They Say Finns Are a Sports-Crazy Nation…

And it’s true, even if our domestic stadiums are considerably quieter than those in Southern European countries where emotions are displayed more openly. Sports broadcasts and especially major tournaments remain among the most watched programs on linear TV, and people do find their way to the stands, even if we don’t often see “sold out” signs.

Athletes and their stories interest people beyond the playing field. The countless biographical books and Netflix’s documentary offerings are proof of this. As a perfect example, while sitting in a middle airplane seat, my neighbor on the left was watching “Drive to Survive,” while on my right, someone was watching a documentary about Michael Schumacher on their phone.

Sports documentaries are being produced at an unprecedented rate, but even athletes pursuing their obsessive passions without medals—those competing only against themselves in arenas of their own making—are no longer relegated to the shadows. The rise of sports influencers has been steady, and their follower counts tell a powerful story about these new sports stars.

Domestic phenomena like Gilla FC and influencer All-Star hockey matches played to full arenas tell a new gospel of sports fandom—and a somewhat frightening truth for traditional players. Gilla is likely Finland’s most followed football team, and if you add up the players’ own social media accounts, they probably have more followers than all domestic major leagues combined. Looking at the positive side: influencers spreading the celebration of sports to young people are extremely important and make participation fun. Not all of us who went through junior training became professionals, but many of us had a love for playing ignited in our hearts. Hopefully, Gilla will inspire its followers to play pickup games for a long time to come.

Outside of team sports, influencers taking on incredible challenges are gathering eyeballs—people like Topias Kontio (cycling to the Egyptian pyramids and running back), rower Jari Saario, and I would bet that Joel Harkimo will further increase his following with his own adventure (+40% followers in a year with a 6.9% engagement rate). What unites them all is simple and continuous content creation, natural storytelling looking directly into their followers’ eyes, and straightforward talk about feelings and emotions. Openness and passion interest people, not to mention life choices that deviate from the mainstream.

In other words, it’s difficult to think of reasons why more “traditional” athletes or teams don’t do this systematically. Passion and unconventional living are also part of an athlete’s everyday life. Perhaps we should tear a few pages from the influencers’ playbook and get started? Or even call these adventurers and ask for a few tips on how to reach people’s hearts outside of national broadcasts?

Of course, inside many of us lives an ancient Finnish grump who prefers to toil alone and focus on essentials without particularly showcasing their work. Even if on the other side of the screen, people might be more interested in the journey than the medal.

You can certainly ask us for tips too. That’s what we’re here for.