💰 Meet the Creator Turning Down $100K+ Brand Deals to Bet on Himself

Happy Wednesday,

Over the past five years, Frank Michael Smith has become one of the most recognizable names in sports content—racking up over 3 million followers, 2 billion views, and brand partnerships with companies like Underdog, Sleeper, and PointsBet.

But this fall, he’s walking away from most of those deals to launch something of his own: Solo Survivor, a live elimination-style fantasy game that blends sports, trivia, and real-time payouts.

But this isn’t just some pie-in-the-sky idea.

It’s an actual tech product—with a $500K raise, a lean team, and a clear goal: 30,000 monthly paid users by the Super Bowl.

This week, Jake and I sat down with Frank to talk about why he turned down six-figure sponsorships, how he’s using his content engine to scale a real product, and what the next generation of creator-led businesses might look like.

🎧 [Listen to our full episode with Frank Michael Smith]

5 Takeaways From Our Conversation With Frank Michael Smith

1. Most creators monetize brands. Frank is building one.

Frank could’ve kept stacking brand deals—he’s still getting offers. But instead of promoting someone else’s product, he’s betting on his own.

That decision came after years of seeing his content drive massive ROI for partners, or as Frank put it, “If a brand is paying me X, they’re making 2–3X on top of that. Why not build something where I get the upside?”

@frankmichaelsmith

LOCK EM IN 🚨 #fantasyfootball #nfl #football (@underdogfantasy Partner)

But, Solo Survivor isn’t just another collab. It’s a standalone app with its own brand, team, and roadmap—and Frank is treating it like a startup, not a side hustle.

2. Content is the go-to-market plan. Period.

Frank’s not spending on ads. He’s spending on content.

With 3M+ followers and a deep understanding of what converts, he’s using creator-led growth as his moat. His plan:

1. Launch slowly with NFL contests and creator watch parties

2. Seed virality through in-person events and referral mechanics

3. Layer in paid ads and sponsorships once product maturity is there

And it’s not just about views—it’s also about retention. And he’s already proven it works with his last app (Five Card Draw), which hit 18.5K MAUs with $0 in spend.

3. The product is simple—but the vision is ambitious.

Here’s how Solo Survivor works:

• $5 to play. Each correct answer keeps you alive.

• Miss one of the first three? You can buy back in.

• After question four, it’s sudden death.

• Last player standing wins the pot.

The platform takes a cut of each pot, creating a scalable business model with strong margins. And with future plans for sponsored prizes, leaderboards, and creator-hosted watch parties, there’s a clear path to monetization beyond gameplay.

4. The market is big—and underdeveloped.

Fantasy sports and DFS are massive:

• 60M+ Americans play fantasy

• DFS is a $15B market

• But survivor-style games are <1% of the pie

And according to Frank, “Survivor has never been done at scale—and definitely not like this.”

He sees an opportunity to own this lane by making it social, creator-driven, and mobile-native. No rosters. No spreadsheets. Just instant stakes and live sweat.

5. He’s not trying to beat DraftKings or FanDuel—he’s trying to get acquired.

Frank’s not shy about the endgame.

He’s building Solo Survivor as a differentiated product in a crowded space. If he can own the niche—and grow it—he becomes an acquisition target for a company like Underdog, FanDuel, or DraftKings.

“If we get to 30,000 monthly paid actives, someone’s going to notice.”

But even if the exit doesn’t come quickly, Frank’s building leverage. Not just as a creator—but as a founder.

Why It Matters:

Creators used to be spokespeople. Now they’re studio heads, product owners, and founders.

Frank’s shift from brand partner to platform builder signals something bigger:

• Creators are starting to max out their brand-earning potential

• Influence is the new seed round

• Owning the product > renting your audience

If Solo Survivor works, it won’t just be a new kind of fantasy game. It’ll be a new kind of playbook for creators who want to build something that outlasts the algorithm.

🎧 [Listen to our full episode with Frank Michael Smith]

📩 And don’t forget: Bottom of the Ninth is back this Friday with the top three stories in sports and business from the week.

See you then,
Tyler & Jake