Europe’s largest sport-dedicated podcast network, Sport Social, has expanded its portfolio with three new podcast partnerships with major football clubs Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Aston Villa.
These official podcasts join an extensive repertoire of over 500 shows, including its established footballing podcasts. The new partnerships reflect the increasing trend of rights holders utilising podcasting to provide fans with exclusive and in-depth access to their favourite teams and players. This move enables sports clubs to create long-form audio, video, and live content, fostering a closer connection with their fanbase.
Launched at the beginning of August, Potters’ Pod: The Official Stoke City Podcast was the first of the new podcasts, offering fans long-form interviews with first-team players. Hosted by television presenter and content creator Rob Adcock, the podcast’s debut episode features recent signing Viktor Johansson and former Stoke City striker Chris Iwelumo.
Sport Social has also reinforced its collaboration with Wolverhampton Wanderers. The network, which already produced the short-form news update Wolves Express, relaunched Wolves Weekly as The Official Wolves Podcast. The new show, hosted by match-day commentator Mikey Burrows, provides in-depth discussions and debates around the team.
The network’s latest undertaking is a partnership with Aston Villa for The Official Aston Villa Podcast. Set to launch on 5 September, the podcast will be hosted by Alan McInally and Kate Tracey, featuring special guests, including star players and club legends. The first episode will showcase club captain John McGinn’s reaction to the club’s Champions League draw.
These collaborations come at a time of significant growth for Sport Social, which boasts 10 million monthly downloads across its various shows. Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Aston Villa join a distinguished list of rights holders already aligned with the network.
Thomas Holdcroft, head of marketing and communications at Stoke City FC, emphasised the importance of the new podcast: ‘The launch of Potters’ Pod is an integral part of our endeavours to elevate our content offering for our supporters to be proud of and enjoy. We are working really positively with the Sport Social team on creating something that tells the authentic stories of well-known Potters, and helps our fans get to know the person behind the player in every episode.’
Jim Salveson, Sport Social’s director of sport, expressed his enthusiasm: ‘It’s a pleasure to be joining forces with Stoke City and Aston Villa, and to be expanding our work with Wolves. All three clubs understand the potential of podcasting for building those crucial connections with their fans, and for giving them the content that they want. It’s great to be able to work with them to help make the most of these opportunities and create strong, engaging content that resonates deeply with its audience. I look forward to seeing the shows grow over the coming weeks.’
The introduction of podcasts for Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Aston Villa signals a strategic move towards enhanced fan engagement and content innovation. These partnerships leverage the power of podcasting to forge stronger connections between clubs and their supporters, reflecting a forward-thinking approach in the digital age.