Christopher Hamill – Senior Executive Producer at The Athletic and Visionary in Digital Football Media
In the fast-moving world of sports media, certain names stand out for their creativity, dedication, and ability to transform online communities into global audiences. One such figure is Christopher Hamill, Senior Executive Producer at The Athletic and a highly respected professional in digital football media. With more than a decade of experience in the field, coupled with an earlier career in advertising, Hamill has built a reputation as a solution-focused, innovative leader who thrives on building large football audiences across multiple platforms. His journey, from university studies in film and television to spearheading Football Daily’s rise as a recognised brand, demonstrates his passion for the craft and his commitment to staying ahead of the competition.
Early Life and Education
University of Nottingham
Christopher Hamill studied at the University of Nottingham, where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television Studies between 2010 and 2013. In his first year, he combined Film with Chinese Studies before dedicating his second and third years fully to Film and Television Studies.
During his time at Nottingham, Hamill’s enthusiasm for media was already evident. He served as Head of Sports at the Nottingham University Television Station, gaining early experience in production, content creation, and managing teams. This period laid the foundations for his later achievements in sports media, giving him both technical expertise and a taste of leadership within a creative environment.
Early Career in Advertising
Big Communications and Bigdog Agency
Before moving into football media, Christopher Hamill worked in advertising. In 2013, he joined Big Communications as a Production and Traffic Executive. Following a merger in 2015 with balloon dog, the agency became bigdog, where Hamill continued to develop his skills.
His responsibilities included optimising workflow, overseeing print projects for clients such as Brantano, Kingstone Press, and Harley Davidson, and handling procurement for global PR events. He was also involved in pre-production for seasonal campaigns for high-profile clients including Jaguar Land Rover and Vidal Sassoon.
During this time, Hamill earned Adobe Certified status in Premiere Pro and honed his skills in After Effects. He produced corporate videos for brands such as Quorn, Jones The Bootmaker, Arcadia, Boost, Vidal Sassoon, and Saint Gobain Group. These experiences gave him a wide range of transferable skills, particularly in digital marketing, social media, and content production—skills that later proved invaluable in football media.
Filmmaking Training
In 2015, Hamill took a bold step by leaving advertising to study filmmaking at the New York Film Academy. The intensive eight-week course covered directing, producing, cinematography, scripting, lighting, editing, and sound engineering. Over the duration of the programme, he worked on more than 25 short films in multiple roles, building confidence as a self-shooter.
This training added another dimension to his creative arsenal, allowing him to approach digital content not just as a producer but as a hands-on filmmaker capable of delivering projects end to end.
Rise in Digital Football Media
Diagonal View and Football Daily
In 2016, Christopher Hamill joined Diagonal View as a Digital Producer, working on Football Daily and Euro Football Daily. At that time, the channels already had over a million subscribers, but Hamill’s vision and leadership would help propel them to much greater heights.
By September 2017, Hamill was promoted to Head of Channel – Football, where he oversaw the growth of Football Daily into one of the largest football communities online. Under his leadership, the channel grew to more than 2.1 million YouTube subscribers, 4.5 million Facebook likes, 500,000 Instagram followers, and 100,000 Twitter followers. His team produced over 20 pieces of bespoke digital content per week, drawing 10–12 million unique views monthly on YouTube alone.
Football Daily’s client list expanded to include Beats By Dre, Nissan, NOW TV, Allianz, Sky Bet, Pro-Direct Soccer, Budweiser, Barcelona FC, and Bayern Munich FC, among many others.
Sky Sports Integration
In 2017, Sky acquired Diagonal View, and Football Daily gradually integrated into the wider Sky Sports ecosystem. Hamill played a central role in this transition. His creative input helped launch collaborations such as The Football Social, a weekly digital live show, and The Saturday Social, a programme that later ran on Sky’s linear channels.
By 2021, following departmental reorganisation, Hamill became an Associate Producer within Sky Sports News. His responsibilities broadened further, aligning Football Daily’s creative approach with Sky’s broader rights-holder strategy.
Senior Executive Producer at The Athletic
In April 2023, Christopher Hamill was appointed Senior Executive Producer at The Athletic, a globally recognised sports media platform. In this role, based in London, he continues to innovate, develop content strategies, and lead production teams at the forefront of digital football storytelling.
Hamill’s passion for football and digital content creation remains as strong as ever. He has worked with some of the biggest sports brands in the world, including JD, Puma, New Balance, Adidas, the EFL, and Manscaped. His ability to identify audience viewing habits and adapt strategies ensures The Athletic remains competitive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Skills and Expertise
Christopher Hamill brings a diverse range of skills that bridge both creative and technical domains:
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Digital Marketing and Media: Expertise in growing online communities, managing campaigns, and delivering branded content.
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Content Creation: Strong background in filming, editing, producing, and presenting digital football shows.
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Team Leadership: Proven experience managing teams of over a dozen creatives and producers, delivering consistent output at scale.
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Strategic Innovation: Skilled at identifying trends, audience behaviour, and opportunities for content growth.
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Client Management: Extensive experience working with major sports brands and sponsors.
Approach and Philosophy
What sets Christopher Hamill apart is his passion for innovation. He consistently seeks new ways to stay ahead of the competition, whether by experimenting with original content formats or leveraging broadcast rights to deliver engaging content. His leadership style is professional yet personable, allowing him to build rapport at all levels of an organisation.
Hamill describes himself as “solution-focused” and “highly creative,” qualities that have defined his career trajectory. From building Football Daily into a global brand with millions of subscribers to shaping content strategy at The Athletic, his achievements are a testament to his dedication and skill.
Conclusion
Christopher Hamill’s career path reflects a remarkable blend of creativity, technical skill, and leadership. From his early days in advertising and filmmaking to leading some of the biggest football media brands in the digital era, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Today, as Senior Executive Producer at The Athletic, Hamill continues to shape the way football content is produced and consumed worldwide. His story serves as an inspiration for aspiring producers and digital creators, showing how passion, adaptability, and innovation can build a career that leaves a lasting impact on global sports media.
