Sports podcasts continue to hold firm as the go-to environment for major podcast advertisers in May. New Podscribe data shows seven of the top ten spenders targeted sports as their primary genre in May.
What We Know: Combined spending among the top 10 rose 7.6% month-over-month to $31.2 million. At the forefront, Shopify led all advertisers at $5.2 million, with BetterHelp ranking second at $4.7 million as both brands continued to prioritize sports programming. At the same time, Red Bull posted the month’s most dramatic increase. The brand surged 503% to $2.9 million across more than 1,500 shows. Elsewhere, Amazon, Progressive Insurance, Toyota, and Wayfair also invested heavily in sports-targeted campaigns, highlighting the genre’s continued appeal among major marketers.
What The Numbers Show: (via Podscribe)
| Rank | Brand | Industry | Estimated Spend | 1 Mo. Change % | Advertiser Type | Top Show Genres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shopify | B2B | $5.2M | ↑6% | Shopify | Sports |
| 2 | BetterHelp | Mental Health | $4.8M | ↑32% | BetterHelp | Comedy |
| 3 | Quince | Retail | $4.1M | ↑10% | Quince | Society & Culture |
| 4 | Mint Mobile | Cell Phones | $3.8M | ↑6% | Mint Mobile | News |
| 5 | Red Bull | Drink | $2.9M | ↑459% | Red Bull | Sports |
| 6 | Amazon | E-Commerce | $2.4M | ↑25% | Amazon | Sports |
| 7 | Progressive Insurance | Financial Services | $2.2M | ↑103% | Progressive Insurance | Sports |
| 8 | Toyota | Cars | $2.1M | ↑75% | Toyota | Sports |
| 9 | PrizePicks | Gambling | $2.0M | ↑9% | PrizePicks | Sports |
| 10 | Wayfair | Home & Garden | $2.0M | ↑4% | Wayfair | Sports |
What Remains Unclear: Whether sports podcasts will maintain this dominance or improve on it heading into the second half of 2026 with large national sports events planned. It’s also unclear if non-sports genres can close the gap. BetterHelp favored comedy, Quince focused on society and culture, and Mint Mobile leaned into news — but none matched the scale sports delivered for competing advertisers.
What It Means: Sports podcasting continues to be the preferred proving ground for large-scale campaigns. The category’s reach, loyal audiences, and host-driven credibility make it an attractive fit across industries. Notably, the top 10 represented ten different sectors — from automotive and insurance to energy drinks and sports betting — yet most still gravitated toward sports.
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