The Secret Company That Owns 30% of ALL YouTube Subscribers

Summary

Night Media, founded by Reed Dutcher, has become YouTube's largest management agency, representing creators like Mr. Beast and Ryan Trahan. Starting with Dude Perfect in 2014, Dutcher leveraged his NFL sports agent background to secure sponsorships, despite brands' initial skepticism. The agency's success with Mr. Beast, who grew from 1 million to 13.8 million subscribers in a year, solidified its reputation. Night Media expanded with a $20 million investment fund, Night Ventures, to support creators in launching consumer startups. In 2022, a $100 million investment allowed for an in-house studio and further expansion, shaping the future of content creation and turning YouTubers into cultural icons.

Takeaways

• 😀 Night Media is the largest management agency on the internet, with a significant portion of YouTube's subscriber base under its management.
• 🏆 The company was founded by Reed Dutcher, who transitioned from being an NFL sports agent to recognizing the potential in online content creation.
• 🤝 Dutcher's first major success was with Dude Perfect, leveraging his NFL connections to secure sponsorships when YouTube creators struggled to do so.
• 💼 Night Media's approach involved more than just securing sponsorships; it aimed to partner with creators to significantly grow their channels and audiences.
• 🚀 The story of Mr. Beast's partnership with Night Media illustrates the company's willingness to take risks on creators with high growth potential.
• 📈 Mr. Beast's growth from 1 million to over 13 million subscribers within a year validated Night Media's strategy and risk-taking.
• 💼 Night Media's expansion included signing other major creators and eventually launching a $20 million investment fund called Night Ventures.
• 💼 The investment in Night Media grew to $100 million in 2022, enabling the company to provide even more resources to creators, including an in-house studio.
• 💡 Night Media's success with Mr. Beast's businesses, such as Beast Burger and Feastables, demonstrates the potential for creators to expand into mainstream businesses.
• 🌐 The company is shaping the future of content creation, with YouTubers becoming new celebrities and expanding into businesses beyond the platform.
• 📊 Despite Mr. Beast ending his exclusive contract with Night Media, the two entities maintain a partnership, reflecting the ongoing influence of the agency.

Q & A

What percentage of YouTube's subscriber base is accounted for by a single company mentioned in the script?

The script mentions that one single company accounts for 30% of the entire subscriber base on YouTube.

Who is the founder of the company that has become the largest management agency on the internet according to the script?

The founder of the company, which is now known as night Inc, is Reed Dutcher.

What was Reed Dutcher's profession before he founded night Media?

Reed Dutcher was an NFL sports agent before he founded night Media.

How did Reed Dutcher initially approach Dude Perfect for representation?

Reed Dutcher crafted a compelling email and reached out to Dude Perfect, who at the time had about 2 million subscribers.

What was the challenge faced by YouTube creators in 2014 regarding sponsorships?

In 2014, it was impossible for creators on YouTube to get sponsorships because brands did not see YouTube as a serious platform yet.

How did Reed Dutcher leverage his NFL agent background to secure a deal for Dude Perfect?

Reed used his expertise and connections from being an NFL agent, along with case studies and data, to convince Callaway golf to sign a 3-month partnership with Dude Perfect.

What was the name of the streamer that Reed Dutcher approached after Dude Perfect?

Reed Dutcher approached the streamer known as Typical Gamer from Justin.tv.

Who is the 'little guy' from North Carolina that night Media took a risk on, as mentioned in the script?

The 'little guy' from North Carolina is Mr. Beast, who had about 1 million subscribers when night Media first took notice of him.

What was the controversial video concept that Mr. Beast wanted to do with night Media, and what was the outcome?

Mr. Beast wanted to make a video where they fired a gun at 1,000 magnets to see if they could stop a bullet. Despite concerns about gun-related content, the video went on to get 57 million views in 3 days.

What significant investment did night Media receive in 2022, and how did they use it?

In 2022, night Media received an investment of $100 million, which they used to skyrocket their Venture Capital fund and provide bigger resources within their investments, including an in-house studio for producing content.

What is the current status of the relationship between Mr. Beast and night Inc according to the script?

Mr. Beast has ended his contract with night Inc, but they left on good terms and will continue to have an ongoing partnership, just not a fully exclusive one.