Blue Wire has added new athlete-driven podcasts to its content portfolio, continuing to provide sports fans with original offerings as it expands its capabilities and works with various partners surrounding professional sports leagues. Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton’s Funky Friday and 4th & 1 shows will be arriving on the platform as part of a partnership. Newton had been producing and distributing his podcasts independently ahead of the deal and also attended Super Bowl LVIII where he hosted live from Media Row. Additionally, Blue Wire has inked deals with the Par 3 Podcast featuring J.R. Smith and Stephen Malbon, along with The Underground Lounge from Lou Williams and Spank Horton.
The company will also add programs from the Varsity Podcast Network from Learfield, along with the Mayo Media Network from Pat Mayo and The Kevin Sheehan Show. These will join the Blue Wire library of approximately 250 podcasts, including the Big Play Slay show from Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay. The network looks to work with athletes aiming to grow a media business and monetize content, something that Newton has done through the expansion of his platform and over 1.3 million subscribers on YouTube.
“Growing a media business allows us to diversify our content offerings, collaborate with like-minded creators, and adapt to the changing preferences of our audience in a dynamic and competitive industry,” Newton told Xavier Hunter of Sports Business Journal, who first reported the news. “As the digital landscape evolves, podcasts have emerged as a powerful medium for authentic storytelling and meaningful conversations.”
Blue Wire founder and chief executive officer Kevin Jones told Sports Business Journal that YouTube serves as an additional driver for podcasts. The platform contains an algorithm that allows the shows to be more easily discovered, and advertisers demonstrate interest in sponsorship packages implementing it as well.
This past February, Blue Wire raised new funding from Decathlon Capital that followed a community fundraising round in the year prior. Before the new investment, the company had raised $12 million that included a $3.5 million investment and studio space with Wynn Resorts. The deal with Decathlon, however, coincided with the end of the partnership with Wynn Resorts; however, it still remains a large shareholder in the company.
Jones told Axios last October that the company had reached profitability with cash flow positive. The company amassed 176 million combined downloads and views for full-length episodes across audio and video platforms in 2023.
