Last time we talked to social media influencer Katie Feeney, she was starting her Penn State career, while navigating her online presence and adjusting to college life. Flash forward three years, Feeney is in her final semester at Penn State and has been building her brand on campus and beyond, while integrating social media into sports.

Feeney has nearly doubled her audience, claiming over 13 million followers across all her platforms with over 7 million on TikTok, almost 4 million on YouTube, and over 1 million on Instagram and Snapchat.

So far, Feeney has captured content during four seasons worth of Penn State football games, four Super Bowls, the World Series, MLB All-Star Week, the U.S. Open, Miami Open, Kentucky Derby, Major League Soccer events, the recent NFL matchup in London, MLS All-Star weekend, and many other events. During these experiences, Feeney interviewed famous athletes and celebrities and created lifestyle content for different brands like YouTube, Instagram, Gatorade, and Allstate, to name a few.

Over the last four years, she’s been dedicated to merging social media with traditional broadcasting by creating content using her phone via every major social media platform.

“I have so much fun,” Feeney said. “I love meeting people, I love the experience, and I love filming content that people don’t normally get to see.”

Feeney’s college career has been anything but ordinary. Early on, she took on brand partnerships that shaped her content and gave her the opportunity to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the business.

One of her first major partnerships was with Dormify, where she produced lifestyle and unboxing videos that allowed her to engage with her growing audience while also showing off products from top-tier brands. Her content continued to evolve, incorporating more sports-related themes as well as giving her followers an inside look at her life on campus.

“Capturing viral content has become second nature to me. I have an eye for filming moments on and off the field that I know my audience would enjoy seeing,” Feeney said.

During her first semester at Penn State, Feeney immersed herself in the sports culture, taking full advantage of the opportunities the school had to offer. One of her earliest and most defining moments came when she had the chance to work with Penn State football. Feeney was granted access to the field during the White Out, where she captured the fan experience and behind-the-scenes action — an experience that would set the tone for her future career.

“A lot has changed and evolved since coming to Penn State,” Feeney said. “Coming to this school inspired me to pursue content creation in sports as a career post-college. It started with working with Penn State football and going on the field for the White Out game… I knew from that moment on I wanted to do something in sports, I just didn’t know exactly what.”

Feeney captured the White Out through her point of view, showing the atmosphere and excitement Beaver has to offer. By showcasing the fan experience, as well as the behind-the-scenes action, Feeney put herself out there at the forefront of a new way of capturing content for sports.

After her first college football season, Feeney started getting more opportunities in the sports world, eventually working with the Washington Commanders as the league’s first-ever social media correspondent in April 2022, which led to working with the NFL on YouTube.

Her first big experience in sports was working with YouTube during the 2022 Super Bowl, where she posted over 50 YouTube Shorts, generating millions of views.

“When I started my freshmen year, it was with the intention of doing sideline reporting and going into more traditional broadcasting, but little did I know I was at the forefront in the world of social media and sports, especially as a female,” Feeney said.

In addition to her role with the Commanders, she has been serving as AKSM Media’s White House social media correspondent since her sophomore year, capturing content that you wouldn’t normally see on TV while merging sports broadcasting and social media together.

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“When I first read the email about working with AKSM and covering White House events, I thought it was fake. No way this is real,” Feeney said.

Since working as a correspondent, Feeney had the opportunities to attend fun, special events like holiday decorating at the White House and visiting with the Kansas City Chiefs after they won the Super Bowl two years ago. 

Feeney’s experiences have taken her to some of the most exciting sporting events around the world. From the NFL’s international game in London to red-carpet interviews at Super Bowl parties with Tom Brady and Joe Burrow, Feeney has had the opportunity to get face-to-face with some of the biggest names in sports. Over the years, she’s interviewed a slew of famous athletes, including Ceedee Lamb, Derrick Henry, Juan Soto, Mike Trout, Trevor Lawrence, and Antoine Griezmann, to name a few.

These unique and behind-the-scenes moments offer fans a new perspective on the athletes they admire, and Feeney remains at the forefront of capturing those once-in-a-lifetime glimpses.

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“At the Super Bowl, I was in a room with people I’d never thought I’d be in a room with, so that was a very surreal moment for me,” Feeney shared. “I definitely had imposter syndrome.”

But it wasn’t just opportunities in the sports world that Feeney was raking in. Brand deals, partnerships, and sponsorships were rolling in, too. 

From T-Mobile and Allstate to NFL and Fanatics, Feeney has partnered with a range of high-profile companies, securing long-term collaborations that keep her schedule full.

“There will be weeks where I’m filming two or three deals a day, and there are weeks where I’m not filming anything,” Feeney said. “It kind of just depends on the time of year. I have a good understanding of what brands like and what they don’t like. I film and edit partnerships more efficiently now.”

Last semester, she starred in the commercial “Game Day Your Way” with Estée Lauder that aired during Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football on Halloween. Featuring actress Keke Palmer and sideline reporter Kay Adams, this game-changing moment showcased Feeney’s brand’s influence and the growing role of social media influencers in traditional media spaces, as well as the role women have in the field.

“That commercial showcased everything that I love the most about sports and being one of the trailblazers for females, especially in the social media space,” Feeney said. “The commercial kind of explained it perfectly. I represent the Gen Z social media audience in this new wave of sports and media. It was a very fun experience. I would love to do more commercials and possibly work in television one day.”

Shortly after her commercial debut, Feeney achieved another milestone by securing an interview with Sports Illustrated during last season’s White Out weekend.

“I’ve been wanting to work with Sports Illustrated forever. I was literally manifesting it,” Feeney said. “I wrote in my journal that my goal for this year or for next year was to work with Sports Illustrated… That’s one of the more exciting collaborations I’ve done. It’s a company I’ve wanted to work with forever.”

Despite her rapidly growing career and constant travel, Feeney has remained grounded, keeping her academic life prioritized, achieving honor roll semester after semester. She balances her homework during flights and between events and panels, proving that her commitment to her education remains as strong as her commitment to her career and content. 

“I live an extraordinary life, but I don’t feel any different from my peers,” she said. “I’m very grounded. My family, friends — that’s what’s most important to me. And then these crazy opportunities come up. It’s like Hannah Montana. I feel like I’m Miley Cyrus the majority of the time, but then I get to travel and do the Hannah Montana things. I feel so fortunate.”

Feeney, who has been financially independent since her senior year of high school, has managed to make the most of her time at Penn State while also setting herself up for a future in sports media. She strives to take on as many possibilities as she possibly can. 

“My whole motto is saying yes to most of the travel and sporting events because you really don’t know when these opportunities are going to come around again,” Feeney said. “I would rather be stressed out because I have too much to do than have any sort of regret that I’m not taking advantage of every opportunity. Now is the time to experiment and see what I like and don’t like, so I can figure out my plan for after college”

One of the most fulfilling aspects of Feeney’s journey is the ability to inspire others. She’s become an idol for young women who aspire to break into sports media, showing them that with hard work and creativity, anything is possible.

“Getting to be a role model for younger girls that look up to me is the most rewarding part of this entire journey,” Feeney shared. “Every time I’m at a football game, I meet someone that says Penn State wasn’t on their radar until they watched my content. It’s a great feeling.”

One of the most meaningful traditions for Feeney is her involvement with THON, Penn State’s student-run dance marathon that raises money for pediatric cancer research. Each year, Feeney dedicates her time to supporting the cause and engaging with Four Diamonds families throughout THON Weekend. Feeney looks forward to continuing this tradition during THON 2025. 

“THON is something that’s close to my heart,” Feeney said. “Every year, I feel so honored to be a part of it, especially as a student here at Penn State. It’s incredible to see the entire community come together for such an amazing cause.”

With the rapid growth of her brand and the continued expansion of her career in sports media, Feeney is more than just your everyday influencer — she’s a trailblazer, shaping the future of sports media for future generations. The path she’s carved for herself and the opportunities she’s seized serve as stepping stones for women in the sports media industry.

During this year’s Super Bowl, Feeney spent her time in New Orleans documenting the excitement as the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the win and capturing moments through the week in real-time. 

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Feeney’s ability to balance her personal content with brand expectations while producing authentic content has been the key to her success. She recently signed on with Creative Artists Agency for representation, giving her even more opportunities to grow her platforms.

As she continues to experiment and discover new opportunities within the commercial and sports spaces, her experience working with global brands positions her for even more surreal opportunities ahead. As Feeney says, she’s “chasing success, not fame.”

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While Feeney’s senior year draws to a close, her plans for the future remain just as ambitious.

“My goal is to cover as many major sporting events and show the behind-the-scenes of it all,” Feeney shared. “Everything [I’ve done] is very spontaneous for the most part… When I’m traveling and attending tentpole events, that’s the dream.”