Toby White dives into the growing world of TikTok sport commentary
For years, conversations around sports have been dominated by TV and radio studios, and further back newspaper columns. Ex-players and pundits set the agenda. Fans’ views could only travel by word of mouth.
Now it’s flipped. These days, especially in football, fans themselves are building huge audiences just by grabbing a phone and hitting ‘record.’ Some of these creators rack up hundreds of thousands of followers. They’re not household names, but within their niche they are huge. We call them micro-celebrities. They earn attention on YouTube, TikTok, or podcasts. Their audiences aren’t massive, usually thousands: people who don’t have a million followers but feel close and real. You trust them because they’re not in a suit in a fancy studio getting paid millions of pounds. People like the unfiltered perspective of the fans. They cover the stories big networks ignore. They respond to comments, stream live, and bring you into the conversation. That mix of personality and direct connection makes them stand out.
There are many types of these ‘micro-celebs’ and I’m going to show you some examples and tell you their stories.
Mark Goldbridge
Mark Goldbridge built his name by speaking to fans in a way TV never did. He started streaming ‘watch alongs’ for Manchester United games on YouTube, reacting live to every high and low. Despite some controversy, his humour and over the top reactions are funny to most including myself. We see him shout at the screen and celebrate goals like any fan in a pub would. Mark Goldbridge made history when he signed a deal with the Bundesliga. He now streams twenty Friday night matches for the 2025–26 season on his YouTube channel. The Bundesliga also gave rights to The Overlap and the BBC, but Goldbridge stands out because he’s the first independent creator in the UK to land official broadcast rights for a major European league. To date Mark has 400,000 subscribers and is by far the biggest micro celeb.
RoryTalksFootball
RoryTalksFootball built his audience on TikTok by keeping things simple. He points the camera at himself, gives his take on the latest match or transfer story, and posts it straight away. He’s a huge Arsenal fan; you don’t get fancy edits or studio lights; you get quick and honest opinions that sound like a mate. That approach made him stand out in a crowded feed. Fans watch because he reacts fast and isn’t afraid to say what he thinks. Over time, those short clips turned into a loyal following of over 285,000 followers on TikTok and more than 34 million likes across his videos. Rory is one of the clearest examples of a micro-celebrity in football media.
Tom Garratt
In my opinion Tom Garratt is the funniest and most relatable of the lot. He’s a fan who speaks his mind in a brutally honest way. He supports West Brom and earnt his way onto the Pitch Side podcast. Tom Garratt co-hosts Pitch Side, a UK football podcast. He joins Theo and Reev every week to debate matches, transfers, and fan culture with energy and humour. The podcast posts long-form episodes and builds its audience with honest takes you don’t hear on TV. Pitch Side is now one of the biggest football podcasts in the world.
TikTok gives niche sports creators a platform. RoryTalksFootball, Tom Garratt, and others show you what mainstream media ignores. You watch, comment, and share, and their following grows fast. Engagement drives sponsorships and opportunities. You don’t need a big network to get noticed anymore. Social media rewards creativity and your attention to detail. Fame has changed, and you are part of it.
