🏈 Creators take over Super Bowl

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Trump signed off on a new U.S. sovereign wealth fund and casually threw out the idea of using it to buy TikTok. No real plan yet—just talk.

Creators are taking over the Super Bowl—here’s how

The Super Bowl isn’t just about football anymore—it’s a massive marketing playground, and creators are making big plays this year. Forget just appearing in commercials—creators are setting up shop in Super Bowl houses, partnering with brands for fan festivals, and getting VIP access to the game’s biggest events.

Creator Super Bowl houses 🏠

Talent agencies like Rewired Talent are renting out houses in New Orleans for creators to film content, host brand activations, and cash in on the Super Bowl buzz. These houses act as content hubs, with brand sponsors paying to have their products featured in videos, from nutrition supplements to wellness gear. Instead of shelling out $8 million for a 30-second ad, brands get organic exposure through creator content—a cheaper and arguably more effective way to tap into audiences.

The NFL’s creator takeover: The NFL is going all-in on creators this year, hosting 150 influencers from the U.S., Germany, Brazil, Mexico, and the U.K. to generate social content. Plus, the NFL and YouTube’s Access Pass for Legends program is expanding, giving creators exclusive game footage to remix into their own videos. Last year, this program helped generate 200 million views, proving that fans love creator-led sports content just as much as the game itself.

Beyond the big game: Verizon is hosting its first-ever fan festival, spanning 30 NFL markets nationwide, complete with meet-and-greets, special events, and food collabs with top creators. Luxury and fashion are creeping into the Super Bowl scene, with exclusive NFL fashion showcases and high-end creator-hosted brunches.

The Super Bowl isn’t just a TV event anymore—it’s a multi-platform creator economy moment. Whether through exclusive houses, NFL-backed initiatives, or global fan activations, creators are carving out their own Super Bowl-sized revenue streams—and brands are paying attention.

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The rise of timeline apps

Tired of algorithms dictating your feed? A new wave of timeline apps is here to fix that—letting you curate your own content, minus the social media chaos.

What’s happening: Apps like Tapestry, Reeder, Unread, Feeeed, and Surf are taking an old-school RSS reader approach, but modernized for today’s internet. Instead of bouncing between YouTube, Bluesky, Instagram, podcasts, newsletters, and news sites, timeline apps bring all your favorite feeds into one place—chronologically ordered, no algorithm meddling.

Why it’s a big deal

• No more doomscrolling—only the content you actually care about.

• Faster browsing—find the latest from your favorite YouTubers, bloggers, or podcasters in seconds.

• Customization on steroids—filter out keywords, mute topics, and even create separate timelines for different content types.

The challenge: Timeline apps aren’t fully interactive yet—you can read Bluesky posts but not reply, or watch YouTube videos but not comment. Some, like Surf, are working on making engagement possible. But even as a content shortcut, timeline apps are already a game-changer.

This might just be the internet’s detox moment—a return to curated, intentional consumption rather than algorithm-driven chaos. If you’re tired of social media’s junk feeds, timeline apps offer a way out—and a way to finally keep up without burning out.

YouTube declares itself the podcast king

YouTube is making it clear: podcasts are now a core part of its platform. For the first time, Google highlighted podcasting in its earnings call, signaling a major shift.

Why it matters

• Podcasts are now visual. YouTube is pushing video podcasts, competing directly with Spotify.

• Politics played a role. Trump’s 2024 campaign leaned on podcasters, driving millions of politically engaged viewers to YouTube.

• YouTube is embracing its influence. CEO Neal Mohan was spotted at a pre-inauguration party with Trump-friendly podcasters.

YouTube isn’t just for videos—it’s now the biggest podcast platform. With Google fully backing this shift, Spotify’s audio-only model looks outdated.

Today’s top updates

• LinkedIn is bringing its For You video feed to desktop, adding a video section to profiles, and introducing an "average watch time" metric.

• Tom Brady launched 199, a newsletter on Kit covering business, football, and health.

• Sixteenth, now owned by Whalar, is launching a sports division to turn pro athletes into creators.

• Instagram is testing a pause feature on Reels, letting users start and stop videos with a tap.

• Meta is updating AI content labels on Facebook and Instagram for clearer disclosure.