Podcasting – so intimate, so casual, so easy to do yourself. It’s one of the biggest changes in the media business of the last decade. How’s it going?
What began as a series of combative upstarts succeeding despite insurmountable odds has now reached a new normal. Only the biggest names – many of whom have already achieved success in other fields – are entering the market and reaping absurd financial rewards, effectively nurturing the next generation of talent who can take the medium to new innovative heights.
Videos from VICE
Amazon, Spotify and SiriusXM have spent horrendous amounts of money over the last few years, buying up every major podcast and signing exclusive deals with them that sometimes don’t pan out, or recently buying promotional and touring rights for a show on multiple platforms. This is happening at a time when the entire entertainment industry is telling unknown producers that there’s just no money to develop their pitches.
In many ways, podcasting is similar to the film and television industry of the last 20 years. Companies look for already established intellectual property with an existing fan base, so audiences don’t have to get used to something new.
Eye-popping nine-figure podcasting deals aren’t exactly the norm yet, but there are a few of them, and with increasing regularity. Here are the celebrity podcasters who have been breaking the bank lately:
The Kelce brothers ($100 million): Amazon’s own podcast studio and publisher Wondery has invested a whopping $100 million for the New heights Podcast hosted by current and former NFL players and brothers Travis and Jason Kelce. The deal was announced one week before the start of the NFL season.
SmartLess ($100 million): Hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, SmartLess launched during the pandemic to give the stars something to do. The show quickly gained a huge following and launched a tour that became a TV show. SmartLess moved to SiriusXM in January 2024 for, you guessed it, another $100 million.
Alex Cooper (125 million USD): The host of the sex and relationship podcast Call her daddy just signed a three-year, $125 million deal with SiriusXM. She had a three-year, $60 million deal with Spotify and was previously part of the Barstool Network.
Conan O’Brien (150 million USD): Late-night TV comedy legend Conan O’Brien signed a $150 million deal with SiriusXM in 2022. And not just because of his incredibly popular Conan O’Brien needs a friend Podcast, but the entire Team Coco podcast network, which also includes podcasts from other big stars like Rob Lowe.
Joe Rogan ($250 million): Controversial podcaster, comedian and MMA commentator Joe Rogan has one of the biggest podcasts in the world. In February 2024, he signed a new $250 million multi-year deal that ensures his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experiencestays on Spotify.
Bill Simmons ($250 million): Here’s one to check out. Bill Simmons is a sports and pop culture fanatic who made his name with some of the best sports coverage ESPN has ever published on his website Grantland. He later launched a new website and podcast network called The Ringer, which features a number of major shows, including The Bill Simmons Podcast. “The Ringer” sold for $250 million in 2020 – but the contract with Spotify expires in early 2025. Could the next film set a new record?
Podcasts
