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Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 10/12/2025 · 46m

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John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 1d

New Pod: NBC is back in the NBA business for the first time since 2002. Coordinating producer Frank DiGraci and announcer Noah Eagle stop by to give an NBA season preview.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

NBC’s Hoop Dreams Redux

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 10/08/2025 · 44m

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John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 5d

New pod: NHL is sitting in a good business position. A season preview with @wyshynski.bsky.social.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

NHL Rinkside Revelations

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 10/05/2025 · 53m

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 5d

Hey Eric. Admittedly, I haven't paid enough attention to this. I will look into it.

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 8d

New pod: Cody Campbell has embarked on a political-style campaign to change college sports.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

Saving College Sports

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 9d

Fox doesn't have the same type of streaming service as NBC. Tubi is free and FoxOne is basically simulcasts of Fox, FS1 and Fox News, which makes the ingesting issues different for them. The key is to see what happens next with ESPN.

YouTube TV’s Manifest Destiny

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 10d

News and notes on YouTube TV's deal to semi-ingest NBCU.

puck.news/the-youtube-...

News and notes on the platform’s recently announced temporary deal to semi-ingest NBCU.

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 10/01/2025 · 40m

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 12d

New pod: @axios.com's @sarafischer.bsky.social on ESPN, NBC/YouTube and Bad Bunny.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...

ESPN’s D.T.C. Blitz

Ellison’s Playbook & NFL’s $100B Bonanza

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 15d

New pod: Veteran media analyst Michael Nathanson returns for a romp through the sports media circus.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/28/2025 · 52m

The NFL’s Premature Exhortations

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 17d

The NFL and its broadcast partners are weighing early renegotiations of their billion-dollar media deals, with a possible 18th game and new streaming packages on the table.

puck.news/have-renegot...

The league and its broadcast partners are weighing early renegotiations of their billion-dollar media deals, with a possible 18th game and new streaming packages on the table.

Goodell’s Shocker, Team Valuation Overload & TKO’s New Deal

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 17d

The Varsity
* Paramount close to a deal for TKO’s new Zuffa Boxing league.
* Will there be a market correction in team valuations?
* Connor Schell on when access works for sports docs.
* Why are people still investing in spring football?
* The Hulk Hogan doc is back on.

puck.news/newsletter_c...

Sep 25, 2025 John Ourand Welcome back to The Varsity. I’m John Ourand writing today from Puck’s spiffy South Tribeca offices. On Saturday, I’ll be in the Philly area for Villanova’s parents weekend. M...

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/24/2025 · 42m

Reposted by John Ourand

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 19d

New pod: Dany Garcia on why she thinks the UFL will success; her game plan for investing in sports, and navigating the ever-changing media landscape.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

The UFL’s Scale-Up Era

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/24/2025 · 42m

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 19d

New pod: Dany Garcia on why she thinks the UFL will success; her game plan for investing in sports, and navigating the ever-changing media landscape.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

The UFL’s Scale-Up Era

The sports media world erupted last month when word leaked that Netflix was looking at ways to stream the Notre Dame–USC game—despite the fact that Notre Dame is under contract with NBC, and USC’s rig...

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 20d

Sports media erupted last month when word leaked that Netflix wanted to stream the Notre Dame–USC game—despite the fact that Notre Dame is under contract with NBC, and USC’s rights are with the Big Ten. The saga spotlighted Netflix’s aggressive plan to “eventize” sports.

puck.news/why-netflix-...

Netflix’s Trojan Horse

A Netflix Micro-Scandal, Amazon’s A.I. Bid & The Athletic’s $550M Question

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 20d

The Varsity
* Tennis execs agree that the sport needs to make changes to grow the business.
* Goodnight "SNB" on ESPN. Hello, "SNB" on NBC.
* Is The Athletic worth $550 million?
* Amazon embraces AI in its sports productions.
* Will Wisconsin fire Luke Fickell?

puck.news/newsletter_c...

Sep 22, 2025 John Ourand Welcome to The Varsity. I’m John Ourand, back in D.C. after spending the weekend in Madison watching my Terps thrash Wisconsin. Yes, I overdid it on cheese curds and brats and...

The Prime Play for Sports Rights

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Reposted by John Ourand

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 21d

Pod: Amazon's Charlie Neiman pulls back the curtain on Amazon’s broader play for tier-one sports rights.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/21/2025 · 41m

The Prime Play for Sports Rights

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 21d

Pod: Amazon's Charlie Neiman pulls back the curtain on Amazon’s broader play for tier-one sports rights.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/21/2025 · 41m

Mark Shapiro’s Media Rights Cage Match

Reposted by John Ourand

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 26d

New pod: A wide ranging convo with WME/TKO's Mark Shapiro, who describes the current state of the sports rights marketplace.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/17/2025 · 53m

Mark Shapiro’s Media Rights Cage Match

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 26d

New pod: A wide ranging convo with WME/TKO's Mark Shapiro, who describes the current state of the sports rights marketplace.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/17/2025 · 53m

Matty Ice Quarterbacks the CBS Booth

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · 29d

New pod: CBS Sports' NFL analyst Matt Ryan on some of the biggest off-field issues facing the league: the inevitability of an 18-game schedule and the push to add more international games.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/14/2025 · 40m

The Clippers Bombshell & Belichickghazi

Reposted by John Ourand

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · Sep 10

New pod: @pablo.show on building a new kind of podcast and the reporting that has helped it grow.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/10/2025 · 53m

The Clippers Bombshell & Belichickghazi

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John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · Sep 10

New pod: @pablo.show on building a new kind of podcast and the reporting that has helped it grow.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Podcast Episode · The Varsity · 09/10/2025 · 53m

Mike & Tony’s Excellent Adventure

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John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · Sep 9

Even in ESPN’s anti-sentimental, needle-mover era, the company is doubling down on curmudgeons who starred in its golden age. Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are being rewarded with new three-year deals that might truly mark the beginning of the end of an amazing journey.

puck.news/pardon-the-i...

ESPN is doubling down on the old-school curmudgeons who starred in its golden age: Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are being rewarded with new three-year deals that might truly mark the beginning of t...

The New ‘PTI’ Deal, NFL-YouTube Blues & ESPN’s Trump Call

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · Sep 9

The Varsity
* What part of the YouTube numbers interests the NFL?
* Does anyone really think there won't be more ads on NFL RedZone?
* A backstory to how ESPN reacted to the USTA's Trump memo.
* Kids don't want to do play-by-play.
* Dan Quinn on the new Brady rules.

puck.news/newsletter_c...

Sep 8, 2025 John Ourand Welcome back to The Varsity. I’m John Ourand, back in D.C. and on my third cup of coffee following a thrilling Sunday Night Football opener on NBC that kept me up way too late....

Mike & Tony’s Excellent Adventure

John Ourand @ourand.bsky.social · Sep 9

ESPN signs Kornheiser and Wilbon to three-year extensions for "PTI."

puck.news/pardon-the-i...

ESPN is doubling down on the old-school curmudgeons who starred in its golden age: Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are being rewarded with new three-year deals that might truly mark the beginning of t...