ESPN Australia is known as the home of US sport, but as Stuart Randall, managing editor for ESPN puts it, is also the “second or third biggest sport specific publisher in the country.” This being said, the sports media company is aware of the large audience who crave more local content.
This has led to the roll-out of Boom Rookies with Grub, a rugby league podcast co-hosted by NRL Bulldogs cult-hero Josh Reynolds. And if you are familiar with the title Boom Rookies, this is because this version featuring Reynolds is the successor of an already popular podcast.
The original version is an audio first format hosted by ABC journalist Nick Campton and ESPN columnist Matt Bungar. This “traditional” rugby league style consists of two journos releasing two podcasts a week, the first being a review on the past round of the NRL followed by a preview of the following round. Naturally, the podcast had been a continual project for over two years, and ESPN was looking to evolve it.
The obvious solution was to advance it into a video format. This progression seemed natural as ESPN had identified Boom Rookies as “being a little bit different in the NRL space”, as well as podcast host and ESPN columnist Matt Bungar having a cult following.
Enter Josh Reynolds, retired NRL Bulldogs cult hero who has already done a bit of work for ESPN in the past, co-hosting US sports podcast Hoops and Hits with ex-NRL star Justin Horo. The State of Origin winning five eight was identified as the perfect combo for Bungar, due to his rugby league insights gained from playing in the halves, as well as being an “affable guy” who “isn’t afraid to laugh at himself”. From there it was just a blessing that the two gelled quite well.
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The first episode aired last Thursday, and ESPN are planning to roll an episode out every week all the way up to the grand final.
This isn’t the first player perspective podcast ESPN has utilised to tap into the Australian market. Red Time kicked-off at the start of the season, and it involves Collingwood’s premiership winning, American born ruckman and key forward Mason Cox, sitting down with ESPN editor Jarryd Barca every week to discuss what’s going on in the AFL through the lens of a player.
Fresh Format, Fresh Sponsorship Potential
While the original, audio-only format of the show has secured sponsors, the newly evolved and more dynamic version is currently unsponsored, creating a fresh opening for advertisers to get involved.
According to Randall, the expanded format offers far greater reach and integration potential. “Clips [from the podcast] have gone out on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, Facebook, X, and on our website. So there’s plenty of opportunities for people to be able to integrate,” he said.
Randall added that ESPN is keen to collaborate with brands that align with its identity and content style.
“We’re always open to working with clients to match the kind of brand that we are and that match the content offering that we’ve got. We have some really awesome sponsors on board with ESPN, and we are always open to creating more content, to give people more opportunities to come on board.”
With Boom Rookies now entering a new, more dynamic phase, ESPN is clearly signalling its intent to deepen its connection with Australian sports fans by blending the credibility of seasoned journalists with the personality and insight of former players.
For advertisers, the timing couldn’t be better, the format is fresh, the hosts have chemistry and the content is already reaching audiences across multiple platforms.
As Randall puts it, ESPN is ready to work with brands that share its passion for sport and storytelling, offering a unique opportunity to be part of a growing, locally resonant franchise.
