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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

51:03

A Sports Legend’s Second Act

The Varsity ·

2025/08/03

Sally Jenkins, perhaps the best sports columnist in the business, joins John for a candid conversation about her decision to leave The Washington Post after 25 years and join The Atlantic. She reflects on her rise through the ranks, Bezos’s generous buyout offer, the uncertain future of The Post, what she hopes to tackle in her next chapter—and much, much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad

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50:45

The Art of the Sports Collectible

The Varsity ·

2025/07/30

Puck’s resident art market expert Marion Maneker swings by the pod for a rollicking conversation about the growing market for sports collectibles, from a recent $660,000 Caitlin Clark rookie card sale to the many ways auction houses are elevating collectibles into high art.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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49:59

A Major NFLPA Fumble

The Varsity ·

2025/07/27

ESPN’s Don Van Natta joins the pod to break down the widespread dysfunction rocking the NFLPA—from sexual harassment claims to collusion accusations and more—that led to the abrupt resignation of executive director Lloyd Howell. They explore the myriad implications for the future of one of the most powerful labor organizations in sports.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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49:43

The Dark Art of Stadium Financing

The Varsity ·

2025/07/23

Sports Business Journal’s Brett McCormick joins John to chart the shifting priorities in sports ownership, from media rights deals to the increased focus on real estate development. They dig into how organizations across professional leagues are leveraging real estate for steady income, touch on the myriad challenges of financing new stadiums, predict whether the Washington Commanders will return to R.F.K. Stadium, and much more.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit:

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52:05

Michael Nathanson’s Sports Media Pulse Check

The Varsity ·

2025/07/20

Michael Nathanson joins John for a rollicking conversation about the future of sports media. They dig into the R.S.N. slow bleed, CBS’s shocking cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ESPN’s forthcoming D.T.C. service, which potential streamers will bid on NFL rights—and much, 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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53:50

Dude, Where’s My NASCAR?

The Varsity ·

2025/07/16

NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps joins John Ourand for a candid conversation about the sport’s evolving media ecosystem, including new deals with Fox, NBC, and Amazon Prime. Phelps also outlines NASCAR’s experimental growth strategy; explains why he’s not in competition with F1 and IndyCar; and weighs in on the simmering legal standoff with Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan—while making the case for why polarizing personalities like Hamlin are important for increasing fan engagement.To learn more

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61:57

Matt Berry’s Real Life Sports Fantasy

The Varsity ·

2025/07/13

NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry returns to the pod to share the growth story behind his fantasy sports startup, Fantasy Life. He explains how he attracted heavyweight investors like LeBron James, Maverick Carter, and Jeff Shell, and how the company has carved out a niche in an oversaturated space—boasting 1.5 million daily users and a 73 percent jump in revenue since last year. Matthew also weighs in on how leagues are adapting to fantasy and wagering—and how fantasy sports continues to reshape the

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47:20

Here Come the Robo Umps…

The Varsity ·

2025/07/09

Puck’s A.I. expert Ian Krietzberg joins John for a deep dive into the growing influence of artificial intelligence in sports. Ian discusses the promise and pitfalls of A.I. in sports, from computer vision models to predictive analytics—and stresses the importance of deploying A.I. with intent, solving real-world problems rather than embracing the technology for novelty’s sake.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn

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61:17

The Caitlin Clark Effect

The Varsity ·

2025/07/06

Christine Brennan, the pioneering sports columnist, joins the pod to discuss her new book, “On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women's Sports.” She unpacks the WNBA’s struggle to match the moment of Caitlin’s rise, the financial implications of Caitlin’s ascent, the league’s perpetual lack of media attention and support, and much more. Christine also reflects on her own trailblazing career pushing through sports journalism’s glass ceiling. To learn more about listener data and our

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36:34

A College Football Power Grab & CBS Sports on Edge

The Varsity ·

2025/07/02

Axios’s Sara Fischer returns to the pod for a sweeping tour of the most urgent issues in the sports media landscape—from the looming Trump–CBS settlement (and what a Skydance-Paramount merger portends for CBS Sports) to the College Football Playoff’s potential expansion, the growing leverage of live sports in ad markets, the possibility of a new NFL stadium in D.C., and much, much more.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

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44:25

Tennis’s Next Rafa and Serena?

The Varsity ·

2025/06/29

Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim—America’s preeminent tennis sage—joins the pod to explore the sport’s cultural resurgence, driven in large part by breakout stars like Coco Gauff, Carlos Alcaraz, and Yannick Sinner. Jon makes a strong case for unifying the men’s and women’s tours, weighs into tennis’s global business dilemma, touches on growing interest from Saudi investors—and much, much more.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit:

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53:46

Paul Rabil’s Lacrosse Gospel

The Varsity ·

2025/06/25

Paul Rabil, founder of the Premier Lacrosse League, joins John for a deep dive into the PLL’s new five-year media rights deal with ESPN, which includes an equity stake from the network. Rabil charts the PLL’s growth trajectory, teases expansion plans, and explains why the 2028 Olympics could be a turning point for lacrosse as a global sport.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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49:57

Kicking It With Alexi Lalas

The Varsity ·

2025/06/22

Alexi Lalas, Fox Sports analyst and former American soccer star, swings by the pod for a wide-ranging discussion about the accelerated growth of soccer in the U.S. Alexis lays out the MLS roadmap to global relevance, celebrates the rise of the NWSL, and explains why he’s bullish on the 2026 World Cup—and what this all means for the future of the sport in the U.S.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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48:55

The Sports Media Multiverse! w/ Alex Sherman

The Varsity ·

2025/06/18

CNBC’s Alex Sherman returns to the pod to gab about the biggest forces reshaping sports media—from the streaming ambitions of Amazon, Google, and Netflix, to the accelerating collapse of linear TV, epitomized by the dual Comcast and WBD divorces. They also size up the precarious futures of F1, UFC, and MLB media rights—and what comes next for the ever-evolving sports landscape.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn

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49:11

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Takes the Wheel

The Varsity ·

2025/06/15

The legendary Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins John for a rollicking discussion about the future of motorsport. He delves into NASCAR’s expansion into Mexico City and the opportunities of international racing; shares his thoughts on F1’s hospitality and accessibility compared to NASCAR; discusses Amazon Prime’s gripping four-part documentary series on his father; and much more.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more

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47:36

Who Gets What in the WBD Divorce?

The Varsity ·

2025/06/11

LightShed’s Rich Greenfield joins John to break down the myriad implications of Zaslav’s WBD spin-off. With both Comcast and WBD laying down a roadmap for exiting the linear era, Rich weighs in on whether Disney and Paramount will follow suit. Then they chart the fate of TNT and WBD’s sports rights—and why WBD will likely avoid any major sports acquisitions for the foreseeable future. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

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52:04

The NCAA’s Corporate Makeover

The Varsity ·

2025/06/08

Len Perna, founder of the executive search firm TurnkeyZRG, joins John for a wide-ranging conversation on the shifting landscape of college sports. They unpack the fallout from the NCAA’s landmark House settlement, trends in athletic director hires, the real estate gold rush on campuses, and why the next wave of roles might be titled ‘C.E.O. of Athletics.’To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad

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50:58

Moneyball Meets the F.B.I.

The Varsity ·

2025/06/04

ESPN’s Don Van Natta returns to the pod with the scoop on a new FBI investigation into OneTeam Partners—the licensing company backed by the NFL and MLB player associations and RedBird Capital. Van Natta breaks down the opaque finances, the major players under scrutiny, and why some insiders suspect a potential Trump linkage. Then they dig into the growing threat of an MLB work stoppage next season as the owners and league’s unions clash over salary cap reforms.To learn more about listener data

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36:37

U.S. Openings

The Varsity ·

2025/06/01

Chris Eubanks, TNT’s French Open analyst (and professional tennis player, himself) joins the pod to discuss the state of tennis in the U.S. He unpacks the surge of homegrown talent, the media’s role in turning players into personalities, and what it’ll take to bring casual fans into the fold. Eubanks also shares what it’s like to straddle the broadcast booth and the court.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more

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43:45

The NFL Owners Summit & More Belichick Blues

The Varsity ·

2025/05/28

ESPN’s Seth Wickersham joins John to break down all of his remarkable inside reporting from last week’s NFL owners meetings in Minnesota. They discuss what it all portends for the league, before turning to Seth’s forthcoming book, American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback. Finally, they dig into all the latest drama surrounding Bill Belichick.To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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