In an exclusive interview with our editor Daniel Alestrand, Jonathan Pierre, founder of Athlete’s Blueprint, shares how his personal journey shaped a revolutionary approach to sports media. From heart condition to honest narratives, Pierre’s vision is changing how we experience sports. Discover the power of authentic storytelling and the impact it’s having on emerging sports like Padel. A must-read for anyone passionate about the human side of athletics.
In the fast-paced world of sports media, few voices cut through the noise with genuine heart and purpose. Jonathan Pierre, the visionary behind Athlete’s Blueprint, is one such voice, redefining how we experience sports stories. In an exclusive interview, Pierre shared his journey and vision, revealing a revolutionary approach to sports storytelling that’s changing the game.
Born with a heart condition, Pierre’s path to founding Athlete’s Blueprint is as inspiring as the stories he tells. “I’ve always idolized athletes,” he shared. “They’re the people you look to lift you up.” For Pierre, sports became more than just entertainment; they were a source of solace and inspiration, allowing him to dream beyond his physical limitations. “Through sport, you’re allowed to dream,” he mused, reflecting on watching sports with his late father in his youth. “From a young age, I saw how sport has this amazing power to unite people, to create shared experiences and bonds,” Pierre added.
This unique perspective led Pierre to create Athlete’s Blueprint in December 2023, with its first iteration as a podcast featuring a 4x world champion para weightlifter in 2024. After completing 30 episodes of the first season, Jonathan saw an opportunity to transition into film projects. Leveraging a decade of experience in video production, he began with Soul Padel after being engaged by Aimeé at Eutopia Agency. Pierre explained, “It was always my ambition to create a multi-media sports hub.” What sets Athlete’s Blueprint apart is its commitment to creating content that resonates on a deeper level. As Pierre put it, “We’re creating content that inspires a movement or creates a level of impact on someone’s life that changes them.”
One recent project involved Jonathan producing a documentary series for Striver which included a charity football match for the charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) featuring two Brazilian legends and World Cup winners Roberto Carlos and Gilberto Silva as well as Arsenal invincibles Jeremie Aliadière and Jens Lehmann. Playing alongside many of the nation’s biggest football content creators today, all to raise funds to support those combating mental health, the media presence of the event landed over one million impressions worldwide, which Jonathan contributed to. What started as a small podcast just a year ago has now produced campaigns featuring World Cup winners, introduced new sports to entire cities, and reshaped how brands tell their stories.
One of the most commendable aspects of Athlete’s Blueprint is its commitment to giving back. For every project, a portion of the proceeds is donated to one of three charities: Heart Research UK, Cardiac Risk in the Young, and the Southampton Hospitals Charity which saved his life in the ’90s. “It’s not about changing the world,” Pierre clarified, “but if it changes the image of an athlete who doesn’t have the best rep, or gets someone to learn a skill like CPR – their reaction is what matters.”
Pierre’s work with emerging sports, particularly Padel, has been nothing short of revolutionary. “Padel’s a unique one,” he grinned. “From the get-go, thanks to its Mexican heritage and Latino culture which is all about community, it already had that sense of identity.” His collaboration with Ben Nichols and Padel22 has helped bring the sport’s vibrant culture to the forefront, making it accessible to a wider audience. “Ben and I would agree that it’s not often that you get to see the dawn of a new sport,” Pierre reflected. “It’s immediately accessible and the reason for its growth is because people feel they can do it,” Pierre explained. “It creates a sense of change. It comes back to what was said at the start, living through athletes to experience it. Because Padel is so new and accessible, people can and feel like they can just start.” Pierre experienced this firsthand when he produced and led the creative direction for Soul Padel’s media launch in June 2024, collaborating with Aimeé Lawson, founder of Eutopia Agency, to introduce Padel to the people of Stockport, Greater Manchester.
When it comes to measuring impact, Pierre takes a refreshingly honest approach. “Likes, comments, shares – for me, these metrics are one-sided,” he admitted. “The real impact is in the conversation. Are people talking about the story over dinner, in the pub or office? That’s what matters.” This focus on meaningful engagement sets Athlete’s Blueprint apart in a landscape often dominated by short-form fluffy topics and themes which are often forgotten because of superficial metrics. “I’m a true champion for long-form storytelling over a film or docu-series with our projects intended for galas, fundraising events and board meetings with potential investors.”
Looking to the future, Pierre’s ambitions for Athlete’s Blueprint are both bold and exciting. “We are building a sport-for-good ecosystem which involves partnering with sports clubs, brands, and health-conscious charities to put on events, personal development seminars and branch out into fan merchandise.” While having the desire to produce award-winning campaign films for the likes of major sporting events like the World Cup, Olympics, Wimbledon and more whilst raising money for heart health charities.
But Pierre’s vision extends beyond just the mainstream sports. He’s passionate about shining a light on often-overlooked disciplines. “Kickboxing, Mountain Biking, Olympic Wrestling – these are sports people don’t often talk about unless a brand like RedBull takes interest,” Pierre explained. “We try to attract attention to the sports that are often not spoken about, so people in those sports feel seen and heard. Their athletes and brands work just as hard as tennis, rugby, and the major sports.”
For aspiring content creators in emerging sports, Pierre offered valuable advice: “Concentrate on creating a personality that people can believe in. Imagine you are creating a persona for the WWE and remember it’s not always the best players who get the best deals – it’s the people who take advantage of their commercial value and understand that they are a brand in their own right.” He emphasized the importance of long-term thinking, adding, “The modern athlete should think about life after sport while they’re still playing.”
Central to Athlete’s Blueprint’s success is Pierre’s collaboration with creative partner Ethan Trimby. “It’s not often that you meet another creative that just gets you, your vision, and can execute it how you dreamt it,” Pierre said warmly. Their shared appreciation for color and sound design results in content so immersive that you feel like you’re right there with the athletes.
As our conversation drew to a close, Pierre’s enthusiasm was palpable. “This is just the start!” he exclaimed. With Athlete’s Blueprint’s debut project with Heart Research UK set to launch in the coming days—a deeply personal film on his own heart story—Pierre is already lining up the next wave of impactful campaigns. Among them is a project featuring a sport known for scrums, tries, and punts, promising yet another powerful narrative.
In a world often fixated on scores and statistics, Jonathan Pierre and Athlete’s Blueprint remind us of the human stories that make sports truly compelling. They’re not just changing how we consume sports content—they’re changing how we perceive the role of sports in society. And that, undoubtedly, is a game-changer worth watching.
“I give my all to every project, which is why I only take on a select few at a time,” Pierre added. “If a story resonates, I’m all in. So, if your brand or story aligns with our vision, now’s the time to start the conversation.”
