ESPN is bringing on viral content creator Katie Feeney to lead a fresh social media and Snapchat strategy. The network announced on Monday that she will join as a sports and lifestyle content creator.
At just 22 years old, Feeney boasts nearly eight million TikTok followers and is poised to redefine what a modern sports media personality looks like. If the future of sports media is digital and social-first, then Feeney is already well ahead of the pack.
The recent Penn State graduate will take the helm of SportsCenter on Snapchat, a platform with over 9 million subscribers that ESPN has largely let sit dormant recently. Alongside that, she’ll produce daily vertical videos for an upgraded ESPN app experience launching this fall. Her work will complement ESPN’s existing creators, who specialize in quick, social-first storytelling.
Feeney will also appear across some of ESPN’s highest-profile shows, including Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown, and College GameDay.
Before joining ESPN, Feeney carved out her niche by blending sports access with viral content. She was the Washington Commanders’ first social media correspondent and has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the ESPYs. Brands have taken notice, rewarding her with six-figure deals to appear at events and create social content.
And that unique ability to mix personal storytelling with major sports moments is exactly why ESPN is investing in her.
“Katie has built an impressive and authentic connection with sports fans by blending access, personality, and Gen-Z culture in a way that feels fresh and engaging,” said Kaitee Daley, ESPN Senior Vice President, Digital, Social and Streaming Content. “Her perspective and creativity are a perfect match for how we’re reimagining coverage to meet fans where they are, and we can’t wait to see the energy she brings to ESPN’s daily coverage and live event moments.”
Feeney says this opportunity feels like a full-circle moment.
“I grew up watching SportsCenter with my family,” she said. “I’m proud to now be part of the storytelling that brings ESPN to millions of fans around the world.”
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.