Rapid Insights: ‘Stick’ Makes a Case for Mentorship as Sports TV’s Secret Weapon

Who’s been tuning in for this likeable new show?
With its golf focus and midlife crisis arc, we’re seeing an audience that’s mostly men (64%) and heavily aged 30+ (71%)–a notably more off-center sweet spot than many other lighter sports-focused dramas. Comparable shows like Ted Lasso, Cobra Kai, Running Point, The Game, Friday Night Lights, All American, and Ballers appeal to a somewhat more balanced streaming viewership, both in gender (45-56% men) and age (57-67% aged 30+).

What’s pulling in viewers and driving Stick’s ratings?
Weighty topics handled with a light touch. The two characters at the heart of Stick–disgraced pro-golfer Pryce and sullen teen prodigy Santi–are dealing with fears of abandonment and low self worth thanks to past trauma. Both have Anger Issues (123) as the latter grapples with deep-rooted Teen Angst (133) and the former tries desperately to resuscitate his future (Trying to Save Career, 128), laying an effective foundation for relatable drama and true character development. At the same time, the show’s gently humorous take on their story (Awkward & Funny Moments, 141) lightens the tone and invites audiences into their world.

What’s keeping audiences glued to their screens?
Warm character dynamics. Pryce and Santi are surrounded by caring friends and family (Supportive Relationships, 134) who boost them up as needed, and the unlikely yet genuine Mentorship (119) and Male Friendship (129) that develop between the pair as they butt heads and find common ground is the show’s beating heart. Their relationship is buoyed by an optimistic, feel-good strain of comedy (Feel Good Humor, 122), and it’s the show’s unique brand of inspiring warmth that’s driving bingeability and bringing viewers back throughout the season.

What type of emotional experience are viewers looking for?
A well-rounded one. Stick’s top emotional drivers reflect both the weightiness of its characters’ trauma and the hope of their ultimate success, both in golf and in life. As Pryce and Santi experience a range of very human emotions, from the lows of self-Loathing (134) and lash-out Aggressiveness (134) to the highs of competitive Anticipation (134) and hard-won mutual Trust (134), audiences are right there with them, pulled along by the relatability of their Optimism (110), Sadness (113), and general Apprehension (134) towards life.

Where do the sports themes come in?
They help with longevity. All of the show’s specifically sports-related elements top the list of drivers that will help push Stick to a second season: its insider focus on the golfing world (Sports Focus, 120), its protagonists’ specifically Coach-Athlete Relationship (129), and its centering on a pair of rootworthy Underdogs (137) who are fighting their way to the top. Stick very much falls in line with other sports-based dramas and dramedies in this area, whose long-term story engines also tend to be fed by similar themes.

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