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How to Pitch Your Swim Program to a Studio or Production Company

UUnknown

2026-02-26

9 min read

Turn your swim program into a production-ready pitch using lessons from Vice and Disney exec reshuffles—step-by-step template for coaches.

Stop guessing. Sell the swim program that studios and streamers will buy in 2026

You're an experienced swim coach with a program, a teaching method, or a show idea—but pitching to studios and production companies feels like a different sport. Executives are changing, commissioning priorities have shifted, and buyers now expect a crisp business case as much as a great hook. This guide translates the Vice Media and Disney+ executive reshuffles into a practical, ready-to-use pitch template you can use to sell a swim series, branded program, or training IP to a studio, streamer, or production partner.

Why this matters now (the 2026 signal)

Late 2025 and early 2026 reshuffles at major media players are not background noise — they are a buying signal. Vice Media has been rebuilding its C-suite with hires like Joe Friedman and Devak Shah as it repositions from a content-for-hire shop into a studio that wants scalable IP and revenue-led projects. At the same time, Disney+ promoted commissioning leaders in EMEA—Angela Jain’s slate reshuffle and new VPs like Lee Mason (scripted) and Sean Doyle (unscripted)—which shows studios are doubling down on regional formats and repeatable series.

Studios are hiring finance and strategy experts and elevating regional commissioners. They want projects that are IP-rich, format-ready, and monetizable across windows.

For swim coaches, that means one thing: your idea must be more than a great training program. It must be a format with demonstrable audience hooks, brand partnership potential, and clear monetization paths.

The executive-level checklist: what commissioning teams care about in 2026

Scalable format — Can this idea be adapted across regions, languages, and platforms?
IP upside — Is there merchandise, events, licensing, or a curriculum that can be sold beyond episodes?
Revenue clarity — Sponsorships, direct-to-consumer programs, licensing fees, or ad-supported windows?
Audience proof — Data: retention, conversion, social traction, or community metrics.
Production realism — Budget, timeline, safety, and legal clearances for water shoots.
Local fit — Does the format fit EMEA, US, or APAC commissioning appetites?

Pitch components: The 10-part template every coach should include

Below is an ordered template that mirrors the priorities of modern commissioning executives. Use this as your slide/deck and attached biz-dev memo structure.

One-line Logline (10–15 words): The simplest, most compelling sentence that sells the core idea.
One-paragraph Elevator Pitch (40–80 words): What it is, who it’s for, why now.
Why Now / Market Signal: Two to three data points or industry moves (e.g., Vice rebuilding studio strategy; Disney+ regional commissioning).
Format & Episode Map: Runtime, episode count, and a 6-episode beat sheet or six short-form module titles.
Talent & Attachments: Host(s), expert coaches, athlete talent, and any production or executive attachments.
Audience & Comps: Target demo, comparable shows, and why your project is differentiated.
Business Model & Rights: Revenue streams, windows, and what rights you own/will license.
Production Plan & Budget Range: High-level budget bands, shooting schedule, safety plan for water scenarios.
Marketing & Distribution Hooks: Social-first strategy, short-form funnel, live events, brand partners.
Call to Action: What you want — development deal, production partner, or branded-series funding—and the next steps.

Slide-by-slide deck — a practical 8-slide structure

Keep the deck to 8–12 slides. Executives are time-poor and data-driven in 2026.

Slide 1 — Cover + Logline: Project title, logline, and quick visual moodframe.
Slide 2 — One-paragraph pitch + Why now: Mention Vice/Disney shifts as evidence of commissioning appetite.
Slide 3 — Format & Episode map: Episode 1–6 beats, runtime, and series arc.
Slide 4 — Talent & Proof: Coaches, athletes, and any audience metrics from your programs.
Slide 5 — Audience & Comps: Target demo, comps (e.g., wellness docuseries, competitive sports formats).
Slide 6 — Business Model: Sponsorships, DTC program, licensing, and international windows.
Slide 7 — Budget + Timeline: Broad budget bands and realistic delivery schedule.
Slide 8 — Next Steps: Clear CTA: pilot funding, production partner, or branded deal.

How to use the Vice & Disney reshuffles in your pitch

Executives like Joe Friedman and Devak Shah at Vice signal an appetite for finance-driven projects: come prepared with numbers. Promotions at Disney+ EMEA show commissioning is regional — package format variants and local-market hooks.

Reference the reshuffles succinctly: “With studios prioritizing regional commissioning and strategy-led growth (see recent Vice and Disney+ executive hires), this format is designed for modular replication.”
Offer a regional rollout plan: start with a U.S. pilot + two EMEA formats localized, or a U.K. host with localized talent.
Show revenue scenarios tied to windows, brand deals, and DTC productized training.

When you reach a finance or strategy exec, they want crisp numbers. Give them a one-page business memo with high-level assumptions.

Production cost band: low/medium/high and a break-even analysis.
Sponsorship revenue: estimated CPMs and guaranteed vs. contingent fees.
DTC revenue: expected uptake for a branded training program or paid course (conversion %, ARPU).
International licensing: expected fee ranges for EMEA/APAC windows.
Profit waterfall: how revenue splits between production partner, coach/IP owner, and distributor.

Sizzle reel: make one with what you already have

You don’t need a million-dollar shoot to create a sizzle. Studios want to see tone, host presence, training pedagogy, and proof of transformation.

60–90 second edit: show a teaching moment, a breakthrough, and a “before/after” result.
Use athlete testimonials and real coaching metrics: e.g., “12-week program increased 400m time by 7% for 24 participants.”
Include short graphics for retention and conversion from your current clients (e.g., email list size, waitlist numbers).
Make a vertical cut for social platforms to demonstrate cross-platform potential.

Outreach playbook: who to contact and how

Target both traditional commissioners and the new studio-biz-dev units. Production companies are often the easiest entry point; studios buy finished pilots or partner on development.

Primary targets: Heads of Unscripted, VP of Development, Head of Branded Content, Strategy/Economics teams.
Warm approaches: Festivals, sports content markets, LinkedIn intros from mutual contacts, or a referral through a production exec.
Cold emails: 3-line subject + 2-sentence hook + link to sizzle + one-pager PDF. Example subject: “Sizzle: Open-Water Training Series — 6x30’ format w/ sponsorship model”
Follow-up: Share a short audience proof package on the second touch, and offer a 15-minute call slot for a quick walk-through.

Negotiation priorities: protect your IP and upside

Coaches often accept flat fees too early. In 2026, insist on a deal that recognizes the curriculum and brand value you've built.

Keep the training IP: license the program to the studio for limited windows rather than assigning all rights.
Revenue share: negotiate backend points on streaming, branded content revenue, and DTC sales.
Merchandise & events: retain or co-own rights to sell camps, clinics, and branded gear.
Credit & consulting: secure an executive producer or on-air coach credit and an ongoing consulting fee.

Measuring success: KPIs commissioning teams will ask for

Build measurement into the pitch. Modern commissioners want commitments to audience targets and conversion metrics.

Viewer KPIs: completion rate, average view time, and episodes per viewer.
Engagement KPIs: social shares, UGC, hashtag usage, and community growth.
Commercial KPIs: sponsorship impressions, DTC conversion rate, and event ticket sales.
Retention metrics: how your format keeps subscribers or customers across seasons.

Short case study: how a coach won a branded series (hypothetical but realistic)

Coach Aisha had a 12-week open-water training curriculum and a 7,500-person mailing list. She built a 90-second sizzle showcasing four athlete transformations and pitched a 6x30’ format to a production company focused on wellness. Using the template above, she:

Led with a logline and data: 70% graduate retention across cohorts and a 24% conversion to paid camps.
Showed a revenue plan: sponsor integration with a swimwear brand and a DTC course to follow the series.
Negotiated a development fee + backend on DTC sales and retained her intellectual property to run certified coach trainings worldwide.

Result: pilot funding, a branded-sponsorship term sheet, and a co-development deal that allowed Aisha to scale her coaching into an international series localized for three markets.

Advanced 2026 strategies — get ahead of the curve

Use these advanced plays when you have traction or a compelling pilot.

AI-assisted pilot packs: use generative tools to produce treatment variations and localized episode outlines for different regions—commissioners are impressed by modular thinking.
Short-form funnel: design 60–90s vertical modules that funnel viewers into a paid training micro-course or live clinic.
Live activations: build a live event or timed cohort that coincides with release week to drive PR and community activation.
Sustainability & safety: include an environmental and safety protocol for water shoots—buyers in 2026 care deeply about ESG and risk mitigation.
Regional-first commissioning: craft a plan that shows how the format will be adapted for EMEA and APAC markets to match Disney+’s regional focus.

Sample cold email (use this verbatim, customize)

Subject: Sizzle — Swim series (6x30) + branded training program

Hi [Name],

I’m a swim coach and creator with a 12-week open-water training curriculum that produced a 24% conversion to paid camps and a 7,500-person waitlist. I’ve developed a 6x30’ series format called Open Water Heroes that pairs transformational athlete stories with practical training modules. Here’s a 90s sizzle + one-pager: [link].

I’d love 15 minutes to walk you through a regional rollout and sponsor-backed revenue plan that aligns with strategy-led commissioning teams like those recently hired at Vice and Disney+. Are you available for a brief call next week?

Thanks,

[Your name] — coach, creator, IP owner
[phone] | [email] | [link to sizzle]

Final checklist before you hit send

Have a 90-second sizzle + vertical edits ready.
Include a one-page business memo with revenue assumptions.
Map out rights and negotiation priorities.
Prepare a short list of feasible regional adaptations.
Confirm safety and production logistics for water shoots.

Closing: Your call to action

Studios in 2026 are organized around strategy, finance, and regional commissioning. That benefits you: if you come with a clear format, proof of audience, and a business model, you’ll get traction faster. Use the template above to build a lean deck, a compact biz-dev memo, and a high-impact sizzle. Then target both production companies and studio strategy teams—Vice-style studios want IP they can scale; Disney-style commissioners want formats that can be localized.

Ready to convert your swim program into a sellable series or branded partnership? Download the free 8-slide pitch deck template and one-page business memo from swimmer.life, or book a 30-minute coaching clinic where we’ll tailor the deck to your IP and draft the outreach email for your top 10 targets.

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