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PODCAST

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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All Episodes

46:48

Sports Media’s Winners (and Losers) of 2025

The Varsity ·

2025/12/10

Puck superfriends Julia Alexander, Eriq Gardner, and Dylan Byers reunite with John to debate the sports-media class of the year: David Ellison muscling into the rights wars, Pat McAfee cementing himself as the on-air talent north star, and the rest of the industry’s biggest winners of 2025.Explore how prediction markets skirt state authority and pose risks to consumers at AmericanGaming.org/predictionmarkets (http://americangaming.org/predictionmarkets) To learn more about listener data and

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47:10

The MLS 3.0 Blueprint

The Varsity ·

2025/12/07

MLS commissioner Don Garber joins John live from the University of Maryland’s Povich Symposium to chart the league’s MLS 3.0 blueprint. They discuss MLS’s rising fortunes, including its $21 billion collective valuation, and dig into the much-scrutinized Apple deal, now ending ahead of schedule. Garber stands by the partnership and lays out why he thinks MLS is well-positioned for the streaming age.Explore how prediction markets skirt state authority and pose risks to consumers

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4:47

Introducing How We Made Your Mother Season 2!

The Varsity ·

2025/12/06

It’s been 20 years since How I Met Your Mother premiered, and just over 10 years since the finale. Josh Radnor, who played “Ted” for nine seasons teams up with series co-creator Craig Thomas for this episode-by-episode rewatch podcast. For the superfans, HWMYM (listen to the trailer to learn how it’s pronounced) will get into all the secrets, theories, and pineapples, but we'll also use HIMYM – and our relationship to it two decades later – to talk about life and love and art and everything in

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46:37

The 2025 Sports Media Year in Review

The Varsity ·

2025/12/03

Puck superfriends Julia Alexander, Eriq Gardner, Dylan Byers, and John convene for a rollicking debrief of the most pressing sports media plot lines of 2025: YouTube’s unstoppable march toward inevitability, Netflix’s bold leap into live sports, the boom-bust mood swings of prediction markets and sports betting, and much more.Explore how prediction markets skirt state authority and pose risks to consumers at AmericanGaming.org/predictionmarkets (http://americangaming.org/predictionmarkets)

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47:13

College Football Gone Wild

The Varsity ·

2025/11/30

Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger joins John to discuss the chaos engulfing college football: ballooning N.I.L. bills, the slow march toward collective bargaining, and the fiscal headaches pummeling athletic departments. Plus, he and John look ahead at how the sport may evolve over the next three years—including what an expanded College Football Playoff might really entail. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your

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47:12

Marchand, Round 2!

The Varsity ·

2025/11/26

Varsity favorite Andrew Marchand reunites with John to debate the week’s biggest sports-media plot lines: the NFL’s holiday-week stacked matchups and Amazon Prime’s outsized role in juicing viewership; MLB’s new media-rights math; ESPN’s quiet strategic wins; and whether streamers like YouTube are ready to jump into the next bidding war. Plus: what Netflix poaching ESPN talent like Elle Duncan really signals about the streamer’s accelerating pivot into sports.To learn more about listener data

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47:09

Matthew Berry’s Sports Media Crystal Ball

The Varsity ·

2025/11/23

NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry—also the founder of Fantasy Life—returns to the pod to chew over the biggest forces reshaping sports media, from A.I.’s slow commoditization of editorial talent to which major league is most likely to fall behind in the sports rights arms race. They also dig into the industry’s obsession with younger audience, reflect on Berry’s leap from ESPN to NBC, discuss the continued evolution of Fantasy Life, and much more.To learn more about listener data and our privacy

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47:00

The Vox-Netflix Podquake & ESPN Détente

The Varsity ·

2025/11/19

Axios’s Sara Fischer rejoins the pod for a rundown of the sports world’s biggest shakeups—from the YouTube TV-Disney standoff and YouTube TV’s crafty deals with Fox and NBCUniversal to the NWSL’s growing pains and the looming Warner Bros. Discovery fire sale. They also dig into the rise of independent creators and how Vox and Netflix are making plays amid the podcasting gold rush. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

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47:09

NWSL’s Big-League Breakout

The Varsity ·

2025/11/16

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman joins John to discuss the league’s boom times—from surging TV ratings and record-breaking crowds to the league’s ubiquitous media strategy and upcoming expansion into Boston, Denver, and Atlanta—and why the forthcoming men’s World Cup could to supercharge everything.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

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47:05

Steve Bornstein’s NFL Gospel

The Varsity ·

2025/11/12

Steve Bornstein, the architect behind both ESPN’s golden age and the launch of NFL Network, joins John to remember the late, great Paul Tagliabue—the commissioner who helped turn football into a billion-dollar religion. Bornstein also offers a seasoned view on today’s sports media circus, from the streaming wars to A.I.’s slow invasion of the industry.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices

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38:56

Hans Schroeder’s NFL Media Huddle

The Varsity ·

2025/11/09

NFL’s top media executive Hans Schroeder joins John to discuss how the league is approaching their next wave of media rights negotiations, what the streaming era portends for the Sunday model, the surprising staying power of traditional broadcasters, the NFL’s global game plan, 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

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2:37

Introducing Free Range with Von Miller

The Varsity ·

2025/11/07

Step inside the mind of NFL legend Von Miller as he goes free range — from the gridiron to the culture at large. Each week, Von breaks down the biggest football stories, dives into the world of sports and entertainment, and chops it up with athletes, artists, and trendsetters shaping the conversation. Equal parts football IQ, locker room energy, and societal curiosity, Free Range is where game meets culture, and no topic is off-limits. You might even get some inside nuggets on this Super Bowl MVP’s

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53:58

Disney vs. YouTube & Nielsen’s New Math

The Varsity ·

2025/11/05

Julia Alexander joins John to discuss how Nielsen’s new out-of-home viewership data is reshaping Saturday night sports programming, and what it means for the leagues and networks chasing live audiences. They also dig into the YouTube TV–Disney standoff—pitting Disney’s content library against YouTube’s deep pockets—and explore YouTube’s broader sports ambitions, from user-generated highlights to international scale. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit:

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46:24

An NBA Betting Scandal Postmortem

The Varsity ·

2025/11/02

Fanatics Betting and Gaming C.E.O. Matt King joins John to break down the ripple effects of the NBA’s betting scandal. He digs into the league’s mostly quiet response, why legal markets matter more than ever, and what it all means for his business—and for the future of sports wagering itself.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

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43:05

Inside Amazon’s A-List Sports Strategy

The Varsity ·

2025/10/29

Live from New York, Amazon sports chief Jay Marine joins John to discuss Prime Video’s evolution from live-sports skeptic to major NFL bidder; why Amazon is pouring money into tier-one rights; and how that $20 billion NBA deal came together. 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

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47:35

Rubin’s Fanatics Formula

The Varsity ·

2025/10/26

Live from Puck’s In The Arena sports media conference, Fanatics founder Michael Rubin sits down with Bill Cohan and Michael Nathanson to discuss how he reimagined the sports merchandise world, built a digital juggernaut of commerce, collectibles, and betting, and became one of the most connected figures in sports and entertainment. He also opens up about Fanatics’ next chapter—including the path to a possible I.P.O.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit:

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47:59

Gerry World

The Varsity ·

2025/10/22

In a special episode, live from Puck’s inaugural In the Arena sports media conference, RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale joins John to discuss his investment philosophy for live sports, whether leagues have become overvalued, and how technology can save legacy media from itself. 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

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47:56

The Josh Harris Owner’s Manual

The Varsity ·

2025/10/19

Josh Harris—owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Commanders—joins John for a candid conversation about life as a multi-team owner and the cultural turnaround underway in D.C. He shares his vision for the Commanders’ future, his blueprint for a new stadium, and his thoughts on how private equity is reshaping sports ownership. He also weighs in on the NFL’s global ambitions and the challenges of juggling franchises across leagues.To learn more about listener data and

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51:41

Is the NFL Unstoppable?

The Varsity ·

2025/10/15

Ken Belson, The New York Times’ longtime sports business reporter, swings by the pod to discuss his new book on the NFL’s gargantuan and many-tentacled business, aptly titled Every Day Is Sunday: How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Turned the NFL Into a Cultural & Economic Juggernaut. They break down the league’s long arc to cultural dominance, and whether anything can derail its success. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit:

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46:21

NBC’s Hoop Dreams Redux

The Varsity ·

2025/10/12

NBC’s Frank DiGraci and Noah Eagle join John for a spirited NBA season preview, as the network and league reunite for the first time since the 2002 Finals. They break down how the deal came together, how NBC plans to evolve its coverage while nodding to its iconic hoops legacy, and why reaching younger fans is more important than ever. They also touch on the rise of athlete-owned media—and much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit:

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