Gilbert Arenas has a new podcast home. The popular Gil’s Arena is heading to Playmaker after parting ways with Underdog earlier this year.
What We Know: Gil’s Arena debuts on Playmaker in August, airing five days a week. Longtime cohost Josiah Johnson moves with Arenas to the new platform. Arenas launched the show in 2023, and it now draws more than 70 million views annually. According to a report by Front Office Sports, Arenas sold half the show to Underdog in February 2023, then exited in May following a rocky split.
What They Said: Playmaker CEO Dave Katzman. “We’re thrilled to partner with them as they relaunch this incredible property and help them continue delivering for the fans who have been with them from the beginning, while introducing Gil’s Arena to new audiences and continuing to grow the brand.”
What Remains Unclear: Financial terms of the Playmaker deal haven’t been disclosed. It’s also unclear whether Underdog retains any stake going forward.
What It Means: Playmaker gains another athlete-led marquee show, joining Roommates, Big Podcast With Shaq and Club Shay Shay. For Arenas, it’s a clean restart after a messy corporate breakup with Underdog. Meanwhile, Underdog’s recent pivot away from original content confirms its full focus on prediction markets and daily fantasy.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.