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The Varsity: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Puck | Audacy
Puck Sports Correspondent John Ourand and a rotating cast of industry insiders take you deep inside the executive suites and owner boxes that run the entire sports business. You’ll hear interviews with everyone from players to network execs and everyone in between. The Varsity is an extension of John's private email for Puck by the same name. New episodes publish twice-weekly, every Wednesday and Sunday.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Today43 min
Is the A.I. Arms Race Coming for Sports?
Analyst Michael Nathanson joins John to break down some of the biggest storylines in sports media right now—from the implications of Paramount pausing its Warner Bros. deal to the way the A.I. capex arms race has reshaped how streamers approach sports rights. He also gets into Netflix’s sports strategy, Apple’s sports rights appetite, and more.
- 3 days ago43 min
What ESPN’s Layoffs Really Signal
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand rejoins John to break down ESPN’s recent layoffs, which hit more than 100 employees. They explain why the NFL Network acquisition—and the massive salaries commanded by the likes of Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee—set the stage for the cuts. They also discuss the SEC’s stance on the Protect College Sports Act, streaming’s growing influence over NFL rights, the future of NFL Network under ESPN, and more.
- 1 weeks ago43 min
Has the U.S. Finally Fallen in Love with Soccer?
JT Batson, C.E.O. of the U.S. Soccer Federation, joins John to lay out his vision for “the American soccer movement”—a five-year push toward two marquee moments: the 2028 L.A. Olympics and the 2031 Women’s World Cup. Batson makes the case for building the sport at the grade-school level, explains why corporate dollars are suddenly lining up behind soccer, and argues why MLS 3.0’s success is imperative to the sport’s broader rise in America.
- 1 weeks ago43 min
Can MLB Surpass the NBA?
The Athletic’s Evan Drellich joins John to discuss MLB’s looming labor war. Evan puts the odds of a 2027 lockout at 100 percent and the chance of missed games at 75—all while baseball is enjoying a banner season with increased ratings, attendance, and sponsorships. They also explore the sport’s real potential to surpass basketball, the challenges facing its next media deal, and more.
- 1 weeks ago11 min
Presenting: Fantasy Football Today
Want to dominate your league and earn Fantasy Football bragging rights? Join the crew at Fantasy Football Today. Adam Aizer, analysts Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg, Heath Cummings have everything you need. Start or Sit, Waiver Wire, Buy or Sell, Grade the Trade, and Fantasy Cops to settle your league disputes and answer all your listener questions. It’s like hanging out with your buddies and talking football—if your buddies actually knew how to win you a championship.
- 2 weeks ago43 min
Caught Stealing… The View?
Puck’s legal expert Eriq Gardner joins John to work through a docket’s worth of sports media legal battles—from the looming challenges to the Paramount-WBD merger to the NFL’s ongoing antitrust case. Plus, a long-simmering dispute between the Chicago Cubs and the rooftop owners over sightlines into Wrigley.
- 2 weeks ago47 min
Fanatically Speaking
Michael Ratner, C.E.O. of Fanatics Studios, and Lance Fensterman, C.E.O. of Fanatics Events, join John to discuss the wild growth and evolution of Fanatics Fest—and why immersive, interactive experiences built around high-profile athlete appearances are central to its appeal. Ratner also gets into the thinking behind a reimagined ESPYs, which he’s overseeing and which should kickstart a major weekend for Fanatics. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 3 weeks ago47 min
Can Linear TV Actually Afford More NFL?
Wells Fargo Securities analyst Steven Cahall joins John to cut through the noise on sports media’s biggest storylines: why a sale of NBC is less likely than the market assumes, the fuzzy logic surrounding the $22 billion Fox–Roku deal, whether linear networks can actually afford to pay more for the NFL, and much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
About The Varsity
Puck Sports Correspondent John Ourand and a rotating cast of industry insiders take you deep inside the executive suites and owner boxes that run the entire sports business. You’ll hear interviews with everyone from players to network execs and everyone in between. The Varsity is an extension of John's private email for Puck by the same name. New episodes publish twice-weekly, every Wednesday and Sunday.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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The Varsity covers topics including News. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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