A new website with a quirky name is tapping into the inertia of sidebar sports content. Launched Sept. 8, Offball.news curates crossover sports and pop culture content.
The site acts as a destination for content where fashion and celebrity status share the court with sports. On a random night in October, the site featured a photo of Dua Lipa wearing a University of Texas jersey. Viewers could find a clip of Ariana Grande doing a Celine Dion impression over footage of a UFC Fight on SNL. There’s a link to an article published by the student-run newspaper “The Chronicle” about the crazy nature of Duke basketball fandom.
Offball exists to take readers and viewers outside sports’ core.
“The demand and energy around sports as a broader cultural conversation were at an all-time high in terms of sports and athletes’ relevance to fashion and music and even business and global growth — there just wasn’t a place where you could quickly get all of the information that was relevant to that space,” Offball co-founder Michaela Hammond said. “You know — Who’s sitting courtside? New fashion collabs, interesting people. There are no X’s and O’s. It’s not game-to-game stuff. There are plenty of other sources [where] people can get that information. It’s more about all the other fun, pop culture information.”
In today’s world, there’s plenty of material to curate. The editors who manage the site have many of options, especially now that Taylor Swift’s boyfriend plays for the Kansas City Chiefs (or Swift is dating a future hall-of-fame tight end, depending on your point of view). Brothers Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce have created their own fandom — along with their family — following their Super Bowl matchup a couple of years ago.
Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark has generated national buzz with her flashy and splashy style of play, which has brought more attention to the fashion WNBA players bring to their arenas. On Offball’s website, one headline asks, “Is Sabrina Ionescu the New Queen of The Shoe Game?”
Then there are athletes like Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher sensation Paul Skenes, who is dating mega-influencer Livvy Dunne, an LSU gymnast. The dynamite pitcher who started in the All-Star game this year might be less famous than his girlfriend.
Who’s dating whom, who is wearing what, and all the gossipy things in between are high-demand content. The crossover content introduces traditional sports fans to celebrity content and celebrity followers to sports. The site also highlights news about sports TV celebrities and broadcasters.
Offball’s website emphasizes aesthetics, with modern fonts and a smart section hierarchy. The ads, which stretch the entirety of the screen, are bold and impactful. One advertises Hyperice, a Normatec compression massage boot for athletes to help them recover from workouts or games.
OffBall's editorial team has wide-ranging experience across media with experience at Sports Illustrated, Business Insider, Bleacher Report, and the LA Times.
“We really don’t do ‘capital-J’ journalism,” Hammond said. “We 100% support [capital-J journalism]. That’s what matters. It’s super important across the sports ecosystem.”
She noted that capital-J news outlets are featured on the site. One example is a piece by Reuters reporting on the prospects of the NBA returning to China. Another teaser points to an article by the Kansas City Star about “The Oldest Rivalry Game You Hadn’t Heard Of.”
“Our door is open for media, journalism and creators,” Hammond said. “We celebrate all the good stuff.”
Bob Miller has spent more than 25 years in local newsrooms, including 12 years as an executive editor with Rust Communications. Bob also produces an independent true crime investigative podcast called The Lawless Files.
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