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The Varsity

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

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 weeklyEpisodes174Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsSports NewsBusiness News

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Latest Episodes

ESPN’s Jeff Passan joins John to break down the sweeping changes reshaping MLB—from the new robo umps to the ripple effects of the pitch clock. They also discuss Netflix’s MLB debut and baseball’s evolving streaming future, the global momentum of the... more

Top ESPN exec Susie Piotrkowski joins John to talk about the explosion of women’s sports, from the surging popularity of the WNBA and women’s college basketball to the growing reach of the NWSL. She also dives deep into ESPN’s push to mainstream the ... more

On the Draymond Green Show, no topic is off limits. In this episode Draymond welcomes Skip Bayless to discuss Michael Jordan, Stephen A Smith, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and they debate whether or not Draymond is really the dirtiest pla... more

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand joins John to break down the biggest media storylines shaping the MLB season—from its Netflix “experiment” to the future of the World Series and World Baseball Classic. They also dig into the NFL’s looming rights negoti... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Curtis LeGeyt
President and CEO, National Association of Broadcasters
National Association of Broadcasters
Episode: How Broadcast Survives in a Netflix World
Mike Foss
Senior vice president overseeing ESPN studio programming and ESPN's sports podcasts
ESPN
Episode: ESPN's Talent Whisperer
Jeremiah Yolcut
Senior Vice President of Global Operations and Events
Major League Baseball
Episode: The NWSL’s Moneyball Moment
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?
Roger Bennett
Founder and CEO of Men in Blazers Media Network, author of 'We Are the World Cup'
Men in Blazers Media Network
Episode: Can MLS Win the World Cup?
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

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 98 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 States4 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
#26
United States/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#64
Canada/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#129
United Kingdom/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#63
Italy/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#75
Germany/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#122
Australia/News/Sports News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Broadcast Survives in a Netflix World
Q: What are the biggest issues Curtis LeGeyt is focusing on right now?
LeGeyt outlines the push for more scale and consolidation to compete for high-value sports rights, along with modernizing regulations to empower local broadcasters and ensure consumer access to premier sports through broadcast channels, while balancing streaming competition.
The NWSL’s Moneyball Moment
Q: So I'm going to go to kind of an open-ended question here. But as you start this season, again, the 14th season of NWSL, what are some of the metrics that people should be looking at in terms of getting through this season, that you're hoping to see either a lot of growth in or at least maintaining where you are?
Berman describes focusing on product competitiveness, attendance records, continued broadcast viewership growth, and expansion momentum as the core metrics, while noting investment in facilities and partnerships will drive the topline through 2028 and beyond.
ESPN's Talent Whisperer
Q: What was his idea for moving elements around, and how was it implemented?
The idea was to make small, targeted adjustments to the show format to enhance dynamic storytelling and leverage cross-platform audiences, rather than a wholesale overhaul; this incremental approach allowed ESPN to test what works across platforms while keeping core strengths intact.
ESPN's Talent Whisperer
Q: Let's start with McAfee Show. What makes that successful?
The show succeeds because Pat McAfee is highly intelligent, relentlessly driven, and authentic, which creates a unique energy that resonates with the audience beyond traditional sports formats; the show's success also hinges on a strong team and a capacity to stay true to its own voice.
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.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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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?

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?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Varsity, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

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

How many episodes of The Varsity are there?

The Varsity launched 2 years ago and published 174 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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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Varsity?

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What guests have appeared on The Varsity?

Recent guests on The Varsity include:

1. Curtis LeGeyt
2. Mike Foss
3. Jeremiah Yolcut
4. Gary Bettman
5. Mike Morris
6. Roger Bennett
7. Jay Bilas
8. Steve O'Donnell

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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