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The Varsity

Puck | Audacy
ESPN
NFL
Streaming Services
NBA
Netflix
NIL
College Sports
NASCAR
MLB
Major League Baseball
Disney
NBC
Media Rights
Sports Media
Women's Sports
Amazon
College Basketball
NCAA
Baseball
WNBA

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 weeklyEpisodes198Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Sports NewsNewsBusiness News

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Latest Episodes

NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach rejoins The Varsity to gab with John about all the latest chaos in college sports, from a bizarre twist in the Big Ten–SEC rivalry to the ongoing legal drama surrounding Brendan Sorsby and an unexpected political threat in... more

Fresh off of the Knicks' historic championship victory, John sits down with ESPN's Brian Windhorst and New York's own Mike Breen to dig into James Dolan's ownership of the team, the undervalued roster Leon Rose quietly assembled, and why Jalen Brunso... more

John sits down with Axios media correspondent Sara Fischer to discuss the throw down set for next Sunday on the White House lawn. They discuss the press access issues and the potential growth opportunities for the UFC. The pair also chat about the br... more

Rich Greenfield, the LightShed partner and sports guru, joins John to weigh in on the looming NFL rights renegotiation bonanza: who wins, who blinks first, and why the league still has all the leverage in the post-cord-cutting era.

To learn more abo... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Burke Magnus
Head of content at ESPN, overseeing ESPN's content strategy
ESPN (The Walt Disney Company)
Episode: Burke Magnus’s ESPN Wish List
Dan Helfrich
COO of US Soccer
US Soccer
Episode: Is the U.S. Ready for the World Cup?
Peter Supino
Senior media analyst at Wolfe Research
Wolfe Research
Episode: In Defense of Apple’s Crazy F1 Math
Adam Schwartz
Senior executive with Horizon Media who oversees ad budgets for major brands
Horizon Media
Episode: Super Bowl or Bust
Jason Stein
Managing Partner at SC Holdings, private equity investor in sports ventures
SC Holdings
Episode: Pro Sports’ Private Equity Pickle
Joe House
Co-host of Fairway Rollin, golf industry observer
The Ringer
Episode: LIV to Die?
Nathan Hubbard
Executive with sports/entertainment industry background
Formerly at Spotify; involved in media rights discussions
Episode: LIV to Die?
Wendy Poppin
Oldest Poppin sister, childhood recollections
Poppin family
Episode: Introducing Family Lore
Julie Poppin
Sister, childhood recollections
Poppin family
Episode: Introducing Family Lore

Host

John Ourand
Puck Sports Correspondent and host with ties to The Varsity and various media partnerships

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 106 ratings
  • Listen to most shows

    Most guests are great that soccer guy last week was insufferable. I enjoy Marchand they have great chemistry. His vocal fry voice is annoying, and the amount of background noise in last show made me turn it off. I enjoy the content being delivered on a Sunday morning.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Big Dan Howgate
    United States22 days ago
  • 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 States6 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 Statesa year 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

Listeners Say

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

Some listeners critique guest selections or viewpoints, but overall quality remains strong.
Host asks tough, source-driven questions and gets candid responses.
Content is deep and market-focused, great for sponsors and guests.
Guests are consistently high-profile and industry-forward, which makes for valuable insights.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Burke Magnus’s ESPN Wish List
Q: What has surprised you most about ESPN's evolution under your leadership?
The biggest surprise has been how quickly the ecosystem shifted from a TV-centric model to a multi-platform approach, requiring rapid adaptation in content creation, distribution, and on-demand engagement while keeping the quality and consistency of the brand.
Is the U.S. Ready for the World Cup?
Q: What has surprised you in the run-up to the World Cup in North America?
Dan Helfrich describes the three-nation hosting as a unique opportunity and highlights how the roster reveal and fan engagement across multiple cities have amplified excitement, while noting that despite the noise, the organization remains focused on calm, clear messaging and preparation.
The Beautiful (iPhone) Game
Q: What surprised you about Netflix's approach to opening day games and promos?
Gabe Spitzer indicated Netflix may have over-promoted the opening day, conflating a landmark event with the broader baseball season, which could misframe audience expectations.
The Beautiful (iPhone) Game
Q: Before that first kick, what are the storylines for Aziz Senior Sports Media Commons for the Athletic? What are some of the storylines that you're looking at going in?
They discuss Fox's World Cup presentation, Netflix's growing involvement including Women's World Cup, and the shifting dynamics of streaming rights, with emphasis on the potential for Netflix and other streamers to influence event programming and rights valuations.
In Defense of Apple’s Crazy F1 Math
Q: Why is Apple's deal with F1 viewed as potentially favorable despite being a premium price?
Because F1's global, non-traditional schedule can benefit from Apple's ecosystem and merchandising capabilities, attracting a premium but also potentially expanding the audience, particularly among iPhone-heavy demographics; the deal also adds digital optionality without drastically diminishing live viewing value.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Varsity

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

The show gives sharp, insider-level conversations with leaders across sports media, business, and athletics. Episodes frequently center on media rights, streaming, and the intersection of technology, sponsorship, and league strategy, with deep dives into how major properties monetize and distribute content. A notable strength is its guest rosters and sourcing—ranging from network executives and league insiders to veteran journalists and former athletes—offering both big-picture context and behind-the-scenes specifics that help listeners understand market dynamics and dealmaking. Potential listeners include industry professionals, advertisers, and sponsors seeking informed analysis and networking-ready insights, with frequent threads on NFL ... more

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How many listeners does The Varsity get?

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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. Sports Media with Richard Deitsch
2. SI Media With Jimmy Traina
3. The Grill Room
4. The Powers That Be: Daily
5. The Sports Media Podcast

How many episodes of The Varsity are there?

The Varsity launched 2 years ago and published 198 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. Burke Magnus
2. Dan Helfrich
3. Peter Supino
4. Adam Schwartz
5. Jason Stein
6. Joe House
7. Nathan Hubbard
8. Wendy Poppin

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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