BENCH Talk with Dasarte Yarnway

Welcome to BENCH Talk—the podcast where sports, culture, and content collide. I’m Dasarte Yarnway, bringing you unfiltered conversations about the biggest stories in sports, the future of content creation, and the journeys of the athletes, creators, and innovators shaping the game. Each week, we’ll break down the latest headlines, uncover behind-the-scenes stories, and explore what’s next for sports fans and creators alike. If you’re ready to stay ahead of the curve and hear from the people driving the future of sports, you’ve found your spot. This is BENCH Talk. Let’s get into it.

EP 30. The 99% of Sports: The Untapped Monetization Opportunity with Bryce Root 07/14/2026

EP 30. The 99% of Sports: The Untapped Monetization Opportunity with Bryce Root Most conversations about sports sponsorships focus on the biggest athletes, leagues, and media properties. But that represents only a fraction of the sports economy. In this episode of Bench Talk, Dasarte Yarnway sits down with Bryce Root, founder of Root Group Marketing, to discuss the monetization opportunity surrounding tier-two athletes, emerging leagues, alternative sports, and the communities supporting them. Bryce explains why talented athletes can have meaningful audiences and recognizable brands while still struggling to cover the cost of competing. Equipment sponsorships may help, but as Bryce puts it, gear does not pay rent. The conversation explores why athletes need to diversify beyond social platforms, how teams can build content systems that serve multiple departments, and why brands may generate stronger returns by partnering with smaller but highly trusted sports communities. They also discuss the infrastructure athletes and organizations need to turn content, fan relationships, sponsorships, subscriptions, merchandise, and live experiences into sustainable revenue. Topics include: • Why tier-two sports represent an overlooked market • The financial realities facing alternative and emerging-sport athletes • Why relying entirely on Instagram or YouTube creates risk • The value of owning a direct relationship with fans • How teams can get more value from every content production • Why sponsorship packages should be built around measurable outcomes • How BENCH is building monetization infrastructure specifically for sports • The importance of engaging fans who may never attend a game Learn more about Bryce and Root Group Marketing at rootgroupmarketing.com. Create your free BENCH account and start building a direct relationship with your sports audience at BenchSports.com. /episode/index/show/60d248b8-f9aa-40f5-b790-2ed0cdee87bf/id/42062575