By Andy Marston, Sports Pundit
Scripted sports content is making a return to YouTube and this time, it’s coming from the creators themselves.
Shanked, a new workplace golf comedy from London Alley and a collective of internet-famous comedians (Laura Clery, Mitsy Sanderson, Blake Webber), has launched directly on YouTube as a creator-owned franchise.
Shot for roughly 10% of what a traditional streaming service might spend, the series combines low production overhead with high creator reach, short-form amplification (TikTok, Shorts, Reels), and in-series brand sponsorships (like Olipop).
So far, it’s working. Episode one has ~170k views, with 75% coming via YouTube recommendations on smart TVs which is timely, as YouTube strengthens its grip on the living room.
Why It Matters:
YouTube is fast becoming a home for long-form, scripted content (again) but, importantly, this time it’s bottom-up, not top-down (like it first tried to be with YouTube Originals).
The approach echoes recent conversations on the podcast with YouTube’s Rob Pilgrim as well as Present Ventures’ Vansa Chatikavanij (investor in TGL and Good Good Golf) who pointed out golf’s unique traction on the platform.
Like Good Good, Shanked is further proof that we’re moving beyond audience building toward IP development.
And given this is a model that is cost-efficient, instantly memeable, and primed for merchandising, I would expect to see even more creator-owned series like this appear across both popular and niche sports, with monetisation that blends together content, commerce, and community.
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