June 11, 2025
New Report Reveals Top Sports Teams on Social and the Trends Driving Fan Engagement Across the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL
STN Digital’s 2025 League Social Performance Report shows the NFL and NBA dominate social media engagement, TikTok powering top content across leagues, and the Lakers, Dodgers, and Eagles topping the social rankings.
SAN DIEGO, CA — STN Digital, the leading social-first marketing agency in sports and entertainment, today released its annual 2025 League Social Performance Report, offering an in-depth analysis of the most successful content and tactics across the “Big Four” professional sports leagues: the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL.
The report analyzed more than 5,000 top-performing posts, revealing what truly resonates with fans in today’s crowded, digital-first landscape. The findings are clear: teams that embrace humor, authenticity, and platform-native content consistently outperform the rest.
“In today’s digital-first world, sports fandom doesn’t just live in stadiums—it thrives in scrolls, swipes, and double taps. Social media has become the ultimate battleground for sports leagues and teams,” said David Brickley, founder and CEO of STN Digital. “Our 2025 Social Performance Report proves what those of us that live in breathe social every day have long known: the teams winning on social aren’t always the ones winning championships—they’re the ones who understand how to show up authentically and creatively on each platform.”
Among the key findings:
- NFL and NBA dominate total engagement; these two leagues account for 82% of the top content by that metric.
- TikTok is king: 60% of the top 50 posts across all leagues were TikTok videos, powered by humor, trend-jacking, and personality-led formats.
Most effective content themes include highlight videos with on-screen text (+816x engagement rate lift), multiple player prompt content (+344x lift), and mic’d up moments (+337x lift)
Top Teams by Engagement Per Post (EPP)
- Los Angeles Lakers: 45.5K EPP
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 28.6K EPP
- Philadelphia Eagles: 25.0K EPP
- Golden State Warriors: 24.5K EPP
- Kansas City Chiefs: 20.4K EPP
These franchises consistently generated standout content across channels—often by giving fans behind-the-scenes access to authentic player experiences or by capitalizing on viral trends.
“With sports audiences increasingly fragmented across platforms, teams and brands need to think like creators and act like storytellers,” says Brickley. “The most successful strategies are those that tap into culture, feel native to each platform, and keep fans coming back for more.”
The 2025 League Social Performance Report serves as a playbook for sports marketers, brand strategists, and content creators looking to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Download the full 2025 League Social Performance Report here.
For a custom audit or to request a playbook tailored to your team, contact STN Digital at contact@stndigital.com.
About STN Digital
STN Digital is the leading social-first marketing agency trusted by the top sports and entertainment brands worldwide. STN specializes in launching brands and building highly engaged audiences through strategic storytelling and digital innovation. From social media strategy to content production and influencer activations, their expertise has helped world-class organizations establish a commanding social presence, achieve remarkable growth, and build iconic digital brands.