Every second matters. In sports, a split-second decision can define a game. The same is true in digital media; whoever posts first controls the narrative.
Sports teams, leagues, and brands live in a world where engagement decays in minutes.
A viral moment has a lifespan of 15 minutes on X, a few hours on Instagram, and by the time most organizations get their content live, the moment has passed. The audience has moved on.
The truth? If you’re not first, you’re forgotten.
The Engagement Gap: Why Fast Content Wins
Social platforms reward speed. Algorithms push fresh content to the top.
Fans crave instant highlights, real-time reactions, and behind-the-scenes moments. The longer content sits in an approval queue, the less valuable it becomes.
A great photo is useless if it doesn’t reach the right people fast enough.
Players want their tunnel walk shots before kickoff. PR teams need images for press releases immediately. Digital teams can’t afford to post late.
Disorganization kills speed. NASCAR’s media team struggled with scattered assets until they automated. “If there’s breaking news, within a minute, the person who needs the photo has the photo,” said Tadd Haislop, NASCAR’s Manager of Digital Editorial.
Photographers can’t be bottlenecks. The NFL’s content teams manage assets for 250+ regular-season games and playoffs. They needed a frictionless workflow, not another manual step slowing them down.
It’s not just about posting faster. It’s about having the infrastructure to move at speed.
The Playbook for Speed: How Top Teams Stay Ahead
The best organizations don’t just react to moments, they’re built for them.
- The Buffalo Bills scaled their content workflow to distribute 1,200+ images per game, instantly.
- The Detroit Lions deliver sponsor-driven content in under 60 seconds.
- NASCAR automates 1,650+ media requests per month.
What do they have in common? PhotoShelter.
A Real-time digital asset management (DAM) system that allows content teams to move at the speed of the game.
- Automated workflows. No waiting for emails or approvals. Assets go straight from photographers to players, media partners, and fans.
- AI-powered tagging. Instant identification of key players and moments, reducing search time.
- Direct distribution. Get content to those who need it—before the moment loses its impact.
As Ben Liebenberg, Director of Photography at the NFL, puts it: “By the time players are back in the locker room, they already have their photos on their phones. That’s how fast we move.”
The Business Case: Why Speed Drives Revenue
Speed isn’t just a competitive advantage; it’s a business strategy.
- More engagement, more reach. The first post gets the most shares, setting the tone for every conversation that follows.
- Stronger sponsorship value. When a brand’s logo is in a viral highlight, its impact multiplies.
- Better player amplification. Athletes are media channels themselves. Give them content first, and they’ll amplify it to millions of followers.
The NFL leveraged 1.2 million assets to generate 40 million+ social impressions from just 13 Super Bowl images. That’s the power of getting content out first.
Ben Liebenberg told us, “At the Super Bowl, we captured post-game portraits of the top players and coaches. Patrick Mahomes kissing the trophy? That shot went out to all social channels immediately. That post alone hit 9.9M+ impressions, 1.2M engagements, and became the Top 0.01% of content ever on NFL.”
Own the moment or lose it.
The future of sports content isn’t about creating more; it’s about delivering faster.
Investing in real-time workflows isn’t optional. It’s the difference between leading the conversation and chasing it.