How Tim Curran Grew Office Chair Sports Newsletter to 120K Subscribers

For athletes or students who just graduated with a sports management degree, finding the right job can be tricky.

Although LinkedIn and Indeed are great resources, sometimes it’s who you know that gets you the job you want. That’s where our case study today takes us. 

We will meet the creator of one of the best sports newsletters on the market and learn how it’s helping 120,000+ readers navigate the sports business industry.

Whether you’re an athlete looking for your next chapter or someone interested in the sports business, this case study is for you!

MVP Behind the Playbook

The world of sports marketing and talent management has always been alluring. But with the thousands of various sources inundating the market, knowing who to trust and where to look can be challenging. That’s where Tim Curran comes in.

Tim Curran has carved out a unique niche by leveraging the power of newsletters to build vibrant communities. His journey began on the football fields of Cleveland, Ohio, where he played college football before transitioning into sports marketing. 

“I started a sports agency many years ago, but I have a sports background,” Curran recounts, detailing his early collaborations with USA Today and CBS Sports on MMA projects and brand campaigns.

Curran explains, “I moved to Los Angeles and was working on a lot of brand marketing and campaigns focused on media size. Sports and fitness sports were our bread and butter.”

However, Curran quickly identified a gap in the market for athlete representation, prompting him to pivot towards working directly with talents. 

“We saw a lot of missed opportunities for athletes on the talent side,” Curran explains. This insight led him to flip the script and start working with talents about five to seven years ago, diving into the worlds of MMA, social media, and brand campaigns tailored for athletes.

Enter Office Chair Sports newsletter, delivering sports jobs, internships, and trending sports biz news three times a week to thousands of readers.

With a solid background in sports and years of experience in brand marketing, Curran was perfectly positioned to spot opportunities in the sports media landscape, ultimately leading him to create multiple successful newsletter communities that connect and educate diverse audiences.

The Birth of Newsletters

His personal affinity for them inspired Curran’s foray into newsletters. "I've always enjoyed newsletters myself," he shares, citing influences like Morning Brew.

This passion, combined with his extensive network in sports, laid the groundwork for launching niche newsletters aimed at specific audiences.

One such newsletter is Our Coaching Network, which caters to high school football coaches. It provides insights into coaching techniques and industry updates, fostering a community where coaches can engage in live clinics and network with peers.

"We have several thousand subscribers," Curran notes, highlighting the newsletter's role as an amplifier for their community activities.

The Role of beehiiv

After trying other platforms, Curran migrated his newsletters to beehiiv, impressed by their rapid feature development and focus on growth and monetization.

"beehiiv is no doubt the best for everything that we want to do," Curran asserts. "You guys are shipping things faster than anyone has ever done in the history of shipping new features."

The platform's features have been instrumental in simplifying growth and monetization efforts.

"Monetization allows you to grow faster and bring in revenue," Curran adds.

What are Tim Curran’s favorite beehiiv features?

• Monetization tools

• Referral engine

• Easy-to-use interface without coding requirements

Today, Curran runs multiple successful newsletters on beehiiv, each serving a specific niche:

Office Chair Sports Newsletter

• Largest newsletter with 120,000 subscribers

• Targets younger demographics (Gen Z)

• Focuses on internships, sports jobs, and business news

• Publishes three times weekly (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday)

The Coaching Network Newsletter

• Niche newsletter for football coaches

• 6,000-7,000 subscribers

• Weekly publication schedule

• Includes live clinics and community features

Why Trust Me

Linda Hwang has extensive experience in B2B marketing and previously worked at a renowned international facilities management company. There, she played a crucial role in creating effective content and social media marketing plans. Now, Linda is a marketing consultant who helps small businesses create compelling brand stories.

Turning Playbook Pages Into Dollar Signs

Curran's newsletters employ multiple revenue streams:

• Cost-per-click advertising

• CPM-based advertising

• Direct brand partnerships

• Paid communities

"As soon as you see that first dollar on it, it's like I can actually make money on a newsletter," Curran shares about his experience with beehiiv's monetization features.

Building Trust and Community

Being a subject matter expert in your community starts with trust.

Curran also added that taking the time to nurture and grow your community and become a trusted source helped with the growth of his newsletters.

“It took us a little bit more researching and developing what we were going to be doing. We have those relationships with college coaches, the football industry, and athletes. And now, students at universities and all these different things are within our ecosystem,” Curran explained.

Regarding Our Coaching Network Newsletter, Curran remarked, "It took probably about three years to earn trust within the community." This patience has paid off, as both newsletters now serve as hubs for their respective audiences to learn, network, and grow.

When asked about getting his first thousand subscribers, Curran acknowledges it wasn't an overnight success, "Getting that first thousand or two thousand has been fairly easy just because we have those relationships, but it took us 5 to 10 years of actually having the agency and developing relationships."

What sets Curran's newsletters apart is their community-focused approach. "We ask questions, and we listen," he explains.

Advice for Rookie Newsletter Creators

Tim Curran’s journey in the world of newsletters serves as an inspiring example of how these platforms can transcend their digital roots to become vital tools for community building and professional development.

By strategically connecting thousands in the sports industry, Curran illustrates the power of focusing on niche interests.

Emphasizing the importance of starting small, Curran stated, "Stay very small because you can grow faster that way and then expand when you want to." This approach allows aspiring newsletter creators to cultivate a dedicated audience without spreading themselves too thin.

Curran also advises leveraging personal expertise or partnering with someone knowledgeable: "If you don’t have expertise, partner with somebody who does."

Through building on existing relationships and maintaining a community-first mindset, Curran has successfully established a thriving newsletter ecosystem. His journey highlights that with the right focus and consistent delivery of value, sustainable growth is not only achievable but also rewarding.

Next Season’s Game Plan

Looking ahead, Curran has ambitious growth plans:

• Doubling Office Chair Sports subscribers by the end of next year

• Expanding community features

• Launching new paid community initiatives

• Adding more virtual and in-person events

Crossing the Touchdown Line (Conclusion)

Tim Curran's story demonstrates that success in the sports newsletter industry isn't about sprinting to the top -- it's about running a strategic marathon.

Curran’s journey from football fields to digital publishing proves that with the right game plan -- focusing on niche interests, building trust, and delivering consistent value -- anyone can transform their industry expertise into a thriving newsletter community.

Ready to turn your sports industry expertise into a winning newsletter?

Join thousands of creators like Tim who are building championship-caliber newsletters with beehiiv.

Start your free account today and get in the game!