Audacy has announced it has entered into a multi-year agreement with MLB making the company the official digital audio and podcasting partner for the league and its teams. The deal will include the creation of official podcast programming starting with a series this fall about the 2016 Chicago Cubs.
The deal includes sales and marketing collaborations with MLB and Audacy’s platforms. Audacy will take over ad sales for the league’s audio streams in subscription products and will develop content for BetQL with their talent also being featured on MLB platforms. Audacy may also promote concerts around some MLB events starting in 2022.
The agreement comes as Audacy announces the launch of 2400Studios as home to all of the company’s Sports related digital audio content.
Major League Baseball and Audacy today announce a new multi-year wide-ranging audio agreement. The partnership makes Audacy the official digital audio and podcast partner of MLB and includes the capacity to produce and distribute official podcast programming for the league and its Clubs. The partnership with Audacy, a leader in digital audio and podcast production, whose subsidiaries include Pineapple Street Studios, Cadence13 and the newly launched 2400Sports, enables the league to expand its reach in this emerging space.
To launch the new production agreement, MLB and Audacy have a new flagship podcast series in development that revisits baseball’s most dramatic and thrilling postseason campaigns. The first installment, coming this fall, will take a deep dive into the Chicago Cubs’ historic march to the 2016 World Series championship. The series relives the on-field heroics from that momentous championship run and combines it with enlightening storytelling about the cast of characters that came together to make it possible.
Additional original podcasts in development include a series on fathers and sons who played Major League Baseball, and a lifestyle/travel series exploring the unique cultures, traditions, and locations specific to various Major League ballparks.
As part of the unique agreement, MLB and Audacy begin a multi-faceted sales and marketing collaboration supported by promotional initiatives across MLB and Audacy platforms. Audacy will be the exclusive advertising sales partner for MLB audio streams within the league’s subscription products and work with MLB to maximize the distribution of league and club podcasts on platforms worldwide.
Also included in the partnership is a comprehensive content and services agreement with Audacy’s sports betting subsidiary BetQL. This will include the development of custom programming, as well as BetQL personalities and editorial content being utilized on MLB platforms. It will also feature MLB content, including live game cut-ins, used in “BetQL Network” programming.
The partnership also features the potential for MLB and Audacy to deliver concerts around MLB Jewel Events beginning in 2022.
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Audacy today announced the launch of 2400Sports. This new podcast studio will house Audacy Sports’ digital audio content, including both new and existing original podcasts. 2400Sports is the latest addition to Audacy’s podcast portfolio, which contains premium podcast companies Cadence13 and Pineapple Street Studios, as well as the recently acquired Podcorn, the largest podcast influencer marketplace in the U.S.
“We’re excited to launch a third major studio with a goal of building 2400Sports into the home of the country’s best sports podcasts,” said David Field, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Audacy. “We look forward to developing elite partnerships, including our just-announced deal with MLB, to create truly special, riveting sports content.”
The new studio launches on the heels of Audacy becoming the official audio and podcast partner of Major League Baseball. As part of that partnership, Audacy and Major League Baseball will collaborate on the production and distribution of official podcast programming for the league and its clubs. The studio will launch with a new flagship podcast series in development that revisits baseball’s most dramatic and thrilling postseason campaigns. The first installment, coming this fall, will take a deep dive into the Chicago Cubs’ historic march to the 2016 World Series championship. The series relives the on-field heroics from that momentous championship run and combines it with enlightening storytelling about the cast of characters that came together to make it possible. Additional original podcasts in development will be announced in the coming months.
As part of its partnership with Major League Baseball, Audacy will work with all 30 clubs to develop new podcast content. The inaugural project will be a podcast partnership with the Boston Red Sox and will be intensely focused on fan engagement and fan-created content. More details about this opportunity will be announced in the near future.
Also concurrent with the studio launch, Audacy announces a development deal with award-winning podcast producer Jody Avirgan’s Roulette Productions. Over the coming months, Avirgan will contribute to 2400Sports’ slate of programming by developing and creating new original shows across a range of sports and genres, leveraging Audacy’s unique assets, brands, talent, and strategic partners across the breadth of Audacy’s portfolio, including Major League Baseball.
From 2016-2020, Jody Avirgan was the executive producer and host of ESPN’s 30 for 30 podcasts. Prior to that, he was a host and producer at FivethirtyEight. He’s currently the host of the Radiotopia show This Day In Esoteric Political History and recently served as executive producer for Adam McKay’s “Death at the Wing” and as lead editor for The Line, Apple’s first original podcast, hosted by Dan Taberski and made in collaboration with Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions. Prior to arriving at ESPN, Avirgan was a producer at WNYC radio, and has worked with shows such as On The Media, Marketplace, Freakonomics, 99% Invisible, and many more. Find more at jodyavirgan.com and follow him on Twitter @jodyavirgan.
In addition to the above, 2400Sports will leverage Audacy’s relationships with national sports teams and leagues, as well as other sports content from across its robust portfolio to create additional podcast programming.