Category: Uncategorised

January 2025

12th-26th January 2025: 2025 Australian Open (Tennis) – Melbourne Park (Melbourne, Australia)

31st January – 15th March 2025: 2025 Six Nations (Rugby Union) – England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland & Wales

February 2025

8th-16th February 2025: 2025 Invictus Games – Vancouver & Whistler (Canada)

9th February 2025: Super Bowl LIX (NFL) – Carsars Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA)

13th February – 22 February 2025: The Super League Season (Rugby)

19th-9th March: 2025 ICC Champions Trophy (Cricket) – Pakistan

March 2025

1st March 2025: 2025 Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves (Rugby) – Las Vegas

2nd March 2025: 2025 Tokyo Marathon – Tokyo (Japan)

14th-16th March 2025: Australian Grand P (Formula 1) – Melbourne

April 2025

5th April 2025: 2025 Grand National (Horse Racing) – Aintree Racecourse (Liverpool, England)

10th-13th April 2025: 2025 Masters (Golf) – Augusta National Golf Club, (Augusta, USA)

11-13 April        Bahrain Grand Prix (Formula 1) – Sakhir

19th April – 5th May 2025: 2025 World Snooker Championship (Snooker) – Crucible Theatre (Sheffield, England)

21st April 2025: 2025 Boston Marathon – Boston (Massachusetts, USA)

27th April 2025: 2025 London Marathon – London (England)

May 2025

10th May-1st June: 2025 Giro d’Italia (Cycling) – Italy

15th-18th May 2025: 2025 PGA Championship (Golf) – Quail Hollow Club (Charlotte, North Carolina, USA)

17th May: 2025 FA Cup Final (Football) – Wembley Stadium (London, England)

21st May 2025: 2025 UEFA Europa League Final (Football) – San Mamés (Bilbao, Spain)

23th-25th May 2025: Monaco Grand Prix (Formula 1) – Monte Carlo

24th-26th May 2025: The Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs (Football) – England

24th May 2025: 2025 European Rugby Champions Cup Final (Rugby Union) – Principality Stadium (Cardiff, Wales)

25th May 2025: 2025 Indy 500 (Motorsport) – Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, Indiana, USA)

25th May – 8th June 2025: 2025 French Open (Tennis) – Roland-Garros (Paris, France)

31st May 2025: 2025 UEFA Champions League Final (Football) – Allianz Arena (Munich, Germany)

June 2025

11th June-15^th June 2025: 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans (Motorsport) – Circuit de la Sarthe (Le Mans, France)

11th-15th June 2025: 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final (Cricket) – Lord’s Cricket Ground (London, England)

12th-15th June 2025: 2025 U.S. Open (Golf) – Oakmont Country Club (Plum, Pennsylvania, USA)

15th June – 13th July 2025: 2025 FIFA Club World Cup (Football) – USA

28th June – 2nd August 2025: 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia (Rugby Union) – Australia

30th June – 13th July 2025: 2025 Wimbledon Championships (Tennis) – All England Lawn Tennis Club (London, England)

TBD: 2025 Stanley Cup Finals (Ice Hockey)

July 2025

2nd-27th July 2025: UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 (Football) – Switzerland

4th-6th July 2025: British Grand Prix (Silverstone, England)   

5th-27th July 2025: 2025 Tour de France (Cycling) – France

11th July-3rd August: 2025 World Aquatics Championships (Aquatics) – Kallang (Singapore)

13th-20th July 2025: The Open 2025 (Golf) – Royal Portrush Golf Club (Portrush, Northern Ireland)

TBD: 2025 NBA Finals (Basketball) – TBC

August 2025

August 2025: Start of the English Premier League season 2025/26 (Football) – England

23rd August -14th September 2025: 2025 Vuelta a España (Cycling) – Spain

25th August – 6th September 2025: 2025 US Open (Tennis) – Flushing Meadows (New York City, USA)

27th August – 27th September 2025: 2025 Rugby World Cup (Rugby Union) – England

September 2025

September 2025: Start of the English Championship season 2025/26 (Football) – England

13th-21st September 2025: 2025 World Athletics Championships (Athletics) – National Stadium (Tokyo, Japan)

19th-21st September 2025: 2025 Laver Cup (Tennis) – Chase Center (San Francisco, California, USA)

21st-28th September 2025: 2025 UCI Cycling Road World Championships (Cycling) – Kigali (Rwanda)

25th-28th September 2025: 2025 Ryder Cup (Golf) – Bethpage Black Course (Farmingdale, New York, USA)

TBD AFL Grand Final 2025 (AFL) – Melbourne Cricket Ground (Melbourne, Australia)

TBD: 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup (Cricket) – India

October 2025

12th October 2025: 2025 Chicago Marathon – Chicago (USA)

TBD: 2025 MLB World Series (Baseball) – Tokyo

November 2025

4th November: 2025 Melbourne Cup (Horse Racing) – Flemington Racecourse (Melbourne, Australia)

TBD: 2025 Davis Cup Finals (Tennis) – TBA

TBD: 2025 ATP Finals (Tennis) – Pala Alpitour (Turin, Italy)

TBD: 2025 WTA Finals (Tennis) – Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

November 2025- January 2026: 2025-26 Ashes series (Cricket) – Australia

December 2025

5th-7th December 2025: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula 1) – Yas Marina

15th December 2025-3rd January 2026: 2025/2026 PDC World Darts Championship (Darts) – Alexandra Palace (London, England)

21st December 2025 – 18th January 2026: Africa Cup of Nations (Football) – Morocco

Sport Social Podcast Network is delighted to announce a partnership between Hickory’s Smokehouse and leading NFL Podcast, The Nat Coombs Show.

The show is one of the biggest National Football League podcasts which is hosted by Nat Coombs, who has spearheaded NFL coverage on TV and radio in the UK for the last 15 years.

American BBQ restaurant brand Hickory’s will be able to tap into a passionate and engaged audience of NFL viewers and fans as a result of the partnership which will run throughout the 2024/2025 NFL season.

Listeners will hear unique, targeted and engaging content in a campaign including host-reads, sponsored mini-episodes, and a live recording of The Nat Coombs Show from Hickory’s Wilmslow restaurant.

As the NFL season kicks off, Hickory’s will be the go-to place for fans to watch the games – particularly on NFL Sundays – so joining forces with The Nat Coombs Show is a powerful way to further elevate the fan experience. 

“There’s also a significant focus on engaging new audiences, with content aiming to help demystify the NFL and make it more inclusive to UK fans. 

“Podcast advertising can be hugely beneficial for brands, especially when working with shows that truly align with their essence and ethos, and this partnership is an ideal example of that.

Paul Swaine, Brand Partnership Director at Sport Social Podcast Network

We’ve been huge fans of the NFL ever since we first fired up the smokers and swung open the doors in Chester back in 2010. 

“We’ve loved introducing a whole host of new fans to barbeque and the NFL over the years, with guests joining us to watch and share the love of the amazing game. And, with the growing popularity of American football in the UK, our NFL Sundays and Super Bowl parties just keep getting bigger.

“We’re super excited to be partnering with The Nat Coombs Show. It will be a great opportunity for our team and regular fans to engage with even more content around the sport and help us reach new audiences. 

“We can’t wait to welcome listeners to Hickory’s and give them an unforgettable experience of this high-stakes game.

Jason Bligh, Director at Hickory’s Smokehouse

Welcome to the latest edition of Team Talk with all the latest news from the Sport Social Podcast Network.  

It’s been an eventful few weeks, with the team exhibiting at the Podcast Show in London and speaking at Radiocentre’s Tuning In North event in Manchester. We also have some exciting new additions to the network to announce!

If you’d like to book a meeting to see what Sport Social can offer you, please email podcast@sport-social.co.uk  

The Podcast Show 2024

The Sport Social team had an incredible time at the Podcast Show in London at the end of May. It was great to catch up with some of the podcasters we already work with, and speak to potential new shows about joining Europe’s biggest dedicated sport podcast network.

Didn’t manage to speak to us at the event? Want to find out more about how we can grow the audiences and revenues of your podcast? Email the team at podcast@sport-social.co.uk today to arrange a chat. 

Podcast Consumption is Undercounted due to Co-Listening

Your podcast audience could be bigger than you think! A new report from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill has found that podcast listening numbers may be under-estimated as many people listen with friends, family and children (which currently go un-uncounted). You can read the full report and delve into the state on listening habits here.

Sport Social Announces Partnership with Goalhanger Podcasts

We are delighted to announce a partnership with Goalhanger Podcasts that will see Football Cliches, The Spanish Football Podcast and Football Ruined My Life hosted on Sport Social! 

Football Clichés sees Adam Hurrey explore the glorious and unique language of football: the words, the phrases, the mannerisms and, above all, the clichés. 

The Spanish Football Podcast is the award-winning LaLiga show from Phil Kitromilides, Sid Lowe and Alex Kirkland. Since 2013, they’ve been the only pod in Spain sharing their love of Spanish football with listeners every week.

Football Ruined My Life is the new podcast about old football. Colin Shindler, author of the best selling Manchester United Ruined My Life, joins with the distinguished football journalist Patrick Barclay and the Super Agent Jon Holmes (think Gary Lineker, Peter Shilton, Tony Woodcock etc.) to talk about football as it used to be in the days before the invention of the Premier League.

New to Sport Social

Wisden Women’s Cricket Weekly 

Since 2022, we have been working with Wisden on their Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast. We are delighted to announce that we are now also the hosts of Wisden’s new women’s edition of the podcast! Join Lauren Winfield-Hill, Yas Rana and Katya Witney discussing the biggest stories from the women’s game each week.

Let’s Be Having You: The 00s Football Podcast  

Attention noughties football fans! Join Quickly Kevin’s Chris Scull and Alex Brooker (of Last Leg, Soccer Aid and Masked Singer fame) and sports producer Nick Lustig, to embark on a series of 00s based football adventures. Get ready for a dynamic lineup of footballers, broadcasters, and comedians as they delve into that thrilling decade of football.

That’s all for this month, we’ll be back next month with more headlines from Europe’s biggest sport podcast network!

The Sport Social Podcast Network is delighted to be partnering with the Audio Production Awards for the second year running, as Media Partner. The awards are to be once again held at the BFI in London on 20th November and celebrate some of the leading talents in the world of audio and tickets are available now.

Submit your entry now for the Audio Production Awards 2024

The Audio Production Awards, sponsored by Audible, return for their fourteenth year in 2024. Celebrating the people both behind the scenes and in front of the mic, the awards celebrate audio right across the board – from podcasts to radio, audiobooks to sound design, production to presenting. 

The Awards are organised by AudioUK, which provides business support and growth to people who make podcasts, radio and audiobooks.

There are 23 categories ranging from Best Producer in Comedy, Factual, Drama & Fiction, Arts, Music, Entertainment, Lifestyle & Society, Audiobooks, Sound Design and more, plus a variety of on-mic and emerging talent awards, Best Ensemble Cast, and the special AudioUK award – last year awarded to Reform Radio.

This year welcomes a new category, Little Ears Producer, which celebrates the explosion of audio being created for younger audiences. Winners from the 2023 awards included Anishka Sharma who took the coveted Producer of the Year award, Overcoat Media were named Production Company of the Year, Kwesia AKA City Girl in Nature took home Best New Voice and Betty Glover, Christian Hewgill and Greg James were voted Best Ensemble.

As usual, there are awards for Production Company of the Year, Publisher or Network of the Year, as well as the continuation of last year’s addition of Producer of the Year and The Sustainability & Climate Award.

Once again, the Grassroots Production category will celebrate producers, teams and/or organisations working close to their communities, and this category will be free to enter, recognising the particular challenges faced in that part of the sector.

The Awards are opening for entry earlier this year so applicants will have 12 weeks to enter instead of 9 as in previous years. Voting is open now and closes on Wednesday, September 11th at 2pm.

I am delighted that the APAs now sit alongside an ever increasing number of audio awards ceremonies – testament to the thriving popularity of audio. The APAs have really stood the test of time, as this year marks their 14th year. What started as a small ceremony is now a yearly staple at the BFI in London. There is always an enormous effort that goes into bringing the awards to life from the APAs team, and I am very grateful to them for their work. 

It is really important to have an opportunity to celebrate audio across the industry, as well as an opportunity to really shine the light on producers, who are so central to the audio industry and to AudioUK as an organisation. Once again Audible are supporting us as the lead sponsor, for which we are extremely grateful – enabling us to celebrate the many excellent people who make up the audio industry.

We’re committed to there not being any barriers to entry, so if you can’t afford to enter the awards, please take advantage of the Pay What You Can scheme, which we run in partnership with Amazon Music & Wondery, or if you face other barriers to entry, please get in touch with the team.

What started as something that was focussed purely on the independent sector retains that independent spirit, but has now been opened up to the whole audio industry. So get your best audio ready to battle it out across the categories.”

Chloe Straw, Managing Director of Audio UK

Early Bird entry fee is frozen at 2018’s prices of £35+VAT for AudioUK Members and £45+VAT for non-members, and will run for 5 weeks until Wednesday 31st July at 9am. From then on, the standard entry fee will be £50+VAT for AudioUK Members and £60+VAT for non-members until the final deadline on Wednesday 11th September at 2pm (please note: there will be no late extension to the entry deadline).

With the excellent support from Amazon Music and Wondery, AudioUK will be running the Pay What You Can scheme for a third year, offering discounted entry rates and tickets for those under financial constraints, who would otherwise be unable to enter and attend the Awards. Please email katie@audioproductionawards.co.uk to access the scheme.

You wouldn’t ask your Head Physio to cook the pies on a match day, so why do many professional sports bodies ask their media teams to create content that is outside of their core competencies?

Fan-facing content is undoubtedly an important part of any Rights-holders commercial strategy. Not only does it bring supporters closer to the sport and allow them to forge their own narrative, but it also can prove to be a valuable revenue stream – but only if the outputted resource can match the cash coming in.

Let’s take football clubs as an example who are, in the main, leading the line in terms of digital content creation within sport.

For years the perceived wisdom has been that as well as running the day-to-day activities of a football club they should also function as a media house creating video, social and audio content for the fans.

As Roger Mitchell, Founder at Albachiara SAGL pointed out on a recent episode of the Unofficial Partner podcast, that viewpoint is now beginning to change:

“Sports are now starting to say, that’s not my core competence. I will never be good enough to do that because no matter how good I get at it, the management and ownership time that is dedicated to what I do compared to the player side is a fraction. Saving through efficiency, better recruitment better selling on the player side massively outweighs whatever you do on the revenue, it’s not even close. I think smart owners are starting to realise this now and they’re saying, not only shouldn’t I do this internally and how can I get into a partnership way of doing it?”

Roger Mitchell, Founder of Albachiara SAGL

That’s not to say that Rights-holders should just totally abandon the idea of content creation as B2C communication but rather they should find the right partners to deliver it on their behalf to improve efficiency, and quality and allow them to focus on the most important parts of their jobs.

Outsourcing this content also allows Rights-holders to find the right content creators for their target medium and audience rather than relying on whoever happens to be within their content team. Finding content producers that truly understand the medium of delivery and the tone required to reach an audience can dramatically improve the effectiveness, engagement, and impact of any piece of audio.

We need to hire producers that reflect our audience. That relatability between who’s asking the question, who’s doing the filming, who’s speaking to the athlete and brand.

Stephen Sidlo, Head of Media at Airspeeder (Speaking at the Broadcast Sports Round Table)

Outsourcing production can sometimes however be an expensive option compared to using internal resources. This is why it’s important to take a similar approach to the commercial side. Although the digital revenue may not compare to that of player acquisitions and transfers there is still significant money on the table.

At Sport Social Podcast Network, we are a trusted partner of official Rights-holder and our offering considers both sides of this conversation. Firstly, we have a production team that knows how to use audio to connect to fans and audiences, taking into consideration the values and voice of our Rights-holder partners. Secondly, we understand the value of audio/media as official content based on the value of both the content itself and of partnership.

This gives our partner clubs, teams and official bodies total confidence that not only can we create content that connects to their fans and delivers their values but also that they can achieve full commercial value from that content, making it more cost-effective than using internal resources.

It’s time that Rights-holders take the same approach to podcasting as I take to plumbing! I could have a go at fixing that leaking tap, but it would be quicker, easier, probably cheaper and lead to a much better job (and happier wife) if I got a professional to do the job.

A new study compiled by SiriusXM Media, GroupM and Edison Research has highlighted some key statistics which reflect the power of podcasting. Our Director of Sport Jim Salveson takes a look at what the research teaches us.

It’s always nice when someone backs up your hypothesis with some raw data – and that’s exactly what’s happened this week.

I’ve been a sport podcast evangelist for years now. Singing its praises as a tool for not only fan engagement but also as an effective advertising tool, providing direct access to those same audiences.

Now, thanks to a preview of a new report there’s a load of data to back up that belief.

Sirius XS have partnered with GroupM and Edison Research to dig into the audio habits of sports fans in the USA and the results for audio are incredibly strong.

Firstly, The report found that the average American sports fan consumes over 30% more audio than non-sports fans, Taking in 6 hours and 26 minutes of audio across radio, podcasts, and satiate channels every single day.

What I found very interesting though was the driving reasons that sports fans were filling their media diet with so much audio.

“66% of Sport listeners say they listen to hear unique perspectives on sports that aren’t covered in other media, and 60% listen to get exclusive content.”

SiriusXM Media, GroupM and Edison Research

I have long talked about the power of the niche in podcasting. If mainstream media is “broadcasting” then podcasting could be referred to as “narrowcasting”.

Podcasting is great at filling content voids that exist within the traditional media landscape. Driven largely by production costs, podcasts can cater to smaller audiences offering a platform to under-represented voices or, as is the case here, lesser-covered sporting events.

Insight is also important. Sport podcasting has also become the home of the ITK (In The Know) fan correspondent, who is perfectly positioned to give a listener exclusive insider information on a club or team from their insider contacts. There is a shadow, secretive feel to it that is in contrast to the shiny showbiz feel of a TV studio that can make an audience feel like they are part of a special elite club!

Podcasting also offers an alternative to the often very straight and controlled athlete interview.

Audio is a far more relaxed medium than television. Not only is the equipment used to capture the content far less intrusive, allowing for an interviewee to be more relaxed, but the long-form nature of the medium often allows athletes more space to open up and be authentic about their experiences on and off the field – providing even more exclusive content you wouldn’t find elsewhere.

“86% of sport listeners say they listen to stay connected to their team or sport, 58% to be part of the community of fans, and 56% to feel more connected to friends/family/colleagues.”

SiriusXM Media, GroupM and Edison Research

Audio is a very intimate media.

Audiences often build close relationships with their hosts who can often feel like they are communicating on a one-to-one basis (direct into their ears!) rather than to thousands of listeners at a time.

For those who consume their sport content away from the stadia in which their chosen event occurs, often the missing element is “community”.

If, like me, you live 200 miles away from your chosen sports team, it can be easy to stay up-to-date with the action on the pitch but nearly impossible to feel connected to the fanbase. You can’t stand with fellow fans on a match day or involve yourself in conversations about your local sports team with other pub dwellers – and podcasting can be a part replacement for those relationships.

If those physical relationships do exist in a fan’s life, podcasting can also serve to provide listeners with “social ammunition” creating talking points and helping to form opinions, further building those connections between fans.

“52% of sports listeners say they listen to be a more informed sports bettor, and 44% to be a more informed fantasy sports player.”

SiriusXM Media, GroupM and Edison Research

Good sporting insight is of high value in the sport podcast world and podcasting is the perfect channel for this content, again because it can easily service a niche!

Sport podcasting allows creators to “go deep” on topics. Once a podcast listener is listening to content, they rarely switch away.

The average listen-through rates to a podcast are between 70-80% (based on an hour-long show) so the medium is ideally suited to genres such as Fantasy Sport and Betting where detail is all important as it leads to that all-important competitive edit.

What drives these longer listen-through rates? It’s not the technology or delivery channels, it’s the permission given by the audience.

With podcasting, listeners have sought out specific shows to serve a content need. They are seeking out topics that they have a keen interest in – so it follows that they would spend longer with that topic. This, I believe is one of the main factors in that 30% rise vs average audio consumption amongst sports audiences.

Time to follow the money?

One of the other interesting takeaways from this report preview was the spending power of sport fans.

“Compared to sports video viewers, sports podcast listeners are bigger spenders. They spend an average of $321 on sports merch/memorabilia in a year, compared to just $185 for sports video viewers. Sport podcast listeners are more likely to be employed, highly educated, and affluent compared to sports AM/FM radio listeners and sports video viewers.”

SiriusXM Media, GroupM and Edison Research

Not only do sport podcast listeners have the cash to burn but they also have a deep connection and engagement with their favourite podcasts making them very open to podcast advertising and commercial messaging. Advertising spend in sport podcasting is growing faster than in any other genre due to its super-engaged audience, always-on nature, and accountability vs alternative sports advertising such as shirt sponsorship. You can read more about that here:

With a growing audience, engaged fans and strong commercial performance sport podcasting both in the US and in the UK is providing a real opportunity for creators and advertisers alike.

You can read the full preview here:

If you thought 2023 was a busy one in the world of sport, get ready for an even busier 2024!

Last year, we were treated to a pulsating Ashes series as England locked horns with Australia, the Tour de France where Jonas Vingegaard reigned supreme and a women’s European Championship where England’s Lionesses went agonisingly close to bringing football home, as well as too many other events to dive into!

But what’s happening in 2024 that can match – or even top – last year? Worry not, as we’ve pulled together a list of what’s happening when in the next 12 months.

January

7th – 14th: Masters Snooker

13th – February 11th: African Cup of Nations

15th – 28th: Australian Open tennis

28th: WWE Royal Rumble

February

2nd – 16th: Six Nations Rugby

11th: Super Bowl LVIII

17th: Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk

March

2nd: F1 season begins in Bahrain

8th: Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou

12th – 15th: Cheltenham Festival

April

6th – 7th April: Wrestlemania

8th – 14th: Masters Golf

13th: Grand National at Aintree

20th – 6th May: World Championship Snooker

25th – 27th: NFL Draft

May

16th – 19th: US PGA Golf

20th – June 9th: French Open Tennis

22nd: Europa League final

24th: Rugby Union Challenge Cup Final

25th: Rugby Union Heineken Cup Final

25th: FA Cup Final

26th: Monaco Grand Prix

29th: Europa Conference League Final

June

1st: Champions League Final

4th – 30th: ICC T20 Cricket World Cup

8th: Super League Challenge Cup Final

6th – 23rd: NBA Finals

13th – 16th: US Open Golf

14th – 13th July: Copa America

14th – 14th July: EURO 2024

16th: Stanley Cup Final

29th – 21st July: Tour de France

July

1st – 14th: Wimbledon

14th: Euro 2024 Final

18th – 21st: The Open golf

21st: Tour de France finish

26th – 11th August: 2024 Olympic Games

August

26th – 8th September: US Open tennis

28th – September 8th: Paralympic Games

29th: PGA Tour Championship

September

5th: NFL Kickoff Game

18th – 24th: Solheim Cup

20th – 22nd: Laver Cup tennis

TBC: Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup

TBC: AFL Grand Final

October

12th: Super League Grand Final

November

2nd: England v New Zealand Rugby Union Autumn Series

23rd – December 1st: UK Championship Snooker

December

TBC: FIFA Club World Cup

TBC: PDC World Darts Championship