NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce have inked a significant podcast agreement with Amazon, reportedly valued at $100 million (£75 million). The deal, which was unveiled on Tuesday, grants Amazon’s Wondery audio network exclusive multimedia rights to the Kelce brothers’ popular podcast, New Heights.
The agreement spans three years and comes as the podcast prepares for its third season. The Kelce brothers expressed their enthusiasm about the partnership, stating they “couldn’t be more excited” about the opportunity.
Launched in 2022, New Heights features the Kelces interviewing celebrity guests and sharing insights into their personal lives, all while infusing the show with their signature brotherly humor. Travis Kelce, 34, is a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs and has gained additional public attention as the boyfriend of pop superstar Taylor Swift. His elder brother, Jason Kelce, 36, recently retired from a 13-season career with the Philadelphia Eagles and has transitioned to an analyst role with ESPN.
Podcast Boom
This deal highlights the soaring popularity of sports podcasts and the medium as a whole. New Heights was honored as Podcast of the Year at the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards, underscoring its significant cultural impact.
Jen Sargent, head of Wondery, commented on the development: “New Heights on the surface is a sports podcast, and sports is such a well-listened-to category. But it’s become a cultural phenomenon, they’re all in that zeitgeist.”
According to Nielsen’s latest podcast report, the number of Americans tuning into podcasts has surged by 45% over the past five years, more than doubling in the last decade to reach 183 million listeners. A similar trend is evident in the UK, where podcast advertising revenue has soared to billions, as reported by PwC.
The increase in podcast consumption reflects shifting media habits, particularly among younger audiences who are increasingly opting for podcasts over traditional television.
The Kelces’ new deal with Wondery follows a recent agreement between the company and comedian-podcaster Dax Shepard. Other notable podcast deals include Joe Rogan’s $100 million partnership with Spotify and Alex Cooper’s agreement with Sirius FM.
