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The Sport Social Newsletter – July 2022

In this months edition we’ll cover exactly how you can expertly deliver host-read ads, our latest partnerships plus looking at how to ensure your podcast is being found on Apple Podcasts.

How to expertly deliver Host-Read Ads

Ever wondered how to create the perfect Host Read Ads?

Host Read Advertising and Live Reads are the lifeblood of podcast revenue. Getting them right can reap huge rewards – not just for the brands you work with – but for your show and its reputation in the world of podcasting.

On the latest episode of Voiceworks: Sounds Business you can hear some great advice on how to up your HRA game from two individuals who know that side of the industry inside out. Paul Sylvester (Absolute Radio) and Tim Cocker (Virgin Radio / Egg Chasers Rugby Podcast) share their knowledge and expertise in this area and its invaluable listening.

Listen here to begin perfecting the art of the Host-Read Ad

Are you being found in Apple Podcasts?

The once dark art of surfacing content on Apple podcasts is slowly becoming less mysterious as Apple Podcasts lift the lid on exactly how their algorithms work.

The latest bit of intel to come from the tech giant focuses on how the search function works within Apple Podcasts… and it’s an interesting read for all avid podcasters.

Whilst this article stops short of giving any practical tips it does offer some valuable insight into where your focus should be when writing podcast titles and descriptions.

Last Word on Spurs join Sport Social

A big North London welcome to Ricky Sacks and the Last Word on Spurs team who are amongst the latest sign-ups to the Sport Social Podcast Network.

LWOS is an independent Tottenham Hotspur Fan Channel providing instant post-match analysis and previews to every single Spurs match along with a range of former players, managers & special guests – and they have a large following of dedicated Spurs fans along for the ride.

We’re delighted to have the show as part of the network heading into the new Premier League season.

Listen to Last Word on Spurs here

Sport Social’s latest partnership with Podfront

In case you missed it on our social channels, we’re excited to announce our latest joint venture with the Podfront UK team, in a partnership that will expand our global reach and strengthen Podfront’s sports offering.

All 130 of our sports podcasts will now be offered as part of Podfront’s network of advertisers, giving national and international brands an opportunity to engage more deeply with sports fans.

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Want to find out more about the Sport Social Podcast Network? Click here

Sport Social Podcast Network is delighted to announce an exciting, new partnership with Crowd Network which will begin with two of the most popular shows joining our ever-growing library of sports podcasts.

Both The Joe Marler Show (TJMS) and Geraint Thomas Cycling Club (GTCC) will each be joining the network from 30^th May 2022, as Sport Social aid the marketing and commercialisation of the podcasts.

Despite both launching in 2020 and 2021 respectively, TJMS and GTCC have grown exponentially with a combined monthly listenership just short of 500,000.

“Sport Social is the perfect match. They are leaders in sports podcasting, and have the expertise and network of brands to really accelerate our shows”

Mike Carr – CEO of Crowd Network

The Joe Marler Show is hosted by rugby player Joe Marler and Crowd Creative Director Tom Fordyce, which explores various livelihoods of guests – from pirates to singers – has built a dedicated audience shown from the overwhelming demand after recently selling out their first live show in just ten hours.

Adjacently, GTCC is hosted by Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas and Tom Fordyce, which has succeeded in its mission become the world’s largest cycling club, home to over 8,000 members and counting.

Since launching in 2021, we at Sport Social have become the home for some of the most popular sports podcasts in the industry, entrusted in growing their audiences, developing content and increasing monetisation opportunities.

Jim Salveson – Head of Sports Social Podcast Network said: “Crowd Network has built a brilliant community of listeners around these shows, and we’re excited to work closely with the team to expand it further. Joe Marler and Geraint Thomas are some of the most famous faces in their respective sports, and it’s a real coup to have them join Sports Social.”

We understand audiences and we understand sports – and with a network reach of 90%, we are just beginning.

To view the entirety of the Sports Social Podcast Network, please click here.

Sport Social will be present amongst the very best audio platforms, podcasts and figures attending The Podcast Show, held in London on the 25^th and 26^th May.

The event is a first of its kind in the UK, where we will be joined by the likes of Spotify, Amazon Music and Acast, along with popular podcast hosts such as Fearne Cotton and Louis Theroux.

An event of this magnitude is testament to the significant rise in popularity of audio content – particularly within sports – and it isn’t stopping there.

In 2021 Voiceworks launched leading global sport audio network – Sport Social – developing original content with talent, developing digital audio technology and providing hosting, marketing, monetisation and audience growth support for sport podcast creators.

“It’s great to be involved in the first event of this kind and this scale in the UK. The level of interest now in the sector is testament to how far podcasting has come in the last decade and how much potential it still has to grow.”

Jim Salveson – Head of Sport Social

Sophie Hind – the Founder and Managing Director of Voiceworks.ai – along with Jonathan Reynold of The Race Media, a leading motorsport publisher and Louise Gwilliam, a Talent Director at Crowd, will be speaking at the event to explore what the future of the industry looks like, and how the medium can benefit rights holding looking to engage with fans to create lucrative revenue streams.

It is an exciting time to be part of the audio industry – and we are just getting started.

Football Social Daily has been named the ‘Best News and Current Affairs’ podcast at the inaugural Sports Podcast Awards, beating off fierce competition for the title.

One of the flagship shows of the Sport Social Podcast Network, Football Social Daily has been providing daily, Premier League-focused podcasts for over two seasons now, with a loyal audience always coming back from more from regulars such as Niall, Jim and Marley.

‘The Dugout’, the Friday night/Saturday morning preview show with ex-professionals has proved a popular addition to the roster this season, and the Sunday ‘review’ show, featuring a raft of journalists and media personalities has always drawn listeners back for more.

The Sports Podcast Awards is a brand-new annual celebration of the very best that the global sports audio community has to offer – rewarding the best podcasters in the space, uniting the industry under one umbrella and boosting discoverability for podcasters and listeners.

The advisory board of the Sports Podcast Awards includes Gabby Logan, Barney Francis, Peter Hutton, Bimal Kapadia and Liseli Sitali, with a voting process determining the winners of each category.

Here’s the moment they were announced as winners by former England rugby player James Haskell:

Former Reading player Graeme Murty cemented his name into the history books of the club following his 306 appearances which included a memorable record-breaking season in the Championship, earning them promotion to the Premier League.

Speaking exclusively with the 1871 podcast, Murty looked back on that 106-point season and his hopes for a Reading return.

Reading’s record of 106 points from a single season is one that still stands after 16 years, in a campaign which saw Steve Coppell assemble a side with strength in all corners of the pitch including Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, club-record signing Leroy Lita and of course, Murty at full-back.

“Nothing could come between us and we reacted cohesively and together, that’s what you need to do. The team that manages to generate that spirit will go on a run. We seemed to be that team that never knew when we were down.

Graeme Murty

The full-back scored his only goal of the season on the final day against QPR from the penalty spot to secure the record and the perfect foundation for life in the Premier League.

Murty’s time at Reading ended in 2009 after playing 306 times for the club, though his affiliation for his former side has always remained.

Asked if the Reading job would appeal to him now, Murty’s response was a resounding one.

Though the opportunity has yet to arise, with the managerial jobs seeming to go under the radar or pre-filled prior to a manager leaving his position.

“It’s not just at Reading (the closed circle of managerial jobs), I’ve applied for lots of jobs which have already been filled before they’ve come out. Regardless of your personal attachment to the club, people who are in position are going to make their decision based on what they think is best for the club.”

One thing is clear; the Royals could do little wrong in seeing the return of a person who lives and breathes Reading Football Club in attempting to steer them to the heights of the Premier League once again.

Listen to the full interview with Graeme via the 1871 Podcast here – a dedicated Reading podcast available every Tuesday and Friday, including exclusive interviews with former players and managers!

It has been a turbulent few weeks for French international Kurt Zouma and his club West Ham United, following the release of a disturbing video showing the defender harming his pet cat.

Hammers manager David Moyes has been brought under the spotlight for immediately playing him just a day after the story became public, which has attracted a substantial amount of criticism.

So, is Kurt Zouma’s career in tatters and is there any way back for him?

Speaking with the “It’s eleven, it’s heaven for Jamie Vardy” podcast, Russ says that there is no way back for Zouma, with footballers not only classed as footballers, but public figures who have to behave correctly in all areas of their lives.

“I think his career now is ruined now anyway, no one will have him, and he’s lost all his sponsorships. You’re a public figure, it’s not as though you’re a bloke playing football over the park… you’ve got to be squeaky clean”

Russ Bray

Host Mark made an interesting comparison to darts players, who would almost certainly have no way back if they replicated Zouma’s actions given that they are their own public figure without protection from a club they play for, and Russ, who has been a darts referee in the PDC for over 20 years, agreed:

“I’d have had a call from Barry Hearn saying thanks ever so much for what you’ve done over the last few years, but goodbye”

Russ Bray

Check out the full chat on the podcast, where Russ talks more about his beloved West Ham and shares tales from his years on the darts circuit below!

A Sport Social Podcast Network favourite is heading out on the road!

Comedy wrestling podcast “Wrestling with the Champ” is stepping out from behind the mic and into the real-life ring at this years Leicester Comedy Festival.

Drawing heavy influences from the Wrestling worlds most colourful characters, ‘Wrestling with the Champ’ is a no-holds-barred account of the fictional “star” of the Pub Wrestling Federation; The Ginger Niga (aka The Champ).

The show is making its live debut at the festival and its Creator (and co-star) Damien St.John says he is excited to see his creation bought to life:

“What began as a silly little creative project to pass the time during lockdown has now become this crazy live show that I couldn’t be more proud of.”

Wrestling with The Champ LIVE will be appearing at the Leicester Comedy Festival 2022 on Saturday, February 12th (8pm) and Sunday, February 13th (7pm) at The Globe pub, 43 Silver Street, Leicester LE1 5EU. Tickets are available from the Leicester Comedy Festival website.

You can listen to Wrestling with the Champ on the Sport Social Podcast Network or wherever you find your podcasts!

The Sport Social Podcast Network has two shows nominated for a gong at the first-ever Sport Podcast Awards!

Launched by the Sports Industry Group this year, the Sports Podcast Awards is a brand-new annual celebration of the very best content from the global sports audio community.

Our daily Premier League show, Football Social Daily, has been nominated in the “Best News and Current Affairs” category that recognises podcasts that deliver regular news to their dedicated audience.

Football Stories, an interview-based podcast that looks to tell some of the lesser-heard stories in football has also been nominated for “Best Soccer Show” where it will go head to head with publications from Sky Sports, Talk Sport and The Athletic.

Host for Football Social Daily, Niall McCaughan said of the nomination:

“We’re really proud to be nominated for this award. We absolutely love doing the show and everyone who has contributed has done a brilliant job in keeping on top of all the latest goings-on in the Premier League. Hearing from former players, current journalists and your run of the mill football fans on the podcast has allowed us to capture a really good cross-section of the game in audio form and I think that has resonated with our audience.”

The shortlist for each category was decided by a panel of industry judges with the final decision on who wins now going to a public vote:

To vote for Football Stories as “Best Soccer Podcast”: please visit: https://www.sportspodcastawards.com/categories/24

To vote for Football Social Daily as “Best News and Current Affairs Podcast” please visit: https://www.sportspodcastawards.com/categories/10

1. What Inspired you to start podcasting?

I think about football to probably an excessive extent, so my inspiration was channeling that into constructive discussion, with a nostalgic slant.

2. Do you have a favourite episode of your podcast?

I don’t have a single episode but any episode of the Noughties Nostalgia Podcast where I ask my Twitter followers and it engages a conversation which I can relay onto the podcast.

3. Who is your dream guest?

Sir Alex Ferguson.

4. Favourite Podcast to listen to? (That isn’t yours)

Football Cliches, purely for the comedy, or Price of Football – to expand my knowledge on something I know little about.

5. Who are your top 5 Players of all time?

The best ever? Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona, Cruyff, Pele.

My favourites? Scholes, Ronaldo, Beckham, Rooney, Zidane.

6. Who are the up and coming stars we should be looking out for at your club?

Hannibal Mejbri will be an absolute star in 5 years’ time.

7.  How would you describe your podcast in three words?

Nostalgic, hopefully knowledgeable.

8. Favourite underdog moment?

Has to be Leicester City winning the Premier League in 2016.

9.  Apart from Football, are there any other sports you are interested in?

Football is so incessant and abundant that I don’t have any – unless you can count watching 90s/00s wrestling, which you can’t.

10.  At what age did you become a fan of your club and was there a moment that solidified your interest?

August 1998, when I realised that my favourite player from the World Cup – David Beckham – played for Manchester United. I learned this from reading a Match! magazine. I can remember the edition showing United drawing their first two games so I can’t even say I was hunting glory because I was 5 and hadn’t a clue who Manchester United were!

Former England star and podcasting royalty Peter Crouch is the latest name to offer his insight and experience to the FootballCo Business Podcast.

He’s been a star on the pitch, a familiar voice as a pundit and a smash hit as a podcaster, but now Peter Crouch is trying his hand in the director’s lounge as he tries to turn around the fortunes of National League Club Side Dulwich Hamlet in a new documentary series ‘Peter Crouch: Save Our Beautiful Game’.

Giving a glimpse of what life is like for ex-players once they hang up their boots Crouchy talked to the Voiceworks: Sport-produced podcast about the plans he made for his career post-football, the difference between being on the pitch and how his frustrations with the use of social media from some professional players inspired the tagline to his hit show “That Peter Crouch Podcast”.

The tagline of my podcast is back stronger because that all derives from the fact that we see the same things on a Saturday. When the players haven’t played well or something, a tweet will come out and it was always ‘the fans were terrific’, ‘sorry, we couldn’t perform today, ‘back stronger next week’.

They’re the same three sorts of phrases that get churned out. And I think sometimes it pulls the wool over the fans’ eyes because I remember being a player and I’d see that exact tweet, and I think this player hasn’t tried for the last three months.

You know, this player won’t be working hard in training and he won’t be doing extra work. You know, he’s the first to get off.

Peter Crouch

And then you’ll see him on Instagram, running up his stairs and having a personal trainer in his gym at home. I just think that kind of thing is, pulling the wool over the fans’ eyes.”

You can hear more from Peter on the latest FootballCo Business Podcast.

The FootballCo Business Podcast is a show focused on the most innovative people working in the world of football media, brands and marketing. Each episode features some of the most creative minds in the sport, getting their views on the business behind the beautiful game – from partnerships and branding to esports and new platforms.