# First Look: Why have women's sports podcasts exploded over the last two years?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/sports-media-with-richard-deitsch-1023610/first-look-why-have-women-s-sports-podcasts-exploded-over-the-last-two-years
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/sports-media-with-richard-deitsch-1023610/first-look-why-have-women-s-sports-podcasts-exploded-over-the-last-two-years.md
Podcast: [Sports Media with Richard Deitsch](https://stenobird.com/podcast/sports-media-with-richard-deitsch-1023610)
Published: 2026-03-24T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/tracking.swap.fm/track/v9Uiw3bGr54f6BVZKSyc/serve.castfire.com/audio/8091823/8091823_2026-04-08-225323.192.mp3?rssID=6247
Audio file: https://pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/tracking.swap.fm/track/v9Uiw3bGr54f6BVZKSyc/serve.castfire.com/audio/8091823/8091823_2026-04-08-225323.192.mp3?rssID=6247
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Duration seconds: 415

## Resource

The women's sports podcast market is experiencing an unprecedented boom, with over 70% of top-ranking shows launching within the last two years. Jessie Katz of iHeartMedia explains how media companies are leveraging underserved fanbases to drive new investment and content growth.

## Highlights
- Market trend: Over 70% of the top 100 women's sports podcasts were launched in the last 24 months
- Strategic advantage: Media networks are using established broadcast reach to find and promote niche, underserved sports audiences
- Industry shift: Long-time veteran journalists are finally gaining dedicated platforms to focus exclusively on women's athletics
- Content strategy: Success involves a mix of targeting high-demand niche sports like volleyball and softball alongside major talent acquisitions
- Growth outlook: The sector is currently in an experimental phase, building infrastructure to meet the rising appetite of expanding fanbases

## Topics

Sports Media, Women's Sports, Podcast Industry, iHeartMedia, Content Strategy, Sports Business, Audience Engagement, Media Investment

## Chapters
- 0:00 — Introduction to the Boom: An overview of the recent explosion in women's sports podcasting and the significance of new market entrants.
- 1:00 — A Non-Mature Market: Discussion on why the rapid influx of new shows indicates a high-growth, high-investment opportunity rather than a saturated market.
- 2:10 — Empowering Veterans: How the new landscape provides dedicated space for established journalists who have long covered women's sports.
- 3:40 — iHeart's Programming Portfolio: A look at specific successful shows like Good Game with Sarah Spain and talent-driven content like 'FUT around and find out'.
- 4:50 — Targeting Underserved Fans: The strategy of identifying hungry audiences in sports like volleyball, softball, and skateboarding to drive engagement.
- 5:40 — The Experimental Phase: How networks are testing different content areas to build a sustainable ecosystem as viewership grows.

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## Transcript

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