This Creator Is Taking On ESPN

The most refreshing voice in sports isn’t on ESPN.

He’s in his twenties, works from home, & might be building the future of sports media.

This week, we’re breaking down how @defaultpositive is taking on the multi-billion dollar sports media machine… with nothing more than a DIY news desk and a unique point of view.

1. What’s the story?

Default Positive started as a reaction to what sports media has become — loud, negative, and mostly just old guys shouting at each other.

So he took a different route.

Instead of clickbait and outrage, he tells stories that remind you why you fell in love with sports in the first place — with curiosity, heart, and a point of view that actually makes you feel something.

2. How does their brand narrative feed this?

At its core, Default Positive stands for one thing:

“Sports are supposed to be fun.”

That belief — sports should make you feel better — isn’t just a personal mantra.

It’s the foundation of a media brand built on trust, curiosity, and smart storytelling.

In a little over a year, he’s added ~50K followers, had multiple videos reach millions, and quietly become a recognizable voice in sports media.

3. What are the content pillars?

🟨 Enemy Marketing: Sports Media Has a Problem
→ Clips calling out the hot-take industrial complex (Stephen A. Smith, ESPN, etc.)
→ Paints a clear enemy and makes the viewer nod along

🟦 Secrets & Stories
→ “The secret to Scottie Scheffler’s run”
→ “The story behind this 9-year-old chess prodigy”
→ Personal, interesting, and uplifting angles on the best stories in sports

4. What are the formats?

There’s really just one — and it works.

🟩 Newsroom Setup

• A simple “anchor desk” aesthetic

• Talking directly to camera

• Split-screen clips underneath for reference/context

It has the look and feel of a real newsroom, but it’s simple to produce.

5. Other things to call out

🔥 Enemy marketing works — and negative sports media is the perfect villain
🤝 Mission everyone can rally around — “Sports are supposed to be fun.”
📈 A repeatable content strategy that’s easy to produce — simple is good.

6. What You Can Steal

• One format can be all you need to get started

• Call out the things people already feel but haven’t said

• For whatever industry you’re in — a unique POV in “news format” is a simple and repeatable way to capture eyeballs and mindshare

• You don’t need to be an expert, but you do need a unique POV

• Make your brand feel like the antidote to whatever people are tired of seeing

What I love most about Default Positive is that it’s not flashy.

But it’s consistent, clear, and different.

And these days, that’s what builds real trust and real traction.

If you’re trying to grow your audience or business with a story-first strategy, StorySchool shows you how to do it.

Inside, you’ll learn how to turn your unique POV into a repeatable growth system — with 25+ real brand case studies, proven storytelling playbooks, and a custom content OS to run it all without burning out.

You can get started here.

Rooting for ya,
—Dodds