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The Varsity

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

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes162Founded2 years ago
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Latest Episodes

ESPN’s college basketball savant Jay Bilas joins John with a surprisingly optimistic diagnosis of the sport. He argues the on-court product has never been better, and makes a case that N.I.L. has only strengthened—not fractured—collegiate athletics. ... more

Veteran sports columnist Christine Brennan joins John live from Milan to chew over the buzziest storylines emerging from the Winter Olympics. She discusses the unusually charged political atmosphere—including the notable booing of J.D. Vance at the o... more

NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell joins John to reflect on his 20-year rise inside the company—going from the infamous “hat dance guy” to the executive now steering the motorsport’s high-stakes future. Then he breaks down the new playoff format, NASCA... more

Ben Strauss, the now-former Washington Post media reporter, joins John to share a firsthand account of being swept up in the paper’s mass layoffs and the shuttering of its sports desk. Then they dive into NBC’s Super Bowl performance and the broader ... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

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
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
Mark Marshall
NBCUniversal's chairman of global advertising and partnerships
NBCUniversal
Episode: Inside NBC’s Sports-Ad Olympics
Gabe Spitzer
One of the top sports executives at Netflix
Netflix
Episode: Netflix’s Anti-ESPN Thesis
Don Garber
Longtime commissioner of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Episode: The MLS 3.0 Blueprint
Joe Manganiello
Actor known for roles in Magic Mike and True Blood
Episode: Introducing How We Made Your Mother Season 2!

Host

John Ourand
Host and sports correspondent known for in-depth analysis and coverage of the sports business industry, engaging with various executives and insiders.

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 States2 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 States9 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.

Some listeners express a desire for more balance in perspectives.
Engaging discussions that clarify complex industry topics.
"What a rolodex!" Great interviews with high-profile sports figures.
The host has a knack for extracting meaningful answers—superb interviews.
Offers valuable insights into sports media and business trends.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#13
United States/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#54
Canada/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#97
United Kingdom/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#95
Australia/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#107
Germany/News/Sports News
Apple Podcasts
#116
Italy/News/Sports News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

NFL’s New TV Order
Q: What do you think the future looks like for the NFL's media negotiations?
It will likely resemble current setups with some adaptations for international deals, but maintaining the accessibility of broadcast games is crucial.
NFL’s New TV Order
Q: How would you describe your attitude and the entire newsroom's attitude during the layoffs?
It's a mix of resignation and frustration, recognizing the significant impact on the newspaper's future.
Olympics Politics & LA28’s Epstein Problem
Q: What do you make of the IOC and the LA28 board's support of Casey Wasserman?
It didn't surprise me that they supported him, showing they were satisfied with the situation despite ongoing concerns.
Olympics Politics & LA28’s Epstein Problem
Q: What are some of the storylines that you've been following off the outside of the competition?
There are protests and political concerns affecting the Olympics, particularly in relation to Casey Wasserman's visibility amidst his controversy.
Any Given Sunday With Mike Florio
Q: What changes do you expect that we'll see moving forward in the Hall of Fame voting?
There's a need for transparency and greater awareness on how the voting process is handled, especially regarding high-profile candidates like Bill Belichick.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Varsity

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

The content focuses on the intersection of sports and media, featuring in-depth discussions on the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting, business strategies, and key players in the industry. Topics frequently explored include media rights negotiations, the impact of digital platforms on traditional broadcasting, and the dynamics of sports ownership and management. This engaging series stands out for its high-profile interviews with sports executives, former players, and media insiders, providing listeners with insider perspectives and valuable insights into the sports business sector.

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 Powers That Be: Daily
2. The Sports Media Podcast
3. The Press Box
4. The Town with Matthew Belloni
5. Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

How many episodes of The Varsity are there?

The Varsity launched 2 years ago and published 162 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. Steve O'Donnell
2. Mike Florio
3. Evan Drellich
4. Michael Ratner
5. Charlie Baker
6. Mark Marshall
7. Gabe Spitzer
8. Don Garber

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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