OffBall

Beehiiv Newsletter Breakdown

Author

Ricky
December 03, 2024

WATCH PIXELS BREAK IT DOWN
newsletter design services 🐝 

. OffBall .

Check it out at OffBall
Designed by Pixels 👾 
Built with beehiiv

There are multiple sports-focused newsletters, but OffBall stands out with a cool, trendy twist—fashion and culture mixed in.

When they asked us to design OffBall, their goal was to make the newsletter look & feel as close as possible to their official website.

Let’s break it down for you.👇

. Quick Picks Header .

Headers with character:

  1. Playful, intriguing, and designed to keep you hooked.

  2. Custom headlines are catchy and funny.

  3. A custom font image in the header makes sure your brand looks right no matter what email app readers use.

. Quick Picks .

Your 60-second sports report:

  1. On-brand, bold custom font (it is an actual image).

  2. Short, snappy stories that get straight to the point.

  3. The links are blended seamlessly, so you can keep reading without getting sidetracked.

  4. They always end with a question or a funny comment to get you hooked.

. What I love about it: .

You get all the important stuff right away. The links stand out but don’t overwhelm. They spark curiosity without pulling you away from the email.

. MVP .

Iconic & Interactive:

  1. Highlights the most iconic pop culture, sports, and internet moments.

  2. Minimal design that’s focused on the moment.

  3. Add an interactive touch by embedding X, Instagram, or TikTok posts.

  4. Onbrand ‘baby blue’ background color (a bit of color variety).

. What I love about it: .

The design is intentionally minimalistic and clean, so you can focus on the story. These blue sections are always the same so you know what's what.

. 1st Story .

Overlooked stories that matter:

It's all about stories that matter and are easy to follow.

  1. Catchy, blue section “tag” with cultural references.

  2. Short, snappy paragraphs focus on one idea at a time.

  3. Custom hyperlinks blend naturally while stating the obvious: “hey, I’m clickable!” They won’t pull you away from the story.

  1. Embedded Tweets, TikToks, or images make the format interactive.

  2. Bold headlines, visuals, and clean formatting make every edition a breeze to read.

What I love about it: .

This section is all about balancing cultural relevance with clean, digestible design. Bold headlines and lots of space make it easy to read, watch videos and look at pictures in a way that’s engaging.

. Sponsorship Ad .

Blended in:

  1. Headline that'll grab basketball fans' attention.

  2. The sponsor's logo has a clean look that matches the ad.

  3. "50k+ Enjoyers" tells people that others trust it, so they might too.

  4. CTA is all about benefits and has a link to make you click.

What I love about it: .

This is a highly targeted ad and it is designed to blend in with the rest of the newsletter. This a trend I’m seeing more and more, lately.

. 2nd Story .

Insights that pull you in:

A blend of fun, surprises, and smart takeaways that'll appeal to everyone.

  1. Make the first part bold so it's easy to skim.

  2. Visuals aren’t just decorative—they add evidence and depth to the narrative.

Visual stories:

Spice up your content with graphics and embedded posts.

  1. Short, digestible paragraphs make the content easy to skim or dive into.

  2. Each edition features images, TikToks, or Instagram posts that enhance and anchor the story.

  3. You'll find links if you want to learn more, but they won't get in the way of the story.

What I love about it: .

The blend of visuals and storytelling keeps readers hooked from start to finish. Minimalistic design and structure make it easy to follow while encouraging deeper engagement when readers want more.

. Photo Finish .

Bold at last glance:

Put the punchline last. 

  1. Put some surprising images in there to make the reader go "Whoa!" Last impressions matter, right?

What I love about it: .

Visually stunning, full of surprises, and leaving you eager for more. In other words, it is an open loop. Click it to close the loop. You’ve got to know more, right?

. Share OffBall .

Grow the OffBall crew:

Make it easy for folks to spread the word.

  1. Minimalist design with the crewneck front and center—showing exactly what’s up for grabs.

  2. Limited rewards make you want to get in on the action ASAP.

  3. You can't miss the referral link - it's super easy to find.

The sleek crewneck is a good reason to try it, and referring people is so easy. It’s a win-win: grow the community and look good doing it.

. Footer .

Stay connected:

Playful, modern, and mobile-friendly.

  1. The icons for Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Facebook are right there, easy to click on.

  2. Signing up for texts is a cool way for mobile users to get instant updates.

  3. Throw in an onbrand GIF to add some personality, break up the text, and make it more fun.

  4. Dark background with contrasting elements ensures everything is visually clear and easy to read.

  5. The bold and red "Socials" font grabs attention, making it impossible to miss the engagement options.

That cute GIF and text sign-up isn't just for fun, it's like they're saying "Get in the loop!"

. Dividers .

Playful precision:

Custom dividers (also known as ‘content breaks’) add personality without stealing the spotlight.

  1. The dividers are stick figures made from "OffBall" letters. 

  2. Just a few dots or dashes keep the design clean and simple.

  3. Black and white are modern and go with everything, so they fit the brand.

Conclusion .

Offball hits the sweet spot between simple and engaging, with a smart mix of Tweets and TikToks that complement rather than distract. They don't try too hard - just snappy headlines, quick reads, and those blue sections that help you know where you're at.

If you liked this breakdown and think it could be helpful for someone you know, share it with them and tell them to subscribe: readpixels.beehiiv.com/p/offball-newsletter-breakdown

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That’s all for now.

This edition was written by Maciej. Designed and edited by Ricky from Pixels.

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Get creative,
Ricky 👨🏻‍💻

🇺🇸 Joe Portsmouth: An absolute magician. His work exceeded my expectations.

🇺🇸 Sam Woods: One of the most talented newsletter designers I’ve seen!

🇺🇸 Michael Galvan: I highly recommend Ricky and his team at Pixels!

🇬🇧 Matt Navarra: Ricky delivered a slick redesign that my audience loves.

🇺🇸 Mike Vernon: The go-to newsletter design expert! 🐐

🇺🇸 Michael Boorman: Ricky designed my newsletter better than I could imagined.

🇺🇸 Justin Swarz: Ricky goes above and beyond. Phenomenal designer!

🇺🇸 Jordan Mix: The best in the game. 

🇺🇸 Morgan Barrett: Ricky is the goat. 

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