Bill Simmons, CEO of The Ringer, shares his insights on the evolving landscape of the podcasting industry, the challenges of standing out in a saturated market, and the importance of quality content. He also reflected on the changing dynamics of sports documentaries and speculated on the potential future of ESPN and regional sports networks.

The Podcasting Landscape

Simmons emphasized the changing landscape of podcasting and the need for high-quality content to stand out in the saturated market. “You cannot just be famous and have a podcast. It cannot be the sixth thing you are doing,” he said. He further added, “How do you stand out in a world of 3 million podcasts? It’s about being different and providing unique value.”

The Ringer has been profitable since 2016, and Simmons discussed the evolving advertising strategies and the importance of finding the right niche for a podcast. He pointed out that the increasing number of podcasts has made it harder for new ones to break through, but success is still achievable with the right approach and unique content.

Sports Documentaries and Broadcasting

Simmons shared insights on the evolving nature of sports documentaries, mentioning the impact of partnerships and potential saturation of the genre. “There are too many bad versions of ‘The Last Dance’ in the sports documentary world,” he commented. He also made it clear that he would not hesitate to step away if he felt that saturation was affecting quality: “I made a decision a long time ago, the moment I felt like that was happening, I am out.”

Discussing the future of ESPN and regional sports networks, Simmons suggested potential changes and strategies for the NBA to own local sports content. “The opportunity for the NBA with the local teams would be to own all of that themselves and do it in a way they could own all of it,” he proposed.

Simmons’ insights provide a valuable perspective on current trends in podcasting and sports broadcasting, highlighting both challenges and opportunities in these rapidly evolving fields.

The Ringer’s Success Story

The Ringer is a sports and pop culture website and podcast network, founded by sportswriter Bill Simmons in 2016. It has been profitable since its inception, demonstrating that success in this industry is achievable with unique content and a well-defined niche. Simmons’ approach to building a successful podcast involves providing unique value in an industry with millions of podcasts.

Future Trends in Sports Documentaries

The future of sports documentaries seems to be heading towards streaming platforms. A new wave of sports documentaries promises behind-the-scenes access to beloved athletes. However, these manufactured series are serving a different purpose. As more sports documentaries start, it is more likely that bigger podcasts will see growth due to an overwhelming amount of choices.

Future of ESPN and Regional Sports Networks

ESPN is considering adding sports leagues as partners as it transitions from cable to digital. This could involve taking on a sports league as a minority partner as ESPN continues its transition from a cable channel to a digital company. Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) are also beginning to position themselves for a future without a TV bundle. As cable audiences continue to shrink, a direct-to-consumer option would help recoup some financial losses.