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Broadcast Companies Must Rethink Podcast Cross Promotion on Sports Radio Stations

John Mamola
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Broadcast Companies Must Rethink Podcast Cross Promotion on Sports Radio Stations

Broadcast sports radio is still a megaphone that sports podcasts wish they had. It remains one of the most valuable assets sports radio provides: a built-in audience that is highly engaged and rarely listens passively. That’s why so many broadcast companies use the medium as a promotional tool for their podcast platforms.

You’ve heard the ads. Check out this random podcast on the (insert company name) podcast network. Streaming on the (insert company name) app. These spots are often programmed from afar and inserted based on broad audience demographics. The problem is they frequently have little to do with what local listeners actually want from their local sports radio station.

They’re a headache for programmers and talent alike. Instead of getting back to the content and personalities audiences tune in for, stations extend commercial breaks to accommodate company priorities. Quantity takes precedence over quality. Plus, local brands are often forced to promote content that may have little relevance to their listeners.

Just the other day, I tuned into my local sports radio station here in Tampa Bay and heard a 30-second commercial for a soccer podcast hosted by names I didn’t recognize. Yes, the World Cup is here and people are watching. However, you just can’t say soccer and expect me to check it out because. “Hey, soccer is here.”

It reminded me of my time programming the station. We were the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, yet it seemed like we ran promotional spots every hour for Off The Edge with Cam Jordan. When I questioned management why we were promoting a star player from a rival team, I was told the ads had to run at the allotted frequency.

I didn’t understand it then, and I still don’t understand it now. Why are local sports radio stations serving as megaphones for content that doesn’t resonate with the audience they serve? More importantly, is there data proving these ads drive enough podcast discovery to justify forcing them onto local brands?

A Messaging Issue…

Last week, Sounds Profitable and JAR Podcast Solutions released joint research examining how listeners discover, engage with, and recommend podcasts. If you’re sitting in a programming chair like I once was, the findings should grab your attention.

Among nearly 3,800 podcast listeners surveyed, only 9% said they discovered their favorite podcast through a radio commercial. That ranked next to last among all discovery methods measured. The numbers were even lower among key advertising demographics. Just 4% of adults ages 18-34 and 8% of adults ages 35-54 said radio or television helped them discover their favorite podcast.

Those numbers matter because the entire purpose of these promotional messages is discoverability. Companies use local inventory to build awareness for podcast networks, attract high-profile talent, and drive listening. Every major audio company follows some version of this strategy.

I remember discussing the approach with iHeartPodcast President Will Pearson.

“We find the best way to get somebody to listen to a new podcast is by reaching them in another form of audio, either through podcast or through broadcast radio. It’s a massive part of our success story,” said Pearson last March.

That perspective makes sense on the surface. Radio still delivers reach at a scale most podcasts can only dream about. Yet the new research raises an important question: Are these messages actually working with the audiences hearing them?

There are countless ways for consumers to discover podcasts today. YouTube and social media continue to lead the way. Platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify also excel at surfacing new content through recommendations and algorithms tailored to listener behavior. However, if traditional radio listeners aren’t discovering podcasts through radio commercials, then it’s fair to question whether these promotional campaigns are producing the desired return.

The beauty of asking that question is that it opens the door to potential better solutions.

Refresh The Approach

One option is simple: give some of that inventory back to your talent. We’ve seen plenty of research showing that long commercial breaks contribute to audience tune-out. Reducing those breaks and allowing hosts more time to create compelling content benefits both the station and the listener. Even thirty seconds can mean more than you imagine.

Another option is to rethink what gets promoted. Instead of using local inventory almost exclusively for national podcasts, why not dedicate more of it to local podcast content created by local talent? Stations could use those promotional opportunities to build deeper relationships with their audience while creating new sponsorship opportunities around products they directly control.

There’s also a talent benefit. Local podcasting can provide additional content opportunities and potentially create new revenue streams for personalities. More importantly, listeners already know the voices behind those shows. Promoting familiar talent gives audiences a stronger reason to engage than asking them to sample a random podcast they’ve never heard of.

The larger issue is understanding that audio audiences are not all the same. Your broadcast sports radio audience is different from your YouTube audience. Your YouTube audience is different from your podcast audience. Yet many companies continue treating all audio consumers as though they behave identically.

If broadcast radio companies want to continue using their sports radio stations as promotional engines for podcast growth, the strategy must evolve. It can’t be plug-and-play. It can’t rely on blanket assumptions that every listener will respond the same way simply because they consume audio.

A Wake Up Call?

The latest research should serve as a wake-up call. For years, broadcasters have operated under the assumption that reach automatically translates into discovery. The data suggests otherwise.

That doesn’t mean podcast promotion should disappear from radio. It means the approach needs refinement. Promote content that aligns with local interests. Give stations flexibility to spotlight their own talent and products. Create messaging that feels relevant rather than mandatory. Most importantly, build promotional strategies around audience behavior instead of corporate convenience.

Broadcast radio remains one of the most powerful promotional tools in media. But power without precision is wasteful. If companies want better results, they need a cross-promotional model that reflects how audiences actually discover content today.

The research is there. The audience has spoken. Now it’s time for the strategy to catch up.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

TikTok Tests Voice Calls, Bringing Back a Classic Radio Tactic

Mike Stern
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TikTok Tests Voice Calls, Bringing Back a Classic Radio Tactic

TikTok appears to be moving one step closer to a classic radio experience by considering the addition of voice calls. That’s right, TikTok is toying with the idea of saying the phone lines are open.

In some ways, a TikTok account functions as an updated version of a radio station. Hosts put out content, and the audience reacts — currently through text replies. That exchange creates a “you need to see this” energy, similar to the buzz radio stations once generated.

TikTok Tests a Familiar Radio Tactic

TikTok is now considering a feature that was traditionally a key part of the radio experience. According to an article on We Are Social Media (wersm.com), screenshots recently surfaced showing a possible voice call option. That option appears to sit inside TikTok’s direct messaging function. That would mean a user could call the creator directly after watching a video, just like on the radio.

The new feature does come with some restrictions. It requires both participants to already be friends and includes a “mute calls” option. Those refinements matter because platforms often experiment with features that never get rolled out. This level of development, however, suggests TikTok is genuinely invested in the idea.

Why Retention Matters

Adding this level of communication tracks with a proven best practice in audience engagement. Focus more on what you own — your transmitter and your email database — where you control the relationship. Focus less on what you rent, like social media accounts, where you have no real control.

For TikTok, adding voice calls to the feedback loop cuts down on the need to leave the platform. Otherwise, users might continue the conversation elsewhere, on apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime. As the article’s author Marcel D. points out, “For TikTok, every retained interaction is valuable.”

He goes on to explain that direct communication, like phone calls, means “the platform becomes the place where discovery turns into contact.” He says this matters because the goal for social platforms is no longer just competing for posts or views. Instead, the real competition now is to become the place where users grow and maintain relationships.

What It Means for Radio

Now read that last paragraph again. Consider how much “being the place where discovery turns into contact” describes radio’s current challenge. The same goes for “competing to be the place where users grow and maintain relationships.”

Accomplishing that has certainly gotten harder, even as the slightly older Classic Rock/Hits audience moves away from phone calls. Instead, that audience increasingly defaults to texting and social media for communication.

To be fair, external technology isn’t the only reason fewer callers reach the air today. The self-inflicted wounds of voice tracking and staff reductions have also had an impact. Still, radio may have been too quick to abandon the dimension phone calls and listener voices bring to the air. At least the folks at TikTok, who’ve grown their user base successfully, seem to think it’s valuable.

Getting Listeners Back on the Phone

The primary audience for your Classic Rock/Hits station grew up hearing phone calls on the air. So, here are a few thoughts on re-establishing that connection with listeners:

Compelling Content: If your show or station isn’t getting phone calls, start by examining the content. It needs to be timely, topical, and engaging enough that listeners want to join the conversation.

Prime the Pump: If your station hasn’t taken calls from the audience with any regularity in a long time, start slow. Just airing a few calls sends a message to the audience. Calling your station, in other words, could be rewarded with airtime.

Fake It Til You Make It: While connecting with the audience is important, radio is primarily an entertainment medium. There’s nothing wrong with using friends, co-workers, or even AI to generate interesting phone content.

A Little Bribe Never Hurt: There’s also nothing wrong with rewarding callers for great content. Ask listeners to call in for a chance to win something, and the phones will light up. Use that excitement to generate content from listeners eager to win prizes.

The more you engage in conversations with your audience, the stronger their bond to the station will be. And that’s the type of connection that can boost not only ratings, but revenue as well.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why MS NOW Stopped Fighting the Bias Label in Daytime

Garrett Searight
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Why MS NOW Stopped Fighting the Bias Label in Daytime

MS NOW just admitted something Fox News figured out years ago. You can run a daytime lineup that leans more on news than opinion, and the audience will still show up. Roger Ailes built that model decades ago, and Fox News never strayed from it. Now MS NOW is borrowing a version of that playbook for its daytime shows, just with a different angle.

Here’s the problem with copying that approach word for word: we don’t live in the same media environment anymore. Cable news is more fractured than ever. Viewers don’t toggle between networks the way they once did. Nobody watches MS NOW’s daytime shows for straight news, then flips to Fox News or Newsmax for conservative opinion. That kind of audience crossover just doesn’t happen, and pretending otherwise is a losing strategy.

So MS NOW took a different path. Instead of stripping the opinion out of its daytime hours entirely, the network built shows that blend news and analysis. If critics are going to call MS NOW biased no matter what airs between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., there’s little reason to fight that battle. The new approach embraces the tension rather than apologizing for it.

A Lineup Built for Newsmakers and Opinions

Stephanie Ruhle kicks off the day with Money, Power, Politics. The show pairs her Wall Street background with real conversations with newsmakers. She’s not just reading headlines; she’s reacting to them, and that distinction matters in 2026. Alicia Menendez follows at noon with On the Line, built around the midterms and the stakes Washington faces this fall. Menendez interviews sources, but she also tells viewers what she thinks the stories mean.

Katy Tur rounds out the early afternoon with The Moment, and soon Peter Alexander will fill the 11 a.m. hour once his show launches later this summer. Each anchor brings the same formula: real reporting mixed with real perspective. That’s a meaningful shift from the buttoned-up, just-the-facts hours MS NOW once sold under the “MS NOW Reports” banner.

Breaking news will still pull these shows into pure news mode, and it should. When something major happens, viewers need facts first and commentary second. But MS NOW has clearly decided the in-between moments don’t need to pretend they’re opinion-free. That’s a more honest approach, and it’s probably a smarter one too.

Fox News has run a similar playbook for years with America’s Newsroom, a show that mixes hard news with plenty of opinion. Nobody at Fox News pretends that program is opinion-free, and nobody really cares. The format works because Fox News stopped chasing the appearance of neutrality. Instead, it leaned into what its audience already expected. MS NOW appears to be making the same calculation, finally trusting that authenticity beats false balance.

Will the Numbers Follow the Format Change?

The real test for MS NOW comes down to total day ratings, a category where the network has trailed Fox News for years. CNN’s primetime success and total day struggles offer a cautionary tale, since format changes don’t guarantee ratings gains. Still, MS NOW’s new lineup gives viewers a reason to stay tuned. They no longer need to switch networks for opinion they can’t get at home.

Stephanie Ruhle, Alicia Menendez, and Katy Tur all bring built-in audiences, and that matters more than the format tweaks themselves. Familiarity drives daytime cable news consumption. MS NOW just made its most recognizable daytime voices more interesting to watch. Consequently, the network has a real shot at narrowing the gap with Fox News, even if it never fully closes it.

Ultimately, MS NOW isn’t trying to out-Fox Fox News. It’s building a daytime product that doesn’t ask viewers to leave for what they actually want. That’s not a revolutionary idea, but it’s taken the network a long time to embrace it.

Whether the strategy moves the ratings needle remains to be seen, and we won’t know for months. But MS NOW finally stopped fighting the bias label. Instead, it started building shows that work with that label instead of against it. That alone makes this lineup change worth watching closely.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Approaching The Summit: Hank Fuerst, Ramsey Solutions

Garrett Searight
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Approaching The Summit: Hank Fuerst, Ramsey Solutions

Approaching The Summit is a series of special interviews created in partnership with Point to Point Marketing featuring speakers at the upcoming 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit in New York City. Follow along with this series as prominent names surrounding the event June 30-July 2 share their insights and expectations for what’s to come in the Big Apple. The Summit takes place at the SVA Theatre on West 23rd Street. For tickets and hotel room reservations, click here or visit the Summit section at the top of the website.   

Hank Fuerst recently succeeded Blake Thompson as the leader of the Ramsey Network at Ramsey Solutions. The network encompasses shows like The Ramsey Show, The Dr. John Delony Show, Smart Money Happy Hour, and Entreleadership, among others. Thompson served as the Executive Vice President of the Ramsey Network. Hank Fuerst is now the Vice President of the Ramsey Network.

Garrett Searight: How important is it for those in the radio industry — especially the news/talk genre — to gather to discuss ideas and issues?

Hank Fuerst: At Ramsey, we have always felt that business moves at the speed of relationships. There’s not a better way to develop and maintain lasting relationships than to gather together and talk about our industry and craft.

GS: What are the most important things you hope to learn and hear about at the Summit?

HF: I want to hear about how we as an industry are planning to reach people under 30 years old. I don’t think Gen Z is going to follow the same technological trends that millennials did. And some are even rejecting technology. Can we find a way to get more Gen Z listeners to radio?

GS: What are the things you hope to share during your panel and while speaking with other attendees?

HF: I want to represent Ramsey’s strategy well. Our media strategy began in 1992 on SuperTalk 99.7 in Nashville. And we have not stopped asking this question since: “How can we evolve to reach more people?” We’re still asking that question today. I look forward to asking others the same question and learning from their responses.

GS: When you look at the radio industry as a whole, where do you see the biggest opportunities going forward?

HF: Technology has positively impacted our lives in many ways. But we’re all old enough now to realize it has some negative consequences as well. How can a legacy medium like radio capitalize on that opportunity?

GS: Anything else you’d like to share?

HF: Thanks to the Barrett crew. Ramsey is honored to attend.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why Nielsen Keeps Sweetening The Deal For PPM Panelists

Dr. Ed Cohen
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Why Nielsen Keeps Sweetening The Deal For PPM Panelists

My last two columns have discussed the possible changes to the Nielsen radio diary service, driven by escalating costs and the contraction in the radio industry. Americans don’t like taking surveys, especially ones that involve filling in a paper diary for an entire week.

On the PPM side, the same problem exists. However you calculate PPM response rates, whether a “true” response rate, the Sample Performance Indicator (SPI) or in some other fashion, they all suck. And Nielsen takes the blame for what is an industry-wide problem. Regardless, PPM data is so important today that Nielsen must ensure that the panelists they’ve recruited wear their PPM watches as much as possible.

Now that it’s part of video measurement, PPM has helped drive recent increases for live sports. The NBA Finals had the largest audiences in years. It didn’t hurt that the New York Knicks won because when the largest market in the country is engaged, the estimates will increase. But the NHL also hit new highs with two small-market teams in the finals (Carolina and Vegas), even though as a true hockey fan, I watched less because ESPN does such an awful job of covering the NHL.

Over the years, I’ve implored you to read the Presurvey Bulletin (PSB). It’s not exciting prose but is always short. PSBs are released for each measurement period, typically the day before the first day of measurement, so the next PPM and diary bulletins will hit the Nielsen portal this Wednesday.

Nielsen’s Pattern Of Incentive Periods

One of the headaches of the PPM system is that it operates 365 days a year. I use the word “headache” in that Nielsen needs data for days when most of the panelists would rather forget they’re in a panel. Can’t you imagine the look on children’s faces on Christmas Day when the parents say, “Sorry kids, you can’t open your gifts until you put on your meter!”? Or “No turkey for you if you aren’t wearing your meter!” on Thanksgiving.

Given that problem, Nielsen typically offers either additional incentives or contests for those periods when panelists are less likely to be in-tab. It’s a sensible approach, but lately the company has resorted to this tactic more often. And that’s where the Presurvey Bulletin comes in.

Nielsen has offered extra incentives in each of the last five survey months. Here goes:

  • February 2026: A “three-day incentive” was offered to targeted households for February 14-16, which was Presidents Day weekend.
  • March 2026: A two-week incentive was offered to targeted households for the period of March 2-15.
  • April 2026: A two-week incentive was offered to targeted households for the period of April 6-19. That period included the NCAA men’s basketball championship and The Masters. Oddly, a holiday didn’t matter as Easter was on April 5.
  • May 2026: A two-week incentive was offered to targeted households for the period of April 27 to May 10.
  • June 2026: A two-week incentive was offered to targeted households for the period of June 1-14. The NBA and NHL finals ran during this time.

What The Incentive Calendar Reveals

In each case, Nielsen said the incentives were expected to improve in-tab rates. We don’t know which specific households were targeted, but it’s not hard to guess. Households with younger people and minorities who are less likely to have higher in-tab rates will earn more if they comply. And if I had to guess, I’d say Nielsen is trying to ensure that in-tab rates are better for major sporting events.

Your question may be, “Does this matter to me?” Yes, it does, because you can play the game along with Nielsen. If you have a station that serves groups with lower in-tab rates, why not schedule your promotions at the same time as Nielsen schedules theirs? More of your potential listeners may be wearing their PPM watches to earn some more money.

It may not be a huge advantage, but as we know, it only takes one or two meters to change everything in the PPM system.

Digital Payments And Diary Sample Changes

Along that line, the June PSB disclosed another change. Going back to the Arbitron days, PPM panelists have always been paid by check, with a few exceptions for “unbanked” households that received cash in the mail. Nielsen is testing digital payments starting this month in Nashville.

The PSB says digital payments will roll out in a hurry. June is seeing “a small number” of homes, but the entire panel will switch to digital payments by Q4. A good move, but let’s see if it has any effect on compliance.

And don’t miss out on a PSB diary service headline. The Spring edition told you that the percentage of “targeted reselects” will be increased by 35% to 53%. Yes, over half of the diary sample is now made up of people who have “been there and done that.”

It’s worth a few minutes of your time to read the Presurvey Bulletin, whether monthly or quarterly. Do it later this week.

Let’s meet again next week.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Longtime KDKA Radio Reporter Greg McAtee Dies

Garrett Searight
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Longtime KDKA Radio Reporter Greg McAtee Dies

KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh is mourning the loss of one of its own. Reporter Greg McAtee has died.

What We Know: McAtee died on Friday after a five-year battle with cancer. A statement from his daughters shared that he had been in “intense chemotherapy” for the past two years. Greg McAtee had worked as a traffic reporter for KDKA since 2017.

What They Said: “We lost a great colleague today. Man, did he ever care about doing a great job. Always. Greg was a great man and a fantastic father.” -KDKA afternoon host Colin Dunlap

What Remains Unclear: When funeral arrangements will be scheduled for McAtee. It is also unclear what memorials KDKA Radio has planned to remember their colleague.

What It Means: Seeing the way his co-workers have described Greg McAtee highlights the impact he had. Audacy Regional Vice President Michael Spacciapolli called him “an absolute professional in every sense of the word.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Los Angeles Lakers PA Announcer Lawrence Tanter Retires From Role After 43 Years

John Mamola
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Los Angeles Lakers PA Announcer Lawrence Tanter Retires From Role After 43 Years

The Los Angeles Lakers have named Lawrence Tanter as Special Advisor for Game Presentation. The move follows his retirement after 43 seasons as the team’s public address announcer.

What We Know: Tanter has served as the Lakers’ PA announcer since 1982. In his new advisory role, he will apply his institutional knowledge to shape the franchise’s future game presentation. The Chicago native called 10 NBA championships and 16 Western Conference titles during his tenure. Notably, during the 2020 NBA Bubble, he recorded game introductions from his home studio to preserve the familiar Lakers atmosphere.

What They Said: Los Angeles Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss: “Lawrence Tanter has been an integral part of the Lakers gameday experience for more than four decades, setting the tone for countless memorable moments with his professionalism, energy and signature booming voice. Since the 1980s, LT has narrated every chapter of Lakers basketball, connecting generations of fans, players, coaches and staff while becoming a trusted and unforgettable part of the Lakers experience. I am incredibly grateful for everything he has given to this franchise.”

What Remains Unclear: The Lakers have not yet announced who will succeed Tanter behind the courtside microphone. It also remains to be seen how his advisory role will formally integrate into the team’s game presentation structure.

What It Means: Tanter’s transition reflects a growing trend of franchises keeping legendary figures involved beyond their on-floor roles. Rather than simply moving on, the Lakers are retaining one of professional sports’ most recognizable voices as an institutional resource.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

CNN Poll Finds Fox News Most Trusted Political Brand in TV

Garrett Searight
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CNN Poll Finds Fox News Most Trusted Political Brand in TV

CNN conducted a poll to find out how Americans feel about the state of politics and media. What it found was that Fox News was the most trusted brand in television.

What We Know: An SSRS poll conducted for CNN asked respondents, “For you, personally, is there a specific person or source you trust to tell you about what’s happening in politics? 45% of those people responded yes. Of those respondents, 25% said they could name a favorite source. Those respondents then shared the television news brands they trusted most.

What the Numbers Show:

Brand% Who Trust Brand
Fox News5%
CNN2%
MS NOW1%
PBS1%
ABC News1%
NBC News1%
Newsmax1%

The survey — with a sample size of just under 2,000 — also asked which individuals were trusted most. Joe Rogan, Aaron Parnas, and Heather Cox Richardson also garnered 1%. Of non-television brands, NPR earned 2% of the vote, while The New York Times was at 1%, as was BBC News.

What It Means: The data from SSRS and CNN comes after a Reuters survey showed that only 33% trusted Fox News. That trails ABC News and NBC News by more than 10 points. However, as seen with this survey, Fox News earned a much larger share of trust than ABC and NBC.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Sticks Media Loses WLGR As Border Media Reacquires Station

David Hill
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Sticks Media Loses WLGR As Border Media Reacquires Station

Border Media is taking back a station it once sold. The deal cancels a promissory note instead of changing hands for cash.

What We Know: Ricki Lee’s Border Media is reacquiring Classic Hits 93.5 Lake-FM (WLGR) in Warrensburg/Glens Falls, New York. The seller is Todd Nixon’s Sticks Media, which originally bought WLGR in November 2024 for $295,000. As a result, the station now returns to Border Media’s portfolio through a financial restructuring rather than a traditional sale.

What They Said: Lee framed the move as a fresh start for the station. “We are very pleased to bring WLGR into the Border Media portfolio,” she said. “While this transition stems from a financial restructuring, we view it as a great opportunity to invest our resources and long-term vision into the station. Our goal is to provide stability and high-quality local media that genuinely connects with the community.” Nixon, for his part, expressed confidence in the handoff, saying he is glad to see the station land with a capable, forward-thinking team.

What Remains Unclear: Neither group has disclosed new staffing, programming, or leadership plans for WLGR. Additionally, the specific terms of the promissory note cancellation have not been made public.

What It Means: Ultimately, the reacquisition signals stability for WLGR’s listeners and advertisers. Border Media now controls the station’s direction again, with Lee promising continuity through the transition. Meanwhile, the deal also reflects ongoing consolidation pressures among smaller radio groups navigating financial restructuring.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

DAZN Reportedly Restructuring For Potential Outside Investment, Initial Public Offering

John Mamola
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DAZN Reportedly Restructuring For Potential Outside Investment, Initial Public Offering

DAZN is reportedly overhauling its corporate structure to attract outside investment and explore a public listing. According to The Financial Times, the move signals a significant new chapter for the global sports streaming giant.

What We Know: DAZN is owned by billionaire Leonard Blavatnik. The platform is reportedly restructuring its business to make it easier to raise new money and explore a possible public listing. According to The Financial Times, a new Cayman Islands holding company will be created for the DAZN Group. That group will gain control ultimately held by Blavatnik’s Access Industries. The company has already transferred ownership from an existing holding entity. Additionally, DAZN has been expanding aggressively — merging with ViewLift, a leading provider of streaming and digital solutions deeply embedded in U.S. sports. That signals clear ambitions to break into American local sports markets.

What Remains Unclear: A source shared to The Financial Times that “no decision had yet been made on any IPO or its timeline.” Furthermore, it remains to be seen how the restructure will affect DAZN’s recently completed ViewLift merger. As well as its pursuit of U.S. local sports rights. DAZN faces significant competition from Amazon, ESPN, Fubo, and YouTube — all targeting local sports streaming with the collapsing RSN model.

What It Means: DAZN is methodically positioning itself for a major financial milestone. The company narrowed its losses to $936 million in 2024. That’s down from $1.4 billion the prior year, while revenues climbed to $3.2 billion. Combined with its U.S. expansion push through ViewLift, the structural overhaul suggests DAZN’s leadership believes the platform is finally ready for the public markets spotlight. It will need the added investment if the platform truly wants to be a player for local media rights with MLB, NHL, and NBA teams.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

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