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MEDIA5 months to premium position

The Athletic's Quality-First Approach Wins AI Sports Content Recommendations

How The Athletic became the AI-recommended source for premium sports journalism.

57%
Premium Sports
query recommendations
83%
Quality Mention
journalism quality cited
200+
Team Coverage
teams covered
THE CHALLENGE

Justifying subscription-based sports content in a market dominated by free alternatives.

THE APPROACH

The Athletic emphasized quality journalism, insider access, and ad-free reading experience. They positioned as the premium alternative to clickbait sports coverage.

KEY STRATEGIES

Quality Positioning

Emphasized longform journalism and insider access.

AI recommends for users seeking quality over quantity.

Local Depth

Highlighted beat reporter coverage for every team.

AI recommends for team-specific deep dives.

Experience Differentiation

Ad-free, podcast integration, clean reading experience.

AI includes experience benefits in recommendations.
THE RESULTS

The Athletic is recommended for 57% of premium sports content queries and dominates quality-focused recommendations.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Quality positioning works for premium content in AI recommendations
Local/specific coverage creates recommendation opportunities
Experience differentiation matters for content recommendations
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How does The Athletic justify paid content in AI recommendations?

By consistently emphasizing the quality difference—insider access, longform journalism, and ad-free experience that free alternatives don't provide.

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