ESPN, the self-proclaimed “Worldwide Leader in Sports,” finds itself trailing in a key growth area: podcasting. Despite its vast sports rights portfolio, well-known personalities, and massive social media presence, the network has struggled to make a significant impact in the podcast space.
Burke Magnus, ESPN’s president of content, recently acknowledged this shortcoming, stating, “We have a lot of work to do on podcasting.” He attributed the network’s lackluster performance to poor
prioritization, noting that no ESPN podcast has truly broken through to widespread success.
The sports media giant’s struggles in podcasting are particularly surprising given its early advantages. ESPN Radio launched in 1992, long before podcasts became mainstream, and had established itself as a hub for sports commentary. However, the network currently has only six podcasts ranked in Spotify’s top 50 sports podcasts, with just two breaking into the top 35.
ESPN’s missed opportunities in podcasting are highlighted by the success of former employees who have thrived elsewhere in the medium. Bill Simmons, a podcasting pioneer who claims to have the most downloaded sports podcast ever, left ESPN in 2015 and subsequently launched The Ringer, a podcast-focused sports and pop-culture site. Simmons later sold The Ringer to Spotify for approximately $200 million in 2020.
Another notable example is Colin Cowherd, who departed ESPN for Fox Sports in 2015 and founded podcast company The Volume in 2021. Cowherd now collaborates with NBA star Draymond Green and, ironically, current ESPN personality Shannon Sharpe.
Even some of ESPN’s current stars have podcast ventures outside the network. Stephen A. Smith, arguably ESPN’s most prominent personality, hosts his own podcast with iHeart rather than through ESPN.
Recognizing the need for change, Magnus has outlined a three-part strategy to revitalize ESPN’s podcast business. First, the network plans to bring existing successful podcasts from outside ESPN’s ecosystem under its umbrella. This approach marks a shift from the company’s previous practice of assigning podcasts to current employees who may lack experience in the medium.
Magnus emphasized that podcasting requires specific talent, stating, “It is not like, just because you’re good on television, you’re going to be good in podcasting.” He acknowledged that there are highly entertaining and successful podcasters with large audiences who primarily focus on the podcast space.
The second part of ESPN’s strategy involves prioritizing the hiring of employees who can produce content across multiple platforms. This multi-platform approach is exemplified by the recent addition of NBA reporter Shams Charania, who will host a podcast for ESPN in addition to his other roles.
Lastly, Magnus plans to continue identifying current ESPN talent who could potentially host successful podcasts. However, this aspect of the strategy seems to conflict with the network’s recent decision to part ways with longtime NBA reporter and podcaster Zach Lowe, a move Magnus attributed to financial pressures.
By implementing this three-pronged approach, Magnus believes ESPN can establish a meaningful podcasting business in the near future and better compete with companies like The Ringer and The Volume. While ESPN may have taken a more challenging path by allowing talented podcasters to leave in the past, the network is now committed to making podcasting a top priority and capitalizing on its vast resources and talent pool to regain ground in this crucial area of digital media.