Two emerging digital sports publishers, OffBall and Togethxr, announced a partnership this week designed to share resources and expand their reach in a rapidly evolving media landscape. The deal reflects a growing trend among niche digital outlets to prioritize sustainable growth and direct audience engagement over traditional venture capital-fueled scaling.
Togethxr, founded in 2021 by prominent female athletes Alex Morgan, Sue Bird, Simone Manuel, and Chloe Kim, alongside veteran sports media executive Jessica Robertson, focuses on women’s sports. OffBall, launched in September 2024, covers sports culture. Both companies have adopted unconventional strategies, emphasizing social media, newsletters, and video content.
According to ADWEEK, Togethxr generated approximately $30 million in revenue in 2025 and achieved profitability. Revenue streams include custom content creation for brands, premium video production – such as the series “Surf Girls” – and merchandise sales. The company’s trademarked slogan, “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports,” has become a recognizable symbol and a significant revenue driver, generating over $6 million in sales, according to the report.
OffBall, while smaller with a team of eight, has also experienced rapid growth. The company’s revenue increased by 105% over the past year and is projected to reach the mid-seven figures in 2026, according to co-founder Michaela Hammond. OffBall primarily generates revenue through branded content partnerships with companies like Nike, WhatsApp, and CashApp.
The partnership will allow both publishers to leverage each other’s strengths. Togethxr, which historically has limited advertising inventory tied to major events in women’s sports, will gain access to OffBall’s “always-on” advertising opportunities through its focus on sports culture and athlete lifestyle content. OffBall will benefit from Togethxr’s established sales, business development, and operations teams, reducing the necessitate for external fundraising, according to OffBall co-founder Adam Mendelsohn.
“The challenge when you raise the money is that you put yourself under immense pressure to scale revenue, and that leads to a slippery slope,” Mendelsohn said. “We’re trying to figure out if there’s a different way to do that.”
The structure of the deal, which involves Togethxr taking a minority equity stake in OffBall and receiving revenue tied to the partnership’s performance, reflects a shift in media entrepreneurship away from heavy capital investment and rapid scaling. Instead, publishers are focusing on cost-effective operations and building direct relationships with engaged audiences through channels like newsletters and social media, as reported by Mark Stenberg in ADWEEK.
This approach is also driven by the increasing cost of original content production and the challenges faced by both established and emerging publishers in covering popular topics on limited budgets. The Washington Post recently shuttered its sports bureau, while other outlets are seeking more efficient ways to deliver sports coverage, according to Stenberg’s reporting.
As part of the partnership, Togethxr will gain access to first-party data from OffBall’s newsletters and website visitors, as well as its expanding event portfolio. OffBall hosted four events in 2025 and plans to host six in 2026. The company also recently partnered with NBC News to produce original programming around NBA culture and is exploring similar partnerships in other sports.
The deal was reported initially in Mark Stenberg’s newsletter, “On Background,” a weekly publication focused on the media industry. Stenberg noted the partnership is not a merger, but a strategic alignment designed to foster mutual growth without requiring additional capital.
