Pelt? Am I fan of — rest in peace — Stuart Scott? Yeah; do I want to suppress their road to — no, by no means. But, if you’re talking about real emotions, real preparations, real feelings, real experiences, you’re going straight to the source.”
It’s noteworthy that Newton mentions Smith, especially considering their recent apparent squashing of beef. While acknowledging respect for Smith and other ESPN colleagues, there’s a clear tension between Newton’s preferred information sources and the current media landscape dominated by figures like Smith.
While Smith has yet to respond directly, he has previously voiced criticisms of “new media.” And part of the new media landscape is the ability to maintain relevance while generating viral moments. Though, Smith, with a well-established history of attracting attention for his strong opinons, would know a thing or two about that.
“And the thing that I’ve marveled that he’s done an excellent job of doing that I’m just now getting out, you always see Shaq. I went to Office Depot…Papa John’s. I went to Office Depot…Papa John’s,” contiuned Newton. “He’s always positioned himself to stay relevant. And my fear is, I don’t really want to oversaturate myself. And where I’m from, it’s like, bro, you want to be the mystique; you want to be the mysterious person, not the person that’s always everywhere. Now, it’s like, Yo, I’m go from a situation — the hunted — where offers come left and right…Now, I’m the hunter. Not so relevant on the field, but still trying to generate as much buzz as possible…I also had a fear of going to a major network because I felt like I was gonna be muzzled. I literally have been viral for good reasons and bad reasons over the span of three months than any other athlete.”
Newton, reflecting on the differences compared to the athlete-media environment of the 90s and early 2000s, acknowledges that athletes back then relied heavily on agents and publicists for their media appearances. While he admits to not striving for perfection, he expresses a desire for his journey to serve as a learning experience for others. He hopes someone will see his mistakes and say, “Wow, he (messed) up there. I need to be better.”
While the shift towards athlete-driven narratives continues, with Newton leading the charge and aiming to be a guiding example, his commentary also sparks questions about the future coexistence of traditional and “new” media.
