Sports content creators: the new voice of African sport

For a long time the preserve of journalists and TV channels, talking about sport has changed its face. Now, fans, amateur analysts and even professional sportspeople are speaking for themselves, on camera or on the mic, to share their views on the game, the players and the issues. They are known as sports content creators. They break down matches, analyse, explain or comment on the news in their own words, with their own style and tone.

This revolution is driven by the dramatic rise of social media and platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and podcasts, which have broken down the barriers between the public and the producers of information. With a smartphone, a connection and a strong idea, anyone can create, publish and build a community. In Africa, the phenomenon is taking on particular scale. As a means of expression, recognition and protest all at once, content creation is becoming a new channel for telling the story of African sport, often closer, freer and sharper than the traditional media.

When passion becomes a project

Stan Diop describes himself as a pure football fanatic. "I only talk about football", he says. Even before the cameras, he would go over matches by phone with his friends. The idea of filming himself came from a spark in 2016, during a Euro match between France and Germany: "On a sofa, with 4 to 5 friends, I went for it", he recalls. English content creators served as his model. Stan started out modestly on Facebook with about thirty followers, including members of his family. Then came the breakthrough. In April 2017, after a Champions League match, he gained 10,000 followers in 48 hours. Another surge came in October, when he came out with his now famous word: "tocard", used to describe a player having a poor game. The word went viral. Since then, the tone has been set.

A fully fledged profession

Today, Stan Diop produces close to 300 videos a year. For him, content creation is not a hobby but a real job: "Before you get in front of the camera, there is a lot of unseen work to do. You have to find your own style, prepare your content mentally, be on top of the news." He stresses the importance of substance as much as form. And above all, the pressure from the audience. "If they don't find it relevant, they won't go easy on you." But despite the demands, making a living from his passion remains hugely satisfying. And even though he has other projects on the go, he admits this activity gives structure to his daily life.

Not at war with the traditional media

Contrary to what some think, content creators are not in direct competition with traditional journalists. "We don't do the same thing. Some media outlets even get in touch about collaborations, and that makes me proud." Stan sees it more as complementary. In his view, everyone can find their place in the media landscape in their own way.

When sportspeople become content creators themselves

The phenomenon goes even further. It is no longer just fans or analysts producing content: sportspeople are getting in on it too. Inspired by the wave from the United States, they understand that social media is a direct and powerful way to control their own narrative, humanise their image and reach a new generation of fans. American basketball player Draymond Green hosts his own podcast while still active in the NBA. Aurélien Tchouaméni, firmly on the rise at Real Madrid, has recently launched a podcast to talk about life behind the scenes in football with high-profile guests. Former Nigeria international John Obi Mikel has also taken this route, telling his story in a personal, free-flowing format.

Abdou Diallo, the podcast as a way of opening up

Among the most emblematic African figures of this trend, Abdou Diallo stands out. The Senegal international has launched his own YouTube podcast called "Abdou Dialogue", in which he talks to inspiring personalities. He covers subjects rarely discussed in the traditional media: the reality of life as a footballer, commitment, openness, mental health, and more personal conversations, notably with his brother Ibrahima Diallo, also a footballer. This podcast is much more than a simple communications tool. It becomes a space for free, sincere, almost therapeutic expression, in which the player bares himself. The sportsman becomes the narrator of his own story. He takes control of his image, his words and his legacy.

Growing recognition

The recognition is also international. Stan cites the Times ranking of the 100 most influential content creators in the world: "It proves this is an important profession, one that reaches specific social groups. People see themselves in what we do." The world is changing, and social media is now its epicentre. The proof? When Aliou Cissé gave Stan Diop an interview, it was not through a mainstream outlet, but quite spontaneously, simply because the national team coach appreciates his work.

The rise of sports content creators in Africa is not a passing trend; it is a revolution in the way sport is told. With figures such as Stan Diop and Abdou Diallo, a new media language is taking hold: more direct, more personal, freer. And above all, more in tune with a connected, demanding generation hungry for authentic content.