Top YouTube creators like MrBeast, the Sidemen, and Jake Paul are quickly changing the entertainment world. They are making waves in TV and streaming, and platforms are welcoming them with open arms.
Creators Become Global Brands
The Sidemen, a group with over 150 million subscribers, recently released the second season of their show Inside on Netflix. It follows the success of their YouTube series. Netflix has even commissioned a U.S. version of the show. Recently, the Sidemen also sold out Wembley Stadium for a football match featuring stars like MrBeast and Jake Paul.
Meanwhile, MrBeast’s Beast Games—a reality show inspired by Squid Game—became a huge hit. The show reportedly boosted Amazon’s subscriber count more than ever before. Thanks to this success, there are plans to spend $150 million on each future season.
Sidemen manager Jordan Schwarzenberger explains, “Deals like these help creators grow and reach bigger audiences.”
YouTube: The New TV
Creators are now operating like studios themselves. For example:
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MrBeast spends over $1 million per video.
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The Sidemen team has more than 100 people working on production.
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Brandon Baum, a visual effects YouTuber, works with a 30-person team, many of whom have TV experience.
YouTube is now the top service for watching content on smart TVs in the U.S. In fact, more people watch YouTube on their TVs than on their phones.
For streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon, working with creators is a smart move. Creators bring in a young audience and can make content at a fraction of the cost of traditional TV shows.
The Creator Economy Is Growing
Between 2021 and 2023, YouTube paid $70 billion to creators. MrBeast alone earned $85 million last year. The Sidemen have built a mini-empire with their businesses. These include restaurants, consumer products, a vodka brand, and a $25 million venture capital fund.
According to MIDiA Research, the global creator economy is set to grow to $64 billion by 2031. The number of video creators is expected to jump from 239 million in 2022 to nearly 700 million.
Ben Woods, an analyst, says, “Only a few creators will become stars, but the ones who do will be as powerful as any media brand.”
The world of YouTube creators is only getting started. As Schwarzenberger put it, “We’re the guinea pigs of this shift—and we’re proving it can work.”