Tag: sports

Get Closer to the Game With These Essential Football Podcasts

October 6, 2025

Football season is in full swing, and Spotify has you covered with a lineup of podcasts that capture the excitement, drama, and insider perspectives fans crave.

“Here we have a one-stop destination that goes beyond scores and highlights to dive deeper into the stories, strategies, and personalities shaping football,” said Sydney Williams, Audience Development Editor, Podcast Editorial at Spotify. “Our curation brings together familiar voices from The Ringer alongside commentary from athletes who know the game inside and out, both on and off the field. We hope fans walk away not just entertained, but feeling more connected to the sport they love.”

The Ryen Russillo Podcast
By The Ringer

Sports commentator Ryen Russillo breaks down the week’s biggest games, trends, and stories. He invites athletes, coaches, and insiders on for candid conversations about sports and beyond.

Green Light with Chris Long
By Chris Long

Former defensive end Chris Long brings a player’s perspective to the game and culture fans love, with interviews from major names in sports and entertainment, plus lighthearted dives into everything else.

Glory Daze with Johnny Manziel
By Almost Friday Media

Former football player Johnny Manziel sits down with sports legends to relive the game’s most nostalgic eras, from unforgettable highlights to the challenges behind the fame.

House Call
By The Deep 3

From the creators of The Deep 3 basketball podcast, House Call brings the same sharp, funny, and fan-driven style to football.

The Ringer NFL SHOW
By The Ringer

Host Sheil Kapadia and a rotating cast of Ringer colleagues and guests unpack the day’s biggest football story—fast, smart, and perfect for your commute.

Stream the full lineup on Spotify.

Spotify and Nike’s Make Moves Campaign Goes Global to Support Teen Girls’ Mental Health

September 3, 2025

For so many of us, movement is about more than just exercise—it’s a way to build confidence, find joy, and connect with others. But for young women, societal pressures, fear of judgment, and a focus on performance can make movement feel exclusive. According to a 2024 World Health Organization study, 85% of teenage girls aren’t meeting recommended guidelines for physical activity, a key factor in mental well-being. At the same time, girls are disproportionately impacted by mental health challenges.

That’s why, building on a successful pilot in the UK, Spotify and Nike are reuniting to launch the global Make Moves campaign. Girls in countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the US will now have access to this body-moving program. The idea is simple yet powerful: Encourage girls to move to just one song a day to boost their mental well-being, using the power of music to make movement more joyful and accessible.

The power of the playlist

At the heart of the campaign is the Make Moves playlist, which lives in Spotify’s EQUAL hub. More than a playlist, it’s a collaborative project co-curated by a global community of artists, athletes, and teen girls. The goal is to celebrate the freedom and joy of movement, free from pressure or perfection.

 

The star-studded lineup of curators includes brazy, SGaWD, Bridget Blue, and KMAT, alongside world-class Nike athletes Dina Asher-Smith, Keely Hodgkinson, Georgia Stanway, Ada Hegerberg, Mariona Caldentey, Rhasidat Adeleke, Sophie Hahn, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Georgia Bell, Zoe Harrison, Lotte Wubben-Moy, and Amber Anning.

“Music has been my constant—a source of motivation, comfort, and energy through all the highs and lows,” said British track and field athlete Keely Hodgkinson. “That’s why a campaign focused on music and movement for teenage girls is so important. It’s during those years that so many girls start to drift away from sport. But staying active has taught me resilience, self-belief, discipline, and joy. If we can help more young girls stay in sport—and find their own rhythm, with music and movement—we’re giving them tools for life.”

Professional footballer Georgia Stanway added, “Music’s just one of those things that gets me. It lifts me when I’m low and hypes me up when I need to go full throttle. Whether I’m chilling or getting in the zone, music’s always there. It’s part of who I am, simple as that.”

Proven impact, global scale

The 2023 UK pilot of Make Moves, which provided grants to grassroots organizations focused on helping girls, demonstrated the tangible impact of this approach. The initiative reached more than 700 girls, resulting in a 20% improvement in confidence, a 40% increase in regular physical activity, and a 19% decrease in regular feelings of anxiety.

As we expand the campaign globally, Spotify and Nike will also be making a donation to Selena Gomez’s Rare Impact Fund to further support youth mental health.

“We know that mental health and well-being are essential in helping young people thrive,” said Elyse Cohen, President of the Rare Impact Fund and Chief Impact Officer at Rare Beauty. “This support, through Nike’s and Spotify’s Make Moves campaign, enables us to expand access to critical resources so that young people everywhere can care for their mental health and feel empowered to reach their full potential.”

This program is a key part of Spotify’s broader social impact strategy, which is dedicated to supporting the well-being of creators and listeners and includes initiatives like Heart & Soul and Our Game Our Sound, as well as a partnership with UNICEF.

“Teen girls around the world are facing an urgent mental health crisis, and Make Moves is designed to meet that challenge head-on,” said Lauren Wurgaft, Global Head of Social Impact at Spotify. “By combining the power of music and movement, we’re helping girls reconnect with themselves, their communities, and their sense of joy. Together with Nike, we want to create a space where every girl feels empowered to move freely—without judgment, without limits.”

For Nike, Make Moves aligns with its vision for the future of youth sport, aiming for 50% girl participation in the company’s partner programs.

“The Nike x Spotify Make Moves partnership is designed to leverage the power of music to get girls moving. Nike is committed to the future of youth sport and exploring innovative ways to meet teen girls where they are,” said Dan Burrows, Global GM, Future of Youth Sport at Nike. “By helping girls integrate daily movement into their lifestyle and rallying support of their key influences, we hope they find their own sense of enjoyment, confidence, and belonging within sport—on their terms.”

By working together, Spotify and Nike are combining our strengths to create a more supportive and joyful environment for the next generation.

Follow the Make Moves playlist on Spotify and join the challenge by moving to one song a day. For more from participating artists and athletes, follow along on @spotify and @nike.

Spotify and Travis Barker Team Up to Host Run Travis Run Races Across the U.S.

July 22, 2025

After legendary blink-182 drummer and producer Travis Barker survived a horrific, life-threatening plane crash in 2008, his doctors told him he may never walk or play the drums the same again. Travis started on his journey to overall wellness, which included daily runs, to motivate himself and prove the doctors wrong. 

Travis’s commitment to fitness led to his starting a series of Run Travis Run races, which evolved into a mission to inspire others in their personal journeys of physical, mental, and overall wellness. 

To help amplify the momentum, Spotify and Run Travis Run are teaming up this fall to unite fans and runners alike with energizing 5K events in four cities:

September 20: Chicago

October 5: Palm Springs

October 18: Las Vegas

November 9: Santa Monica

Produced by sports and experiential marketing agency Mascot Sports, these races will merge Travis’s high-energy world with Spotify’s passion for helping fans find connection and community through music. Ahead of the fall races, Spotify and Run Travis Run will also launch a social campaign that explores the blink-182 drummer’s love for wellness and music.

Get race ready with the official Run Travis Run playlist

With more than 12 million “running” playlists available on our platform, Spotify is the ultimate running companion, creating experiences that leave people feeling more energized and inspired. And to help fans train for the 5Ks, we’re adding one more to the list with the launch of the official Run Travis Run playlist, curated by Travis himself. 

“I’m always hyped to bring Run Travis Run to the public. It’s about community, getting people moving, being outside, and feeling connected,” Travis said. “Music has always been a part of my life. Every genre means something to me in a different way. I built this Spotify playlist with my go-to tracks for working out. Hope it fuels you.”

Featuring a high-voltage blend of punk, hardcore, breakbeat, and hip-hop, the playlist helps runners get into a zone with the help of songs like Death Grips’ “Guillotine,” Refused’s “New Noise,” and The Prodigy’s “Firestarter.”

Top Spotify fans get early access to Run Travis Run tickets

Starting on July 22, top Travis Barker fans in each host city will receive an early-access invite from Spotify prompting them to purchase a ticket to the event. An artist presale will begin on July 23, followed by general sales opening on July 25.  

North American fans who live outside of the event cities will be able to buy virtual tickets and participate in the races from anywhere. As part of their virtual experience, participants will be mailed a race bib and medal. 

A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated to CORE, a humanitarian organization founded by Sean Penn and Ann Lee that empowers underserved communities in and beyond crisis. 

Spotify’s partnership with Run Travis Run is the latest way we’re tapping into the energy and connection of the running community. Whether moving with the pack or running solo, fans of all kinds can find their communities and rhythm with Spotify.

General ticket sales for Run Travis Run 2025 are now open here.

Spotify’s ‘Our Game, Our Sound’ Campaign Champions Community and Joy in Women’s Football

July 8, 2025

This summer, as the energy builds for one of the biggest moments in women’s football, we’re launching “Our Game, Our Sound,” a Europe-wide social impact campaign that spotlights the powerful connection between music, football, and community. The initiative is designed to foster belonging, joy, and mental well-being for Gen Z women, using Spotify’s cultural reach to create meaningful, connection-driven experiences.

The ultimate playlist

At the heart of “Our Game, Our Sound” is a new playlist co-curated by some of the most exciting names in European football. Global stars like Aggie Beever-Jones, Jess Park, Andrea Medina, and Laura Giuliani have selected the tracks that soundtrack their most important social moments. These are the songs that fill the locker room, the tour bus, and all the times at home and away that bring them together as a team. The playlist is an invitation for fans to find and celebrate their own communities this summer.

We’ve also partnered with Footballco and INDIVISA to cocreate and amplify content around the playlist. Through first-person narratives, short-form videos, and Instagram stories, the players will share authentic moments, connecting the dots between the music and their real-life experiences as fans and athletes.

Inside Spotify’s Partnership With UK Rapper Dave’s Annual Football Tournament, Santan Cup

October 11, 2024

On and off the pitch, Spotify celebrates the culture around football. Since 2022, we’ve worked closely with FC Barcelona to bring the worlds of music and sport together with artist collaborations, matchday playlists, studio visits, and much more. And last week, we teamed up with U.K. rap phenomenon Dave for the seventh edition of his Santan Cup, an annual cultural highlight on the football calendar.

Over the years, the tournament has attracted some of the most influential names in music, including Jack Harlow and Stormzy. This year was no different, with rapper Tiakola, singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy, and designer KidSuper captaining their own squads.

Leading up to the event, Spotify teased the Santan Cup with pitchside advertising at FC Barcelona’s La Liga match against Getafe. Then the tournament took over St. George’s Park, the official home of English football, where teams donned exclusive Spotify-branded training kits to get match-ready.

Go for the Gold This Summer With These Sports-Themed Audiobooks and Podcasts

July 26, 2024

Summer is peak season for some of our favorite sports and events. Whether you’re rooting for the home team at the ballpark or cheering for your country as it competes in Paris, Spotify’s editors have audiobook and podcast recommendations that will help you amp up your team spirit.

Audiobooks

Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance

Simone Biles, Michelle Burford

Narrated by Imani Parks

In Courage to Soar, four-time Olympic gold-winning and record-setting American gymnast Simone Biles shares how her faith, family, passion, and perseverance made her one of the top athletes and gymnasts in the world. The GOAT’s entrance into the world of gymnastics started on a field trip in her hometown of Spring, Texas, and her talent, along with drive to succeed no matter what, has fueled her ever since. This official autobiography shows that there is much more to Simone than meets the eye, and it offers inspiration for finding the courage to overcome life’s obstacles.

Make It Count: My Fight to Become the First Transgender Olympic Runner

CeCé Telfer

Narrated by CeCé Telfer

This inspiring story from the first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA title follows CeCé Telfer’s traditional upbringing in Jamaica, her fight to become a U.S. citizen, her efforts to achieve her Olympic dreams, and the many obstacles that came with them. It’s a story of resilience, athleticism, and a quest for clarity, because when CeCé discovered running, she also found herself. 

Three Kings: Race, Class, and the Barrier-Breaking Rivals Who Launched the Modern Olympic Age

Todd Balf

Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

Even a century later, the 100-meter sprint final at the 1924 Paris Games is considered one of the most thrilling races in Olympic history. Broadcast live for the first time and featuring three of the world’s fastest swimmers—American legends Duke Kahanamoku and Johnny Weissmuller, and Japanese upstart Katsuo Takaishi—the race was also the first Olympic swimming final to spotlight athletes of different races. Three Kings traces the careers and rivalries of these men and looks at how our modern-day conception of athleticism and competition is rooted in this previous era and its athletes.

Drop In: The Gender Rebels Who Changed the Face of Skateboarding

Deborah Stoll

Narrated by Deborah Stoll, Daru Oda

Who gets to tell the story of skateboarding? The four skateboarders at the heart of Drop In defied expectations of gender, talent, physical ability, and mental capacity to fight the status quo: Alana as the first openly nonbinary athlete in Olympic history; Vanessa as a record-breaking runaway; Marbie as an accidental boundary-breaking trans icon; and Victoria as the skate rookie turned social media sensation. This story spotlights their paths from rebellious outsiders to pioneers onstage at the 2021 Tokyo Games, where skateboarding made its debut. 

Just Add Water: My Swimming Life 

Katie Ledecky

Narrated by Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky has won more individual Olympic races than any female swimmer in history. Just Add Water charts Ledecky’s life in swimming, from her start in Bethesda, Maryland, where she first discovered the joy of the pool, to winning gold at just 15 years old, to balancing competition and her education at Stanford University. Ledecky shares firsthand how she developed a champion’s mindset that has allowed her to persevere through the intense pressures of her sport and how she has continued to dominate in the pool, where success comes down to  milliseconds

Podcasts

Sal’s Winning Weekend

Sal Iacono—Jimmy Kimmel Live on-air personality and host of Cousin Sal’s Winning Weekend—breaks down the world of gambling across a variety of sports, including professional football, basketball, hockey, and ultimate fighting; boxing; wrestling; and even competitive hot dog eating.

The Ryen Russillo Podcast

Each week, longtime sports radio host Ryen Russillo covers the biggest topics in sports. This podcast is one-stop listening for everything that’s happening in the athletic world, from the winners and losers to trade talk and predictions—and a dash of pop culture.

The Bill Simmons Podcast

HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time. Tune in to hear him in conversation with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media heavyweights, as well as regulars like Cousin Sal and Joe House.

Counter Pressed

Commentator Flo Lloyd-Hughes and a rotating group of friends offer a fun, unfiltered look at the world of football, with a focus on the women’s game. 

The Press Box

The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker catch up listeners on the biggest media stories of the week, from sports to politics and everything in between.

Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air

Emmy-winning producer, actor, and comedian Larry Wilmore weighs in on the issues of the week and interviews guests from the worlds of politics, entertainment, culture, sports, and beyond.

Ringer Dish

Ringer Dish is the place for all things celebrity and pop culture. From major moments like the Met Gala, the Oscars, and massive sporting events to the weird habits of the stars you love, and even refreshers on the biggest tabloid stories of the last 20 years, Ringer Dish has all the vital details.

The Giants of Africa Festival Inspires African Youth to ‘Dream Big’ Through Basketball, Culture, and Music

August 16, 2023

As one of the fastest-growing music markets in the world, Africa is home to dynamic genres like Afrobeats and amapiano that have taken pop music by storm. And while artists like Burna Boy, Rema, CKay, Wizkid, Tems, and Davido have risen as icons on their home continent, they’ve also succeeded on the global stage. 

The future is bright for African music and its stars, but there’s also a new generation of talent outside of music who are ready to show the world what they can do. That’s why we’re teaming up with the Giants of Africa Festival in Kigali, Rwanda, to showcase a shared vision for the continent’s future through music and basketball.   

To tip off the event, which runs August 13-19 and will see over 250 youth from 16 African countries in attendance, we worked with Giants of Africa (GOA) to create a special video, Music In Motion. Featuring players from the Nigeria Youth National Team who took time to share the ways music and basketball are linked in their lives. 

Co-founded by NBA executive Masai Ujiri, GOA uses basketball as an avenue to inspire African youth to dream big while also emphasizing education, empowerment, and leadership. Since 2003, GOA has positively impacted over 40,000 African youth across 17 countries by providing access to basketball courts and skills camps.

Along with the Music In Motion video, Spotify will also be presenting the festival’s closing concert. The headliner will be the magnetic Davido, and he’ll be joined by Tiwa Savage, the Nigerian singer-songwriter and actress known as the Queen of Afrobeats; Rwanda’s own Bruce Melodie, a gifted singer-songwriter known for his soulful melodies; and Tyla, a rising star recently selected as a featured artist for our RADAR program. Their performances promise to create an electrifying atmosphere and leave a lasting impression on festival attendees.

Together with GOA, we’re committed to supporting a new generation of talent by uniting the best of African youth, basketball, music, and culture.

Be sure to hit play on our Giants of Africa playlist, which features Afro hits from the 16 countries represented at the continent’s premier basketball festival. 

How Spotify Brings FC Barcelona Players and Passionate Fans Together

June 20, 2023

CANNES, FRANCE - JUNE 19: (L to R) Bradford Ross, VP Global Sports & Entertainment Marketing and Partnerships at The Coca-Cola Company, Cesc Fàbregas, Pola Gomez, Benjamin Braun, Samsung Europe CMO and Jeremy Erlich, Spotify Global Head of Music participate in the Top Hits and Goal-Scoring Kicks: Fans, Football and Media session at Spotify Beach, during Cannes Lions on June 19, 2023 in Cannes, France. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)

For fans, the world of sports is more than what happens on the field or the outcome on the scoreboard. It’s about bringing people together. In this way, sports and music are similar—especially when it comes to the passion that fans have for each.

This week at Spotify Beach at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, Spotify’s Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, hosted a conversation between former FC Barcelona player Cesc Fàbregas, freestyle footballer Pola Gomez, Coca Cola’s VP of Global Sports and Entertainment Marketing and Partnerships, Bradford Ross, and Samsung’s European CMO, Benjamin Braun. Together, they dove into the fan culture surrounding sports, music and the ways each brand has harnessed this passion. 

“About a year ago, we signed our partnership with FC Barcelona,” Jeremy said at the start of the conversation. “It’s been an amazing partnership. Together, we set out to bring the world of  Football and Music together. For us, it’s about how we can use FC Barcelona’s huge scale and fanbase to celebrate artists and grow our brand in places like India, Indonesia and Latin America. Football and sport are different from music, but they have the similarities of having very passionate fan bases and having very young fanbases.”

Cesc Fàbregas knows something about an active fanbase. He joined his first professional team, Arsenal, at age 16, coming off the World Cup tournament where he was voted the best player and goal scorer. “Even though we lost the final against Brazil, that’s the first time I started signing shirts and taking pictures with people.” A few years later, Cesc joined his home country’s Football Club Barcelona, and led the team to victory at the world championships at age 23. But he stays humble.

“I always say that in football, you never know everything,” said Cesc. “It’s one of those sports you can always grow, even when you’re 32, 35, 37, and everyone around me has helped me learn. Everyday, I’m thankful for that.” 

Pola Gomez also started playing football at a young age, thanks to her family’s love of the sport. But after sustaining injuries to both knees, she transitioned to football freestyle, where she interacts with most of her fans through social media. “I am on social media first for sharing my passion, sharing my tricks, but also to show off this incredible football freestyle universe. I love being close to my community, to share tips, but also to motivate people, especially girls trying out the sport of their dreams,” she said. 

Jeremy dove deeper into music and branding with each athlete, and how their sport brings fans together. Read on for some top moments from their conversation.

Cesc: It [The Spotify partnership with FC Barcelona] is another level. You see how big the club can be around the world. Everywhere you go, they know you. They know the players, they know the brand. Spotify has made a great choice in joining us.

Jeremy: As part of our Barcelona partnership, twice this past year for the Clásico, which is one of the most watched sports in the world, we replaced the Spotify jersey with an artist logo. We did Drake for the first Clásico, and then we did ROSALiA for the second. And let’s specifically talk about ROSALiA: She’s been a Barcelona fan her entire life. So the emotional connection when we offered her the opportunity to be on the jersey was, I think, one of the most enriching things we’ve done with an artist. She was moved to tears because her family and all her friends could see her on the jersey. But I think that really brings the strength of local connections.

Cesc: I think music has a really big, big part for us in football. Normally, there’s one designated player that will take charge of the music and will play music that everyone likes. But Spain is the place where there’s the most chaos because everyone likes a different type of music. 

So each game, we pick a player who will dictate what’s going to happen musically in the locker room. It’s really, really important because in this half an hour before the game when we listen to music, we also just pump everyone up and we get motivated and excited for the game. 

Sometimes we have one song that we all pick that we all feel identified with and we’ll just go for it. And you know it’s time for action. 

Jeremy: When you think of what you want brands to associate with you, what do you think of? What’s most important to you? 

Pola: Most important for me is to keep my image as a strong woman with my style. I really try to accept only brands with my values and ethics. At first, I posted just for me, and now all people can see my free style and they love and appreciate it. It’s just crazy—I don’t really have words for that, but it’s just so cool to be able to simply enjoy my passion. I can’t imagine my life without my ball. We are like a duo. We express ourselves together.

Cesc: I think it’s most important to bring everyone together and fight for what’s good and fight against what’s not good. Because we always have a big thing to say as sportsmen, as people who represent many, many things around the world in terms of culture and diversity. We just have to always be positive and try to improve as the world is trying to improve.  

Catch all the conversations happening on the ground at Cannes on Newsroom.Spotfy.com/SpotifyBeach2023 and listen to the full conversation on Spotify.

Spotify Fans in South Korea Can Now Enjoy More Than 4 Million Podcasts From Local and Global Creators

October 19, 2022

Lead image of shows included in Spotify Korea's podcast launch

In just under two years, Spotify has established itself as a destination for Korean music fans and artists through playlists like K-Pop ON! (온) and KrOWN. Now we want to do the same for podcasts. 

Starting today, Spotify Korea listeners will have access to more than 4 million podcasts worldwide. This includes global podcasts like TED Talks Daily, TED Business, BBC’s Global News Podcast, and the New York Times’ The Daily; Spotify Originals like Batman Unburied, Kim Kardashian’s The System, and Meghan Markle’s Archetypes; and Spotify Exclusives like Myths Of The World and Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy.

We’re also launching a podcast hub exclusively for South Korean listeners. This one-stop destination can help Spotify Korea listeners find the perfect podcast through personalized playlists and spotlights on local content. Some of the regional podcasts the hub will highlight include Confidentiality by Vivo (comedy), Leestar Radio (sports), Sun Kim’s Relentless World History (educational), Weird Mysterious Stories by Braden (true crime), Daebak Show by Eric Nam (music), Check It Out (arts & entertainment), The Psychiatrists (lifestyle & health), Intelligence Play by Jiyoon Kim (news & politics), Two Women in Talk (story), and more. 

In addition to providing new content for listeners, we’ve also localized our podcast creation tool, Anchor, in Korean. This will make it easier for Korean creators to openly record, edit, and distribute podcasts to Spotify and other services in minutes—all for free.

To learn more about what all this means for the South Korean podcast market, For the Record spoke with four of South Korea’s renowned creators: Eun-i Song, Eric Nam, Jaekuk Lee, and the Leestar Team.


Eun-i Song

Eun-i Song is the founder and CEO of Content Lab VIVO, as well as Media Lab Seesaw, a content creation and management company. She is also a household name in South Korea, where she is highly acclaimed as a comedian and for her pioneering content creation and distribution work with VIVO. Her podcast, Song Eun-i and Kim Sook’s Confidentiality, is now available on Spotify.

What do you like most about podcasts?

Since podcasts are not organized by broadcasting companies and do not require a large amount of production costs, the fact that anyone can create their own program is the biggest attraction. From the producer’s perspective, podcasts provide room to take risks with ideas that could not be done in broadcast, allowing for more diverse and creative content. 

How do you think the podcast market and listenership has changed since 2015, when your show, Song Eun-i and Kim Sook’s Confidentiality, first launched?

Photo of Eun-i Song posing against a white backdrop

Eun-i Song

When our podcast, Song Eun-i and Kim Sook’s Confidentiality, first started, the majority of popular podcasts were focused on politics. Now it seems like podcast genres are branching out to include entertainment, economy, and self help–related content. Similarly, the podcast market is increasingly looking at the older generations—who are familiar with radio culture and political content—and has expanded to include content pioneers who are bringing a diversity of content that hasn’t been given much podcast attention in the past.

Looking at the local entertainment industry in general, what kind of topics or content for audio/podcast services do you expect to gather popularity in the future?

I think the biggest advantage of audio and podcast content is that it allows people to multitask. I’ve heard that the listeners of our podcast like to do so while commuting, working in the office, doing design work, or working in the hospital. And now more audio content such as audio dramas and audio movies are in active production, and a lot of entertainment audio content with broadcasters is in the works. Listeners are selecting and enjoying content according to their individual tastes, and their preferences are constantly changing. Podcasts have also diversified alongside listeners’ tastes, and I hope that eclectic, genre-defying content will be introduced in the near future. 

With Spotify’s opening up of podcasts to listeners in South Korea, what are your expectations for Spotify?

If a variety of different worldwide content flows through a global podcast platform such as Spotify to South Korea, the range of choices for local listeners will expand and I think the overall pie of the industry will also increase. I expect the podcast market to grow bigger and attract more creators as the demand grows.


Eric Nam

Spotify podcast cover art for the Daebak Show

A multitalented veteran in the entertainment industry with fans around the world, Eric Nam is an ever-evolving artist, a singer-songwriter, a K-Pop artist, a CEO, and a podcaster. His globally popular podcast, Daebak Show, is now available on Spotify.

You introduced K-Pop as a genre and its artists through your Daebak Show. Was there a specific reason as to why you started the podcast?

Originally, I wanted to create content for international K-Pop fans because they give so much love to Korea and to K-Pop artists. After meeting English-speaking K-Pop fans, I thought it might be a more accessible way for fans to hear behind-the-scenes stories, learn more about Korean music and culture, and also get to know some of their favorite artists through stories and interviews they’ve never heard before. In addition, I’ve always wanted to host my own talk show of sorts, perhaps because of my background in interviewing. We thought that putting a podcast together would be a great way to start without overcomplicating the process.

Portrait of Eric Nam posing in front of a mirror

Eric Nam

What’s one tip you’d share about Spotify’s podcast creation tool as a podcast creator yourself?

Spotify is such an amazing platform, particularly for international reach, and it provides incredible analytics so you can track where your content gets the most engagement. 

With Spotify’s opening up of podcasts to listeners in South Korea, what are your expectations for Spotify?

I’m very excited for Spotify to finally be launching their podcast service in Korea because I’m personally a huge fan of the format. They’re engaging, entertaining, and educational in so many ways. I hope that Spotify users will be able to find not only their favorite songs, but also their favorite podcasts on the platform, and that they give Daebak Show a listen! Please follow us! 

What are some of your favorite podcasts, apart from your Daebak Show?

The Daily by the NYTimes, The Tablo Podcast, and Smartless.


Jaekuk Lee (of Momocon)

Spotify podcast cover art for Sun Kim's Relentless World History

Jaekuk Lee is the general manager and founding member of web and audio content company Momocon (an abbreviation of ‘more than mobile contents”). As an award-winning broadcast writer, he has extensive experience in the South Korean broadcasting industry, including radio. Momocon’s podcast, Sun Kim’s Relentless World History, is now available on Spotify.

What do you like most about podcasts?

I wish I could answer this with the local meme that says “faster than others, different from others” as podcasts provide way faster and more accurate content than radio broadcasts. In addition to allowing listeners to multitask, they are more accessible and offer more diversified information—even compared to video content.

You’ve previously produced numerous memorable podcasts. As a producer, what do you think is the most important factor podcasters should consider when creating a show?

Headshot of Jaekuk Lee Smiling

Jaekuk Lee

I have experimented a lot with podcast content and come to the conclusion that “fun” is the most important factor. After all, entertainment takes up consumers’ time, and I do not think anything without fun can appeal to them. Whether the content is historical, therapeutic, or informational, there must be something “fun” . . . followed by the content’s objective.

You made a big hit with the show Sun Kim’s Relentless World History. How did you come across creating short-form audio content on history?

Everyone loves history-based content, but this is especially true for Koreans. The way history can be interpreted in many different ways also makes it a great topic for discussion. Based on my past experiences as a radio writer, breaking news that would wake people up and short stories that are easy to understand are effective for morning broadcasts. Meanwhile, somewhat comfortable, longer stories that don’t need clear understanding are suitable for nighttime broadcasts to put listeners to sleep. I produced Sun Kim’s Relentless World History with hopes to provide a segment of history that is fun and easy to approach on the way to and from work. I believe that an interpretation of history could also become meme-worthy if it is fun.

In terms of content format and genre, what innovative trends do you think podcasters need to pay attention to moving forward?

I would say audio dramas and audio movies. Sound is the first form of entertainment humans encounter, and we have cultivated our imagination by listening to our parents’ voices in the womb. While the podcast market has grown through informative content so far, it should take a bigger step toward drama and storytelling through audio. While video content about astronauts on Mars would have to show Mars through the lens, an audio drama could let one’s imagination loose with the simple statement that an astronaut has arrived on Mars.

With Spotify’s opening up of podcasts to listeners in South Korea, what are your expectations for Spotify?

I’m hoping that people can be in touch with a wide range of genres and formats, which can, in turn, activate our national podcast industry. I’m thinking that global podcasts that scored a hit worldwide—in particular, audio dramas and documentaries—will actively flow in through Spotify, giving listeners more variety and fun. I hope it will be an opportunity for creative people to try more diverse things.


The Leestar Team

Spotify podcast cover art for Leestar Radio

Jongyoon Park and Jooheon Lee, known together as the Leestar Team, are CEOs of the new-media company Lab Choo Jong Yoon. The pair is famous for their soccer-focused video and podcast content, which has attracted a fan base of hardcore sports fans in South Korea. Their podcast, Leestar Radio, is now available on Spotify.

You have achieved success in the sports podcasting world with the rare distinction of having worked as a professional commentator and caster in the past. Could you tell us more about the state of sports podcasting in South Korea?

Photo of Leestar Team members Jongyoon Park eating a corndog and Jeonhoon Lee smiling and holding a keyboard like a guitar

The Leestar Team

The sports sector makes up a relatively small portion of the podcast market. Generally, politics, culture, and entertainment are the dominant genres, and they seem to be preferred by listeners because they are easily relatable. Meanwhile, sports podcasts are often found and listened to by those who are specifically interested in sports. This niche allows sports podcasts to secure a fixed fan base.

What do you like most about podcasts?

Podcasts have a more relaxed vibe compared to regular radio programs. Also, people can listen to podcasts at any time and pause them whenever they want, unlike radio. Moreover, anyone can record and share their podcast content with others.

팟캐스트 서비스 오픈 기념, 스포티파이가 선보이는 한국 크리에이터들과의 인터뷰

October 19, 2022

Lead image of shows included in Spotify Korea's podcast launch

스포티파이는 지난해 2월 선보인 음원 스트리밍 서비스에 이어 바로 오늘, 한국에 팟캐스트 서비스를 시작했습니다. 이제 국내 스포티파이 청취자들은 8천만개 이상의 음원과 더불어 전 세계 4백만 개 이상의 글로벌 팟캐스트 카탈로그를 이용할 수 있게 됐습니다.

한국 팟캐스트 서비스 개시에 따라 스포티파이는 국내 청취자들을 위한 팟캐스트 허브를 추가했으며, 이를 통해 다채로운 주제 및 카테고리별 손쉬운 프로그램 탐색이 가능해졌습니다. 지금 바로 팟캐스트 허브에서 다음과 같이 다양한 콘텐츠를 만나볼 수 있습니다.

뿐만 아니라 크리에이터들을 위해 스포티파이가 보유한 세계 최대 팟캐스트 제작 및 유통 플랫폼인 ‘앵커(Anchor)’의 한국어 서비스 역시 지원됩니다. 앵커는 쉽고 빠르게 팟캐스트를 제작하고 편집하여 다양한 플랫폼에 배포할 수 있도록 해줄 뿐만 아니라, 청취자에 대한 데이터와 인사이트도 제공합니다. 앵커의 이 모든 기능은 무료로 누구나 자유롭게 사용할 수 있습니다.

스포티파이의 팟캐스트 서비스 개시가 한국 팟캐스트 시장에 어떤 의미를 가져오고, 또 어떤 영향을 미칠까요? 이에 대해 자세한 이야기를 나누기 위해 한국의 인기 팟캐스트 크리에이터이자 다양한 분야에서 활발히 활동 중인 송은이, 에릭 남, 모모콘 이재국 본부장, 그리고 이스타팀(박종훈, 이주헌 랩추종윤 공동 대표이사)과 인터뷰를 진행했습니다. 이들의 이야기를 확인해 보세요!


송은이

Spotify podcast cover art for confidentiality

송은이는 콘텐츠 제작사 ‘컨텐츠랩 비보’와 매니지먼트사 ‘미디어랩 시소’의 대표다. 한국에서 인기 코미디언으로 명성을 이어가고 있으며, ‘컨텐츠랩 비보’를 설립하여 콘텐츠 제작 및 배포를 선도한 선구자로도 높은 평가를 받고 있다. 송은이가 진행하는 ‘송은이 김숙의 비밀보장’은 스포티파이에서 청취할 수 있다. 

팟캐스트의 매력이 무엇이라고 생각하시나요?

팟캐스트는 방송사에 편성되어 있지 않고, 비교적 큰 제작비가 들지 않아 사실상 누구나 본인의 방송을 만들수 있는 것이 가장 큰 매력이라고 생각합니다. 제작자 입장에서는 방송에서 하지 못했던 새로운 아이디어를 시도해 볼 수 있어 더 다양하고 기발한 콘텐츠들이 나올 수 있는 것 같습니다. 

2015년 ‘비밀보장’을 시작한 이후 2022년 현재까지 팟캐스트 시장과 청취자가 어떻게 변화했나요?

Portrait of Eun-i Song posing against a white backdrop

Eun-i Song

2015년 송은이 김숙의 비밀보장을 시작할 당시 인기 팟캐스트는 대부분 정치나 시사 콘텐츠였던 데 반해, 현재는 예능, 경제, 자기개발 등 장르가 다양화되는 추세인 것 같습니다. 청취자 또한 초기에는 정치 콘텐츠와 라디오 문화에 익숙한 일부 기성세대들이었다면 현재는 영상, 책, SNS 등 주류 문화뿐만 아니라 아직 주목받지 않은 새롭고 다양한 것을 찾아 나서는 콘텐츠 선구자들로 확장된 것 같고요.

앞으로 어떤 주제의 오디오 콘텐츠 및 팟캐스트가 인기를 끌 것이라고 예상하시나요?

팟캐스트를 비롯한 오디오 콘텐츠의 이점은 청취를 하면서 다른 일을 할 수 있는 것 아닐까 싶습니다. 실제로 비밀보장 청취자들도 운전이나 출퇴근하는 이동시간을 활용하거나 업무 중에도 팟캐스트를 듣는 것으로 알고 있습니다. 현재 오디오 드라마나 오디오 영화의 제작도 활발해졌고, 방송인을 섭외한 예능형 오디오 콘텐츠도 많이 만들어지고 있습니다. 

많은 사람들이 각자 취향에 따라 콘텐츠를 선별하여 즐기고 있고 취향이 다양화되고 있기도 합니다. 팟캐스트 또한 한 가지 장르에 치우치지 않고 더욱 다채로운 콘텐츠가 많이 나오면 좋겠다는 생각입니다.

스포티파이의 국내 팟캐스트 서비스 시작에 따라 기대하는 점이 있나요?

스포티파이와 같은 글로벌 팟캐스트 플랫폼을 통해 다양한 글로벌 콘텐츠가 유입되면 팟캐스트 콘텐츠 이용자로서 선택의 폭이 넓어지고, 이로 인해 이용자 파이도 늘어나지 않을까 싶습니다. 수요 증가에 따라 팟캐스트 시장이 더 커지고 크리에이터도 더 많아지길 기대합니다.


에릭 남

에릭 남은 아티스트, 싱어송라이터, CEO이자 팟캐스트 크리에이터로 활동 중이다. 다재다능한 면모로 전 세계 팬들의 사랑을 받는 에릭 남의 팟캐스트 ‘대박쇼’는 스포티파이에서 들을 수 있다.

‘대박쇼’에서 다양한 K팝 음악과 아티스트를 소개하셨는데, K팝 위주의 토크쇼를 진행하게 된 계기나 이유가 무엇인가요?

글로벌 K팝 팬들이 한국과 K팝 아티스트들에게 너무나도 큰 관심을 보이고 사랑을 주기 때문에 그들을 위한 콘텐츠를 만들고 싶었습니다. 그러던 중 영어권의 K팝 팬들과 만나게 됐고, 이들에게 팟캐스트가 K팝 업계의 비하인드 스토리를 듣고, 한국의 음악과 문화를 배우고, 또 새로운 이야기와 인터뷰를 통해 좋아하는 아티스트에 대해 더 알아갈 수 있는 통로가 될 수 있겠다는 생각이 들었습니다. 저는 인터뷰 진행 경험이 있기도 해 항상 저만의 토크쇼를 진행하고 싶기도 했죠. 팟캐스트 제작은 이 모든 것을 이루기 위한 가장 좋은 수단이라고 생각했습니다.

Photo of Eric Nam posing in front of a mirror

Eric Nam

팟캐스트 크리에이터로서 스포티파이의 팟캐스트 제작 툴의 활용법이나 팁이 있다면 공유해 주세요.

스포티파이는 자신의 팟캐스트 콘텐츠가 어디에서 가장 인기를 얻고 있는지 등 청취자에 대한 분석 데이터를 제공해주는 훌륭한 플랫폼으로, 특히 글로벌 청취자 확보에 매우 유용합니다. 

스포티파이의 국내 팟캐스트 서비스 시작에 따라 기대하는 점이 있나요?

스포티파이 플랫폼의 열렬한 팬으로서 스포티파이가 드디어 한국에 팟캐스트 서비스를 시작했다니 너무 기쁩니다. 스포티파이의 팟캐스트는 다방면으로 매력적이고 흥미롭고 또 배울 점이 많이 있습니다. 스포티파이 청취자들이 스포티파이에서 좋아하는 음악뿐만 아니라 팟캐스트도 찾아보고, ‘대박쇼’도 들어봐 주시길 바랍니다. 저희 팟캐스트도 팔로우 해주세요!

본인의 ‘대박쇼’ 외에 좋아하는 팟캐스트를 소개해 주세요.

The Daily by NYTimes, 에픽하이 타블로의 The Tablo Podcast, Smartless 등이 있습니다. 


이재국

Spotify podcast cover art for Sun Kim's Relentless World History

뉴미디어 예능 및 오디오 콘텐츠 제작사 모모콘(More than Mobile Contents)의 창립 멤버인 이재국 본부장은 라디오 및 방송 작가로 활동하며 한국 방송 업계에서 명성을 쌓았다. 모모콘의 팟캐스트 콘텐츠 ‘썬킴의 세계사 완전정복’은 스포티파이에서 만나볼 수 있다.

팟캐스트의 매력이 무엇이라고 생각하시나요?

“누구보다 빠르게, 남들과는 다르게” 요즘 유행하는 밈으로 대답을 대신할 수 있을 것 같습니다. 팟캐스트는 지상파 라디오 방송과 비교했을 때 콘텐츠 속도와 정확도 면에서 압도적입니다. 동영상과 달리 멀티태스킹이 가능할 뿐만 아니라, 훨씬 편하고 다양한 정보를 얻을 수 있다는 점도 큰 매력이라고 생각합니다.

훌륭하고도 다채로운 팟캐스트를 다수 제작한 제작자의 관점에서 팟캐스터가 프로그램을 만들 때 가장 중요하게 고려해야 할 점이 있을까요?

Headshot of Jaekuk Lee smiling

Jaekuk Lee

그동안 콘텐츠에 대한 다양한 시도를 많이 해봤는데 역시 가장 중요한 건 재미인것 같습니다. 엔터테인먼트는 결국 소비자의 시간을 뺏는 건데 재미가 없으면 그 무엇도 소비자에게 다가가지 못합니다. 역사, 힐링, 정보 등 무엇을 전달하든 결국 콘텐츠에 있어 제일 먼저 고려해야 할 건 “재미”고, 그 다음은 왜 만들어야 하는지라는 “목적”이라고 생각합니다.

‘썬킴의 세계사 완전정복’이 크게 히트했는데, 숏폼 오디오 역사 콘텐츠를 만들게 된 배경은 무엇인가요?

역사는 모두가 좋아하고 특히 우리나라 사람들이 좋아하는 콘텐츠입니다. 역사에 대한 해석도 다양하기 때문에 다른 사람들과 토론하기에도 좋은 아이템입니다. 저는 라디오 작가를 오랫동안 했는데 아침 방송에서는 잠이 깰만한 소식을 한번에 알아들을 수 있게 단문으로 쓰는 것이 효과적입니다. 반면 심야 라디오에서는 마음 편한 이야기를 무슨 말인지 정확히 잘 몰라도 되는 장문으로 써야 청취자들이 편하게 잠자리에 들 수 있습니다. “썬킴의 세계사 완전정복”은 출퇴근길에 쉽고 재밌게 접할 수 있는 역사 이야기 한 토막을 제공하겠다는 취지에서 제작하게 됐습니다. 재밌게 만들면 역사에 대한 해석도 “밈”이 될 수 있으니까요.

콘텐츠 형식이나 장르 면에서 앞으로 팟캐스터들이 눈여겨봐야 할 혁신적인 트렌드가 있을까요?

오디오 드라마와 오디오 영화라고 생각합니다. 소리는 인간이 최초로 접하게 되는 엔터테인먼트로 우리는 뱃속에서부터 부모님의 목소리를 들으며 상상력을 키워왔습니다. 팟캐스트 시장이 그동안 정보 콘텐츠로 많은 발전을 했다면 이제는 오디오로 전하는 무궁무진한 드라마와 스토리텔링의 세계로 또 한번 발전해야 한다고 생각합니다. 비디오는 화성에 간 사람을 촬영해서 보여줘야 하지만 오디오 드라마는 “나는 지금 화성에 도착했다”는 한마디로 무한한 상상력을 응집시킬 수 있습니다. 

스포티파이의 국내 팟캐스트 서비스 시작에 따라 기대하는 점이 있나요?

청취자들이 다양한 장르와 형식의 콘텐츠를 접할 수 있길 바라고, 그 덕분에 한국 팟캐스트 시장도 활성화 됐으면 하는 바람입니다. 특히 오디오 드라마나 다큐멘터리 등 글로벌 히트를 기록한 팟캐스트가 적극적으로 유입되어 청취자들에게 다채로운 재미를 주고, 창작하는 사람들에게는 더 다양한 시도를 할 수 있는 계기가 됐으면 좋겠습니다.


이스타 팀

Spotify cover art for the Leestar Radio podcast

‘이스타 팀’으로 알려진 박종윤과 이주헌은 뉴미디어 회사 랩추종윤의 공동 대표로, 축구를 주제로 한 영상 및 팟캐스트를 제작하여 한국 스포츠 팬들의 마음을 사로잡았다. 이스타 팀의 팟캐스트 ‘이스타 라디오’는 스포티파이에서 만나볼 수 있다.

전문 해설위원과 캐스터라는 인터넷 방송에서 보기 드문 조합으로 팟캐스트에 진출해 스포츠 분야 청취율 1위를 달성하기도 했는데, 한국 시장 내 스포츠 팟캐스트 현황에 대해 설명해 주세요.

Image of Leestar Team members eating a corndog and holding a keyboard

The Leestar Team

전체 팟캐스트 시장에서 스포츠 분야는 비교적 낮은 비율을 차지하고 있습니다. 기본적으로 팟캐스트는 정치, 교양, 예능 분야의 비중이 높은데 누가 들어도 쉽게 공감할 수 있는 주제이기 때문에 더 많이 선호된다고 보여집니다. 물론 스포츠 팟캐스트는 스포츠에 관심 있는 사람들이 찾아서 듣는 경우가 많고, 이는 곧 고정적인 팬층을 확보할 수 있다는 강점으로 연결됩니다.

팟캐스트만의 매력이 무엇이라고 생각하시나요?

팟캐스트에서는 일반적인 라디오 프로그램보다 자유롭고 편한 분위기를 접할 수 있습니다. 또한 라디오와는 달리 내가 원하는 시간에 원하는 방송을 들을 수 있고, 중간에 잠시 멈출 수도 있고요. 누구나 녹음해서 본인의 방송을 남들과 쉽게 공유할 수 있는 것 역시 큰 장점이라 생각합니다.

Viral Football Sensation Aidan Hutchinson Reveals the Songs That Inspire Him

September 15, 2022

Image of Aidan Hutchinson

Before he ever played a second of pro football, rookie Aidan Hutchinson found himself in the headlines. As part of a training camp tradition earlier this summer, Aidan was called on to serenade his teammates with an acapella performance, and he chose to go with Michael Jackson’s 1983 hit “Billie Jean.” Little did he know at the time, but he was about to go viral as his teammates joined in on the fun and turned a silly moment at practice into a cultural sensation.

Now with training camp out of the way and his first game under his belt, Aidan is officially a pro. To celebrate the start of the football season, and the start of Aidan’s career, we spoke with the defensive lineman as he created a Spotify playlist full of his favorite songs that he listens to at home and in the locker room. 

An eclectic, laid-back mix of hits from past and present, Aidan’s playlist features the country vibes of RADAR artist Zach Bryan, thoughtful rhymes of J. Cole, iconic glam rock of David Bowie, and even orchestral compositions of Hans Zimmer. “Billie Jean” also made the cut, of course. 

But to learn more about his big viral moment, the start of his rookie season, and the inspiration behind his playlist, For the Record took a few minutes to catch up with Aidan.

What was the inspiration behind the songs you picked for this playlist?

I have very diverse taste in music and I was looking to include every kind of different genre that I listen to. I got just about a little bit of everything on there, and it reminds me of all the different moods that you could be in. I look at that playlist and you can listen to it when you’re happy, sad, chilling, in the car jamming out . . . you know, whatever you really want going. So yeah, I just have a lot of variety in there. That’s what I like. 

Is there a song on your playlist that might surprise your friends or teammates?

So I got a couple instrumental and orchestral songs in there. I don’t think many of my teammates know that’s the kind of stuff I listen to in my pregame playlist. And so for this playlist, I added the Hans Zimmer track “S.T.A.Y.” from Interstellar (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).  

As much as I love music, I don’t need someone talking in my ear in those big moments. I kind of like to talk to myself through some kind of instrumental music. I got some inspirational ones in my pregame playlist, and I think that would be something that would surprise some people who don’t know about my own little routine.

How did you end up singing “Billie Jean” in front of your entire team during training camp? 

That’s a team tradition. I was told in April that I should have a song in mind and I couldn’t think of a song for months. I was like, “I don’t wanna go up there and get booed by singing some stupid song. I want to go up there and make a show.”

So it kind of hit me a couple days before I was asked to go up there and sing the song. I woke up at like 7 a.m., had a little epiphany, and I found “Billie Jean.” 

I just started studying it cuz the lyrics are a little hard to learn. I realized I never really knew what he was saying besides “Billie Jean is not my lover.” It actually took some concentration trying to study that song. I’m just glad I had that realization because if you had asked me a couple days before that, I don’t know what I would’ve sang.  

What was it like to go viral before the season even started? Were you expecting that response from your teammates?

Yeah, it was crazy to have all this buzz in the preseason. I knew it was a good song, but I wasn’t sure how they’d react. I was praying that my teammates would buy into the song while I was singing it. In my head I kind of had this visualization of what actually happened, before it all happened, and the best-case scenario was that they’d all jump in—we’d all be singing. But it went even better than I could ever imagine. So that’s props to them for buying into my song. 

I just tried to go in there and give it my all because that’s the only thing anybody cares about. If you go up there and half-ass it, guys are gonna boo you.

Do you have any favorite Spotify playlists that you follow?

I like Discover Weekly and the other personalized playlists. I usually listen to those when I see them in the app, and I think it’s kind of cool how they create them based on your tastes. I was also listening to a Spotify playlist today called Country Heartache. So yeah, I dive into those a little bit. 

What are you most excited about as you get ready for your first professional season?

Hmm, let me think about this. I would say I’m just most excited about just getting to play against that NFL competition and getting to play very talented linemen. I’ve always been a very competitive person and just being able to go out there, go against the best in the world, gets me excited because I want to prove that I’m one of the best.

For the latest updates on pro football’s top players, hit play and start streaming the latest  episode of The Fantasy Footballers podcast below:

 

‘The Fantasy Footballers’ Scores Touchdown After Touchdown as a Spotify Live Show

August 24, 2022

The Party Room Fantasy Footballers Live Show Cover

What’s the game plan behind the perfect sports podcast? Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright, hosts of The Fantasy Footballers, have perfected it. Each day of the NFL season, the trio breaks down the world of fantasy football with astute analysis, strong opinions, and matchup-winning advice you can’t get anywhere else. The production quality is unparalleled and the comedic banter truly entertaining. Their formula works—and it’s turned them into bona fide champions with the number-one sports podcast on Spotify. 

After years of producing an increasingly popular podcast, the team took to Spotify Live to bring their show to a new space. The first season was an overwhelming success, with Rooms that are consistently filled to max capacity. Their newest season of Live content kicks off on Spotify Wednesday, August 24, with The Party Room.  

If you’re looking for expert fantasy football advice and a pretty strong dose of comedy, look no further than these three friends, who took some time to tell For the Record about the show, their friendship, and the allure of fantasy football. 

How did you each first get into fantasy football—and why did you stay? 

Andy: My history goes all the way back to playing fantasy basketball in high school. It just intrigued me, being a stats type of person. There was always something new to check, and it got you interested in everybody in the entire league. That interest migrated into football. It changed everything about what Sunday was like because you had interest in the worst teams and the best teams and it didn’t matter what your hometown loyalties were. 

It also became a shared language among those that play beyond your own league as well. So you can run into people in other walks of life, and if someone drops some comment about fantasy football, all of a sudden you have that shared common language where you start talking about this player, this game, this thing that happened. 

Jason: Ironically, Andy doesn’t remember that we actually met in high school while starting to play fantasy basketball. That was what brought us together. We were in a fantasy basketball league in high school. And then years later I started a league in college with my theater buddies, and that has developed into the main league that we’re all in now, 25, 30 years later. There’s a camaraderie that just allows this long-term, cool friendship based on a game that never kind of goes away.

Mike: I’ve kind of “sport hopped.” I love all sports really, but I often home in on one. So I had a time period where it was basketball. I became a diehard basketball fan and then I ended up jumping into fantasy basketball, learning the ins and outs of “how does a fantasy sport work?” It was also just a real cool way to be in connection with my high school buddies who moved away to Tucson for college. 

Fantasy football is the ultimate “I told you so” sport. When you’re competitive, one of the things you love most about life is being right about something, telling people you are right, and then it actually happening and rubbing their face in your correctness. And even though I have no control on the field, Fantasy just gives you that sense of pride. That sense of “That’s my guy. I told you this team was good. You should’ve listened to me.” 

You put the show together several years ago, and it’s now the number-one sports podcast on Spotify. How did you know the show had taken off?

Jason: It was really a numbers game, and we came from entrepreneurship and business. So when we came here, what we found was that when someone found our show, they stuck around. We were extremely sticky. And that was really the secret sauce to our growth. So week after week after week after week, at the beginning, we were almost doubling. Right off the bat, we felt like this is going to be something that we can do, like that we can support our families doing. 

Andy: We realized we hit a chord with people in a way that maybe other shows weren’t doing. Maybe it was a reflection of Fantasy growing at the same time as the NFL at the same time as podcasting.

Andy Hollyway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright, hosts of The Fantasy Footballers

L – R: Mike Wright, Jason Moore, and Andy Holloway, hosts of “The Fantasy Footballers”

You also have a Live show, The Party Room, returning for its second season on Spotify. What are the opportunities that Live gives you as hosts that make the format stand out/differ from the podcast?

Mike: When we’re doing the recorded version of the podcast, it’s us three and a team of producers. You know that hundreds of thousands of people are listening, but you don’t feel it. You are very isolated in this room. 

But when you’re Live on Spotify and someone hits an awesome statistic or a really funny zinger and the chat just explodes and there’s all these gif reactions coming through—it’s really hard to quantify what that energy is. You feel it inside, like it really changes how you’re talking to each other. And because you get that instant gratification, the instant feedback from the people, it’s extremely fun, extremely organic. It’s all about community, and with Live, the community is actually together. 

What’s the biggest, dumbest fantasy mistake you’ve ever made? 

Jason: Our show is very well known as a “Late-Round Quarterback” strategy—we don’t put too much stock in the quarterback position. But back in the day, I put a lot of stock in the quarterback position. I went all in on Tom Brady after his 50-touchdown season, thinking, “I’m going to just dominate.” And then the first game, he got injured and was gone the whole season and my season was over.

Andy: As fun as it is to win in Fantasy, the pain of losing is worse. It’s more extreme somehow because we are just a community of rehashes—of 20/20 hindsight. Last year I lost the championship because I started one guy over another guy. You live with it for the rest of your life.

Mike: I would say my mistakes usually come from just overall stubbornness. You know, you want to be right. And you want to be right that a player is going to be good. So you draft them, you get them on your fantasy squad . . . and then they’re bad. You’re like, okay, well, that’s one week. Another week and they’re bad. And they just keep being bad over and over. But the stubborness in your heart won’t allow you to admit that you were wrong on that player so you just keep using them over and over.  

You’re all from Phoenix, home of the championship coming up in February 2023. What are your way-too-early predictions for who we’ll see in the game and who will win?

Andy: I have Buffalo coming out of the AFC. As for the NFC—the Los Angeles Rams get back there again. But I think Buffalo ends up winning it. I think I’ll take Buffalo over the Rams. 

Jason: I want to not go second. That is exactly what I have. I have the Bills beating the Rams. 

Mike: I will take the Denver Broncos coming out of the AFC. And I’ll be boring on the other side, I’ll say Tom Brady will make it back again. But I’ll take the Denver Broncos to win. They’d be very happy, those Broncos fans. 

 

Take a listen to the newest season of Fantasy Footballers Live on Spotify below.