Can You Monetize Sports Highlights on YouTube?

Summary

The video script narrates the creator's journey of monetizing sports highlights on YouTube, focusing on NBA basketball. Initially, it was a hobby, but after a viral video, monetization became a possibility. Despite facing copyright claims and demonetization, the channel thrived temporarily. However, the constant threat of legal action and the ethical dilemma led to the decision to cease posting highlights. The video offers insights into the risks and challenges of monetizing sports content without owning rights.

Takeaways

• 🏀 The creator started a YouTube channel in 2015 focusing on Jimmer Fredette's basketball highlights.
• 📈 Initially, the channel gained little traction but grew in popularity when Jimmer played in China and scored 73 points in a game.
• 🚫 The creator's channel was not monetized initially due to concerns about copyright and being underage.
• 🌍 During a two-year absence, the channel was managed by a brother and friend, and upon return, monetization was attempted but initially rejected.
• 🎉 After being accepted into the YouTube Partner program, the channel monetized successfully off a video of Jimmer scoring 70 points.
• 📚 The creator learned about China's different copyright rules for sports broadcasts, which allowed monetization without issues.
• 🔄 The channel was renamed to 'enzyme Hoops' to cover all basketball players and started posting NBA highlights in 2022.
• 📊 The channel experienced exponential growth in views and subscribers after posting NBA highlights but faced copyright claims.
• 🚫 YouTube demonetized the channel for posting reused content and copyright claims, despite initial monetization success.
• ♟️ The creator tried various strategies to avoid copyright issues, such as adding voiceovers and deleting claimed videos, but to no avail.
• 🛑 Faced with the risk of channel termination and legal repercussions, the creator decided to stop posting sports highlights to avoid further issues.

Q & A

Can you monetize sports highlights on YouTube?

Yes, it is possible to monetize sports highlights on YouTube, but it comes with complexities and risks, as detailed in the script.

What was the name of the YouTube channel started in 2015 by the script's narrator?

The YouTube channel started in 2015 was called 'The Gym or Watch', focusing on Jimmer Fredette highlights.

Why did the channel start gaining traction after Jimmer Fredette went to China?

The channel gained traction because it became one of the few places where people could find highlights of Jimmer Fredette's games in China.

What significant event led to a surge in views for one of the channel's videos?

The video that showed Jimmer Fredette scoring 73 points in a game blew up, leading to over 500,000 views.

Why was the channel not monetized initially?

The channel was not monetized initially because the narrator was only 16 and unsure if they were allowed to make money off the videos due to not owning the rights.

What happened to the channel when the narrator applied for monetization for the first time?

The first application to the YouTube Partner program was rejected, likely due to rights issues.

How did the narrator's experience with monetization change after being accepted into the YouTube Partner program?

After being accepted, the narrator was able to monetize videos and made over a thousand dollars from a video where Jimmer Fredette scored 70 points.

What is the narrator's understanding of the copyright rules for sports broadcasts in China?

The narrator understands that Chinese courts do not classify sports broadcasts as something protected by copyright, allowing monetization under certain conditions.

Why did the narrator decide to change the channel's focus to all basketball players and rename it to 'Enzyme Hoops'?

The narrator changed the channel's focus and renamed it to cover all basketball players because Jimmer Fredette was nearing the end of his career.

What were the consequences of the narrator posting NBA highlights on their channel?

The channel was demonetized twice due to copyright claims and the narrator faced the risk of channel termination and legal repercussions.

Why did the narrator ultimately decide to stop posting sports highlights?

The narrator decided to stop due to the discomfort of making money off content they did not own, the difficulty of earning revenue, and the risk of legal repercussions.