Tubi Premieres Jesser Soccer Series to Woo Gen Z as Creator Ad Spending Heads to $44 Billion
Updated
Updated · CNBC · May 16
Tubi Premieres Jesser Soccer Series to Woo Gen Z as Creator Ad Spending Heads to $44 Billion
1 articles · Updated · CNBC · May 16
Jesser’s exclusive soccer-focused series debuted on Tubi on Friday, extending Fox’s push to use creator-led programming to pull Gen Z viewers onto its free ad-supported streamer.
Tubi has been signing YouTube personalities to make platform-specific shows, betting those creators can bring loyal social-media followings to streaming and give advertisers younger audiences that traditional TV struggles to reach.
Creator content is gaining prominence across this year’s upfronts as media companies seek more ad-supported inventory; YouTube held 12.7% of streaming viewership in February, ahead of Netflix’s 8.4%, according to Nielsen.
Advertiser demand is following that shift: creator-content spending reached $37 billion in 2025 and is projected to rise to $44 billion this year, according to the IAB.
In the battle for our attention, will the creator economy ultimately absorb Hollywood, or will Hollywood tame the creators?
When every brand becomes a media company, how does this change the very definition of advertising?
With AI influencers becoming indistinguishable from humans, how will audiences redefine authenticity and trust in media?
Tubi Surpasses 100 Million Users: How Creator-Led Content and Gen Z Focus Are Transforming Streaming and Ad Spend
Overview
Tubi is rapidly growing, reaching 100 million monthly users and 1 billion hours streamed per month by May 2025. By January 2026, it surpassed major competitors in TV viewing share and achieved profitability. Building on this strong position, Tubi is focusing on Gen Z by investing in creator-led content and programs like Stubios, which supports new talent from diverse backgrounds. These efforts were highlighted at its NewFronts presentation, showing Tubi’s commitment to fresh, authentic content that appeals to younger audiences and sets it apart from traditional streaming platforms.