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The Varsity

Puck | Audacy
ESPN
NBC
NBA
NFL
Olympics
Tom Brady
WNBA
Sports Media
Lacrosse
Paris
Adrian Wojnarowski
Streaming Services
Cable Bundles
Premier Lacrosse League
Leadership Quality
Snoop Dogg
Directv
Warner Brothers Discovery
Youth Sports
Beijing

Puck Sports Correspondent John Ourand and a rotating cast of industry insiders take you deep inside the executive suites and owner boxes that run the entire sports business. You’ll hear interviews with everyone from players to network execs and everyone in between. The Varsity is an extension of John's private email for Puck by the same name. New episodes publish twice-weekly, every Wednesday and ... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes168Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsSports NewsBusiness News

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Latest Episodes

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman joins John to preview the upcoming season as its 14th is set to kick off tomorrow. She dives deep into the league’s meteoric growth, rising attendance, and viewership records. She also sheds light on the league’s expa... more

David Levy, the former Turner Networks prez turned sports marketing exec, joins John to chart the evolution of the industry, the streaming rights arms race, and the surprising implications of the Paramount Skydance–WBD deal. Then the guys chat about ... more

NHL commish Gary Bettman returns to chat about the state of professional hockey, the sport’s boost from the Olympics, and future expansion opportunities. Then they dig into the rights landscape writ large, prediction markets, and how the Paramount-WB... more

Guggenheim analyst Mike Morris joins John to discuss how a combined Paramount-WBD could impact future NFL media rights deals. Then they break down the true value of the league’s media contracts and how streamers like Netflix, Amazon and YouTube might... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Gary Bettman
NHL Commissioner
National Hockey League
Episode: Can the NHL Find Its Groove?
Mike Morris
Senior analyst at Guggenheim Partners
Guggenheim Partners
Episode: Can ParaBros Keep the NFL?
Jay Bilas
Former college basketball player and analyst for ESPN
ESPN
Episode: Jay Bilas’s College Basketball Bull Case
Steve O'Donnell
President of NASCAR, previously worked in minor league baseball and has been with NASCAR since 1996.
NASCAR
Episode: NASCAR’s Roadmap to Victory Lane
Mike Florio
NBC's sports commentator and NFL expert
NBC
Episode: Any Given Sunday With Mike Florio
Andrew Marchand
A prominent media writer and host of his own podcast.
The Athletic
Episode: Marchand on the NFL’s Media Chessboard
Evan Drellich
Senior writer for The Athletic, covering the business of baseball
The Athletic
Episode: MLB’s Dodger Economics
Michael Ratner
CEO of OBB Media and involved in the launch of Fanatics Studios.
OBB Media
Episode: Inside Ratner and Rubin’s Fanatics Content Factory
Charlie Baker
Former Massachusetts governor and NCAA president
NCAA
Episode: Inside the NCAA’s Moneyball Era

Host

John Ourand
Host and Puck's sports correspondent, with a focus on the business side of sports and media negotiations.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 97 ratings
  • F McAfee

    This is not a slight on the show but more on this episodes content and opinions, mostly that McaHack is the future of sports entertainment. He and his antics represent everything that is WRONG with where sports is going. You DON’t give him more of a platform, you take him off it, because he has no journalistic integrity, his schtick is beyond cliche and he has the most grating voice I’ve ever heard. I don’t watch ESPN anymore because of this direction. Go BACK to the way it was We don’t want to ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    quikoni
    United States3 months ago
  • Not Interested

    John we aren’t interested in hearing anti- Trump diatribes from your guests. CBS put their thumb on the scale with the KH interview

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    SamimSissel
    United States10 months ago
  • Eamon Lynch was great

    I recently enjoyed your podcast with Eamon Lynch. It gave me a better understanding of what is going on with the PGA tour and LIV golf right now. You do a great job as I have enjoyed your podcast going back to the first one. It is one of my favorite ones to listen to each week.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mattmanfan
    United Statesa year ago
  • Netflix

    Didn’t the first game start 2 hours late? 1pm start time pushed to just before 3pm?!

    Great pod.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    LBJ503
    United Statesa year ago
  • Good sports media podcast. I enjoyed John's prior podcast that he did with Andrew Marchand prior to joining Puck. Good long form interviews.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    EricNC
    a year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Overall, the show is recognized for its engaging hosts and informative content that appeals to sports enthusiasts.
Listeners praise the quality of interviews and the depth of analysis regarding sports business topics.
Some feedback indicates concerns about political content, suggesting a desire for a more neutral stance.
Reviewers frequently mention the strong insights from industry insiders, highlighting the relevancy of discussions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#15
United States/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#28
Canada/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#67
United Kingdom/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#60
Germany/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#82
France/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#135
Italy/News/Sports News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

An Ex Cable Cowboy on the Future of Sports
Q: How do you see the NFL rights situation evolving across platforms and what would that mean for networks?
He suggests NFL rights will migrate across a mix of platforms including streaming and traditional networks, with some international packaging and continued distribution on major broadcasters, arguing the league will seek broad reach and multiple distribution paths.
An Ex Cable Cowboy on the Future of Sports
Q: What is the next big thing you think will take off in sports distribution?
Levy points to volleyball, especially women's volleyball, as having a huge growth opportunity if success is defined correctly, emphasizing scalable rights and clear benchmarks for ROI.
Jay Bilas’s College Basketball Bull Case
Q: In five years, how are we going to be watching college basketball? What's going to be different?
I think it will be better if the NCAA can get its act together and let schools compete like any other business without the restrictions.
Jay Bilas’s College Basketball Bull Case
Q: What do you see as the biggest issue with college basketball today?
The transfer portal is more of a problem than the NIL portion of it, as it can create instability within rosters.
Jay Bilas’s College Basketball Bull Case
Q: How different would it be if you were playing today?
I think many of us could take advantage of off-court opportunities that didn't exist back then, like NIL.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Varsity

What is The Varsity about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast provides an engaging exploration of the sports business landscape, featuring in-depth conversations with a variety of industry insiders, including journalists, executives, and athletes. Key topics frequently discussed include media rights negotiations, the evolving dynamics of sports broadcasting, and the impact of political and social issues on sports. Notably, the podcast also features a rotating cast of guests, ensuring diverse viewpoints and expertise are represented, which likely enriches the discussions significantly. The combination of seasoned hosts and a broad range of expert guests makes it a compelling listen for anyone interested in the intersection of sports and business.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Varsity?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Varsity. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Varsity and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Varsity get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Varsity?

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How many subscribers and views does The Varsity have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Varsity has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Varsity?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Varsity:

1. The Sports Media Podcast
2. The Town with Matthew Belloni
3. Sports Media with Richard Deitsch
4. Pablo Torre Finds Out
5. SI Media With Jimmy Traina

How many episodes of The Varsity are there?

The Varsity launched 2 years ago and published 168 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Varsity?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Varsity?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Varsity from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Varsity?

Recent guests on The Varsity include:

1. Gary Bettman
2. Mike Morris
3. Jay Bilas
4. Steve O'Donnell
5. Mike Florio
6. Andrew Marchand
7. Evan Drellich
8. Michael Ratner

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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