For decades, sports teams needed the media more than the media needed sports teams.

For decades, sports teams needed the media more than the media needed sports teams.

I'm not sure that's true anymore.

I saw a story this week about high school athletic programs charging content creators for sideline access. It got me thinking.

Almost everybody pays for access to sports. Broadcasters, sponsors, brands, fans, concessionaires.

Historically, media provided something teams desperately needed: reach.

Today, teams have massive direct audiences through social, apps, email, streaming and their own content operations.

Meanwhile, a growing creator economy is building businesses around access to teams and athletes.

So what is that access worth?

I'm not suggesting that reporters should start paying for credentials, but as journalism and commercial content creation continue to merge closer together, it's something I'd be paying attention to as a media entity.

But I brought this idea up 10 years ago and people thought it was crazy.

Maybe it still is. 😂

Or maybe high school sports are showing us where the economics of access are headed next.