The Varsity
Puck | AudacyPuck 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
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 211 | Founded | 2 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsBusiness News | |||
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Latest Episodes
Annie Costabile of The Athletic, who covers the WNBA and women’s basketball at large, joins John to discuss the league’s growing pains as it makes the leap from niche product to mainstream juggernaut. Annie explains why, despite record TV ratings, at... more
Analyst Michael Nathanson joins John to break down some of the biggest storylines in sports media right now—from the implications of Paramount pausing its Warner Bros. deal to the way the A.I. capex arms race has reshaped how streamers approach sport... more
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand rejoins John to break down ESPN’s recent layoffs, which hit more than 100 employees. They explain why the NFL Network acquisition—and the massive salaries commanded by the likes of Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee—set th... more
JT Batson, C.E.O. of the U.S. Soccer Federation, joins John to lay out his vision for “the American soccer movement”—a five-year push toward two marquee moments: the 2028 L.A. Olympics and the 2031 Women’s World Cup. Batson makes the case for buildin... more
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Reviews
- 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 Podcasts5Big Dan Howgate
United States2 months 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 Podcasts4quikoniUnited States8 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 Podcasts1SamimSisselUnited 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 Podcasts5mattmanfanUnited Statesa year ago - Netflix
Didn’t the first game start 2 hours late? 1pm start time pushed to just before 3pm?!
Great pod.
Apple Podcasts4LBJ503United States2 years ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
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Apple Podcasts | #16 | United States/News/Business News |
Apple Podcasts | #34 |  Canada/News/Business News |
Apple Podcasts | #113 |  United Kingdom/News/Business News |
Apple Podcasts | #113 |  Australia/News/Business News |
Apple Podcasts | #117 |  Italy/News/Business News |
Apple Podcasts | #32 |  Israel/News/Business News |
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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
Where can I find podcast stats for The Varsity?
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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?
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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 211 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?
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Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Varsity?
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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Varsity. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on The Varsity?
Recent guests on The Varsity include:
1. JT Batson
2. Evan Drellich
3. Michael Ratner
4. Lance Fensterman
5. Uzma Dowler
6. Steven Cahall
7. Jon Wertheim
8. Christian Genetski
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.