YouTube star MrBeast has used Instagram Reels to announce plans for a basketball showdown between English-speaking and Spanish-speaking digital-first creators. The ‘Basketball Stars’ event will take place on April 25 with MrBeast choosing the English-speaking side and Mexico-based creator Fede Vigevani selecting the opposition.
The showdown is the latest in a stream of creator-led sports events across disciplines such as football, boxing and golf. Basketball, with its global reach and strong youth following, is an obvious arena for creators like MrBeast to explore.
During the announcement, MrBeast called on Kai Cenat and iShowSpeed to get involved. At time of writing, however, line-ups have yet to be announced.
Aside from the identity of the participants, a few other key questions are yet to be answered. Will there, for example, be any female talent involved? And will it be a charity event – like The Sidemen’s Wembley soccer match? Also, will it be shown exclusively on YouTube? MrBeast has an ongoing relationship with Amazon Prime Video, so it’s possible he might seek wider exposure for the event. Similarly, will MrBeast look to boost credibility by linking the event to NBA talent (as VIP guests)?
A couple of other points are interesting to note. Firstly, the decision to match up English-speakers versus Spanish-speaking creators is an opportunity for the two protagonists to significant expand their global footprint. Vigevani, who has 65 million subscribers, particularly stands to benefit from MrBeast’s 300m fanbase.
Secondly, the speed at which the event is being organised is much faster than traditional sports can ever hope to achieve. Because creators don’t need to undergo the same level of conditioning as elite athletes, and because the professional sports calendar is so politically and commercially sensitive, it is impossible for traditional disciplines to act with this kind of lightning quick speed.
