Sports Reference is one of the most trusted and cited sports statistics sites on the internet, including Baseball Reference, Basketball Reference, Pro Football Reference, and FBref. Over the course of its partnership with Freestar, RPM grew 223%. The growth came from a deliberate, format-by-format strategy that protected the fast, clean experience its users rely on.
- Built around their strategyFreestar’s Publisher Success team expanded formats one at a time as trust grew, starting from standard banners.
- Video, introduced carefullyTested on a limited basis first, video earned $1M in its first quarter and drove 42% of 2025 revenue.
- Revenue that funds growthAd revenue helped Sports Reference grow from 11 to 46 employees while preserving the user experience.
The Brief
Relied on by fans, journalists, analysts, and broadcasters alike, Sports Reference began as a passion project and grew into a highly engaged sports media platform. Its sites are built for speed, utility, and trust, for engaged users who visit for data and fact-checking.
When Sports Reference set out to find a new monetization partner, it needed a strategy tailored to its business priorities. Protecting the user experience was central. The team wanted a partner who could optimize performance without pushing formats that would undermine long-term health. Freestar’s publisher-first approach, flexibility, and white-glove service brought the two companies together.
The Solution
Freestar’s Publisher Success team built the strategy around Sports Reference’s priorities rather than a template. Sports Reference started with standard banner ads across desktop and mobile, then expanded into new formats as trust grew.
- Sticky footers: A mobile sticky footer launched in 2019, followed by a desktop sticky footer in 2020. Freestar continued to refine placements and used Dynamic Ad Stack to improve performance while keeping pages fast and clean.
- A deliberate video rollout: Video launched in 2022, first on a limited basis. The team monitored user feedback and expanded only after confirming the format didn’t affect engagement. Video generated $1 million in its first quarter and has since become a core part of the business.
- Recovering lost revenue: In 2025, Sports Reference added Freestar Recovered, capturing revenue that would otherwise have gone unrealized, with minimal operational lift.
Sports Reference also extended its reach through acquisitions. In 2023 it acquired Immaculate Grid and Immaculate Footy. Immaculate Grid reached viral popularity and became one of its top-performing properties.
“We’ve always been very focused on protecting the user experience — it’s been our number one priority since day one. Freestar has always approached the relationship as a true partnership, building around our strategy and goals rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all approach. They’ve been collaborative, flexible, and focused on helping us grow in a way that makes sense for our audience and our business.”
Sean Forman · Founder · Sports Reference
The Results
Rather than maximizing short-term revenue at the audience’s expense, the strategy focused on deliberate optimization and long-term growth. Over the course of the partnership, RPM grew 223%. Two gains sit underneath that number: viewability improved 74% and CPM rose 127% as Freestar refined placements, tuned the format mix, and used Dynamic Ad Stack to improve advertising performance. All of it was achieved while maintaining the clean user experience Sports Reference is known for.
Video became a growth engine. The rollout was slow and deliberate, but the results were immediate. Video generated $1 million in its first quarter, and by 2025 it accounted for 42% of Sports Reference’s total revenue. A format that was approached with caution is now a core part of the business.
Acquisitions extended the reach. Immaculate Grid and Immaculate Footy, acquired in 2023, delivered 31% year-over-year growth. Immaculate Grid reached viral popularity and became one of the company’s top-performing properties, bringing new sports audiences into the network.
Freestar Recovered added a new layer of revenue. After launching in Q4 2025, Freestar Recovered captured more than $560K that would otherwise have been left on the table, delivering a meaningful incremental return with minimal operational lift.
Why It Matters
Sports Reference closed 2025 with 7% year-over-year growth and is on track to recover more than $3 million in 2026 with Freestar Recovered fully integrated. Its internal scale reflects the same momentum: coming out of 2020 with 11 employees, it is now hiring its 46th.
The monetization strategy has directly funded product growth, hiring, and continued investment, all while preserving the user experience that remains core to the brand.
Join the World’s Most Trusted Publishers
See why industry leaders like Fortune Media and The Associated Press trust Freestar to power their growth
