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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.
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ESPN head of content Burke Magnus joins John to discuss what's working for the network and what's in store. They chat about Inside the NBA, the state of the NBA booth, the NFL Network acquisition, and what it takes to draw younger audiences in through digital and social. They also discuss the MLB.tv experiment, and Magnus reveals what's still on his wish list for the network. 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
John sits down with Dan Helfrich, COO of US Soccer, ahead of the World Cup. Helfrich makes the case for the US team’s readiness and discusses how this three-nation-hosted tournament is so unique. He also explains why the pipeline to a top-tier MLS starts with youth development, college soccer, and the communities that support them. 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
Peter Supino, the Wolfe Research super analyst, joins John to gab about the changing sports media landscape and the insider math behind two of the biggest rights deals of the decade: Apple’s curious bet on F1, and whether Paramount overpaid for UFC. 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
The Athletic's Andrew Marchand joins John to discuss Apple’s use of numerous iPhone 17 Pros to produce a live soccer match, and whether iPhone broadcasting could become the norm. They also get into the 2026 World Cup and whether issues like ticket pricing, immigration concerns, and stadium occupancy will significantly impact the event. Finally, they discuss Netflix’s acquisition of the Women's World Cup. 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
Horizon Media’s Adam Schwartz hops on the pod to discuss the state of the ad sales market with John. They talk about the vitality of the 30 second ad spot, A.I. optimization for commercials during sports broadcasts, social media sponsorships…. and why there’s still nothing that beats the Super Bowl. 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
UTA Sports chief Jerry Silbowitz joins John to discuss the newly released 2026 NFL schedule, including the league's experimentation with games on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Saturdays in December, and a whopping nine games abroad. Then they turn to the rise of talent-led IP—like Dave Portnoy's Barstool—and the impact of the creator economy on sports media. 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
Jason Stein, the sports investor and indefatigable pickleball advocate, joins John to discuss the flow of private equity into sports at all levels, the commercialization of the NCAA, the future of youth sports…. and Apollo’s $225 million investment in Pickleball Inc. 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
Business Insider’s Peter Kafka joins John for a deep dive into ESPN’s effect on Disney’s bottom line. Kafka explains why Disney chief Josh D’Amaro ultimately decided against spinning ESPN into a separate company and looks into what needs to happen for his position to change. The two also highlight the new creator economy in sports media and handicap what’s likely to happen during the NFL’s media rights negotiations. 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
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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