YouTube unveiled a slate of new creator shows at its Brandcast 2026 event, including sports-focused content from Jesser and Dude Perfect as the platform seeks a larger share of the athletic and competition series market.
Jesser will launch "Pros vs. YouTubers," a competition series, while Dude Perfect introduces "Squad Games." Both shows are set to premiere exclusively on YouTube through 2027.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan told the audience, "Welcome to the YouTube era," positioning the platform as an alternative to traditional entertainment built on formulas and focus groups. Mohan said YouTube empowered anyone with a story to find an audience, allowing the platform to attract established talent who might otherwise work with legacy media companies.
Trevor Noah hosted the annual event and emphasized YouTube's broad content range. "These days, everything is on YouTube, everything. Sports, entertainment, interviews, podcasts, you name it," Noah said.
YouTube Chief Business Officer Mary Ellon Coe called the exclusive creator opportunity a "first for the Brandcast stage," highlighting that creators like Noah, Alex Cooper and Jesser "could've gone anywhere and they chose YouTube."
Alex Coo who presented a new slate of shows for her Unwell Network, criticized traditional media. "Legacy media spent decades deciding who we should watch. Their problem is this generation stopped asking for permission," Cooper said.
Cooper added that traditional networks "didn't lose this audience. They never had her," explaining that audience loyalty is earned through choice, not algorithms, driving creators to build new content homes on YouTube.
The new slate also features Quen Blackwell's "Feeding Starving Celebrities 2.0" and programming from Kareem Rahma. Cooper's Unwell Network slate includes "Before the Steps," "Pot Stirrer" and "Holiday Hard Launch."
