While sites like Players’ Tribune and Uninterrupted look to create a player’s voice in the printed word or the visual, the spoken word in the form of podcast may be taking hold as well as a medium for regular expression, and even news.
Now, podcasting as a medium is not new but it is certainly fast-growing across all genres. Podcasts like “Serial” garner thousands of downloads and a cult following while Bill Simmons’ podcast quickly became a must-listen on any device for fans of sports and pop culture. With an audience now growing accustomed to listening as part of storytelling, it’s an easy one on commuting, walking, going to gym; audio is becoming big business.
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The latest example occurred this week, when, as part of Katie Nolan’s podcast (she broke the news of Mike Francesca stepping down at WFAN last week herself), it came to light that L.A. Clippers veteran guard J.J. Redick would become the first NBA player (and only the second active pro athletes, joining A.J. Hawk) to take on a podcast during the regular season.
DGital Media, which recently launched Chad OchoCinco’s podcast and announced a partnership to handle all of Yahoo’s podcasts, announced that they will launch “The Vertical Podcast with JJ Redick,” this week, the latest extension of “The Vertical Podcast with Woj,” Yahoo Sports NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski’s fast-growing written and audio platform. The announcement could be very timely for downloads for the Duke grad currently averaging 16 ppg, as it comes on the heels of Blake Griffin breaking his hand allegedly in an altercation with a Clippers staffer.
Will Redick, in addition to chats with Woj and a flyby with Coach K., let fans inside what has been going on behind the scenes with L.A.’s prime hoops franchise? We shall see Thursday when his first episode comes forth.
Regardless of the initial download, which will be available on all platforms, Redick’s move speaks volumes for yet another way selective athletes can use the digital space to engage with fans. There is no need for edited video, or for that matter an editor taking your words and translating them into prose, or in a case or two, Haiku. The words roll out, the engagement is genuine, and the topics can be diverse and easily digestible by fans. Short sexy video podcasting is not. A slightly personal and deeper dive on a regular basis is what it is.
“I am a big consumer of audio content, and think that this will give fans a deeper dive into the lifestyle and the personalities not just of the NBA, but of other athletes, entertainers and business leaders who have had an influence on my life and career,” Redick said in the initial press release this week. “There will be something here for everyone, and I’m looking forward to getting into the project.”
Getting into it may take some getting used to for athletes, as the planning and prep for a quality podcast can take some time. DGital has a growing portfolio outside of sports as well that can make it easy, but the content has to be authentic and timely, and become a ‘must subscribe” for a growing audience that loves logging on and listening in. It certainly isn’t for everyone. It’s not a Vine video to see what is being served for lunch at the training facility. But for those select, elite athletes, the podcast route could be a new, and lucrative one to add to the storytelling arsenal.
It’s your shot JJ, let’s see how you score.