Podcast company Acast has announced a new global partnership with The Athletic, powered by the New York Times.
The Athletic receives more than half a million combined monthly downloads for its podcast network in Australia. Acast will monetise The Athletic’s shows across audio and video from June 1, offering advertisers unparalleled access to an audience of sports fans.
The Athletic’s portfolio of podcasts covers every major sport and league, from basketball and baseball to Premier League and F1. The Athletic FC Podcast, No Dunks, The Race F1 Podcast, The Totally Football Show with James Richardson and The Athletic NBA Daily are particularly popular with Australian listeners.
The Athletic adds to Acast’s existing roster of leading sports podcasts, which includes Hello Sport, Rugby League Guru, P1 with Matt and Tommy, BackChat and Football Ramble.
“Welcoming The Athletic to the Acast Creator Network marks a significant step in bringing world-class sports journalism to podcast listeners in Australia”, said Guy Scott-Wilson, content director for Acast ANZ.
“This partnership underscores our commitment to premium content and gives Australian advertisers access to a passionate and engaged sports audience”, said Julian Ahye, head of brand partnerships at The Athletic. “Sport is a national obsession in Australia, and nobody covers it like The Athletic!”
“We are really looking forward to partnering with Acast to expand our audio advertising capabilities. The Acast team’s expertise in podcast advertising, combined with its global reach, will allow us to deliver even greater value to our advertising partners and further enhance the listener experience.
“We look forward to working closely with the team to maximize the potential of our podcast network while continuing to deliver powerful audio journalism and smart analysis that bring sports fans closer to the heart of the game.”
The Athletic serves over five million global subscribers and reaches a highly desirable demographic, with 82 per cent of listeners aged 18-44 and 3 in 4 reporting they have purchased something they heard about in a podcast ad.
