Podcast · 140 episodes
The Varsity, page 5
by Puck | Audacy · English
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.
All episodes, page 5
Steve Bornstein’s NFL GospelSteve Bornstein, former ESPN executive and NFL media rights architect, discusses Paul Tagliabue’s legacy, the NFL’s media strategy, sports media ratings/streaming, and the future of sports IP; the…12 Nov 2025 · 47 min · 14 chapters
Hans Schroeder’s NFL Media HuddleNFL media rights strategy and future distribution, including timing of next rights cycle, global/international games, and how streaming platforms change packaging and viewing/measurement.9 Nov 2025 · 39 min · 10 chapters
Introducing Free Range with Von MillerIntroducing Free Range with Von Miller7 Nov 2025 · 3 min
Disney vs. YouTube & Nielsen’s New MathThe episode compares (1) why Saturday night sports are drawing bigger audiences due to Nielsen counting more “out-of-home” viewers, and (2) the ongoing Disney vs.5 Nov 2025 · 54 min · 11 chapters
An NBA Betting Scandal PostmortemPostmortem of a recent NBA sports-betting scandal and what it means for legal sportsbooks’ surveillance, enforcement, and product strategy.2 Nov 2025 · 46 min · 12 chapters
Inside Amazon’s A-List Sports StrategyThe episode features host John Arand interviewing Jay Marine, head of Amazon Prime Video sports and now overseeing all U.S. Prime Video.29 Oct 2025 · 43 min · 15 chapters
Rubin’s Fanatics FormulaFanatics founder Michael Rubin explains how he reinvented licensed sports merchandise into a “digital sports platform,” expanded into collectibles and sports betting/gaming, and uses elite…26 Oct 2025 · 48 min · 15 chapters
Gerry WorldThe episode centers on media and sports-rights investing, using Redbird Capital Partners’ Jerry Cardinal to explain why he backs Skydance Media’s purchase of Paramount Global.22 Oct 2025 · 48 min · 11 chapters
The Josh Harris Owner’s ManualThe episode of The Varsity is an interview with Josh Harris, founder of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, about how he’s rebuilt the Washington Commanders and what it’s like to own teams…19 Oct 2025 · 48 min · 15 chapters
Is the NFL Unstoppable?The business rise of the NFL and whether it’s “unstoppable,” focusing on media leverage, labor/financial deals, ownership strategy, and future red flags.15 Oct 2025 · 52 min · 13 chapters
NBC’s Hoop Dreams ReduxNBC’s return to NBA broadcasting and how it will be produced across NBC, Peacock, and related platforms, plus a broader discussion of athlete-owned media growth.12 Oct 2025 · 46 min · 13 chapters
NHL Rinkside RevelationsNHL season preview focused on off-ice business and labor changes, plus media rights and market dynamics.8 Oct 2025 · 44 min · 16 chapters
Can a Billionaire Former NFL Player Fix College Sports?Cody Campbell argues college sports’ NIL/transfer chaos is driven by broken governance and an unsustainable money model.5 Oct 2025 · 53 min · 13 chapters
ESPN’s D.T.C. BlitzSports media business and distribution in the streaming era, anchored by ESPN’s direct-to-consumer push and league media/equity deals; plus MLB labor/salary-cap debate, streaming carriage fights (NBC…1 Oct 2025 · 40 min · 14 chapters
Ellison’s Playbook & NFL’s $100B BonanzaThe NFL’s next media-rights negotiations (possible timing before 2026 season), how legacy networks are racing for certainty, and a broader trend of legacy media paying big for non-NFL sports rights.28 Sep 2025 · 52 min · 18 chapters
Introducing Simpsons Declassified with Nancy CartwrightIntroducing Simpsons Declassified with Nancy Cartwright27 Sep 2025 · 2 min
The UFL’s Scale-Up EraDany Garcia discusses why she invested in the UFL (“scale-up era”), how spring football can succeed, and how sports media rights and storytelling are evolving.24 Sep 2025 · 42 min · 11 chapters
The Prime Play for Sports RightsSports media rights and streaming strategy, highlighted by Amazon Prime’s new Masters deal and Amazon’s use of AI in sports broadcasts (with examples from Thursday Night Football and NASCAR).21 Sep 2025 · 43 min · 16 chapters
Mark Shapiro’s Media Rights Cage MatchMark Shapiro (WME Group/TPKO president) discusses the current media-rights market for sports and entertainment, focusing on UFC and WWE rights deals, Netflix’s “eventize” strategy, YouTube’s sports…17 Sep 2025 · 53 min · 17 chapters
Matty Ice Quarterbacks the CBS BoothMatt Ryan’s transition from NFL quarterback to CBS TV analyst/studio talent, plus his views on major NFL off-field issues: media/broadcasting, betting culture, adding an extra regular-season game,…14 Sep 2025 · 40 min · 16 chapters
The Clippers Bombshell & BelichickghaziJohn Aranda interviews Pablo Torre about his investigative podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out, including how he chooses stories and why he uses humor and documentation.10 Sep 2025 · 53 min · 17 chapters
Any Given StreamdayHow live sports streaming is reshaping media rights and talent/influencer programming, with a focus on the NFL’s first YouTube game, the ESPN app’s challenges, and broader “haves vs have-nots”…7 Sep 2025 · 43 min · 10 chapters
Any Given AlgorithmHow sports media (TV, streaming, and rights) is being reshaped by the same forces that broke the magazine business—loss of ad dollars, weaker audience data, and shifting consumer behavior—plus what…3 Sep 2025 · 43 min · 12 chapters
Are the Cowboys Still America’s Team?Whether the Dallas Cowboys are still “America’s Team,” sparked by the blockbuster Micah Parsons trade and Jerry Jones’s business style, plus an NFL/NBA/media preview.31 Aug 2025 · 50 min · 14 chapters