Blue Wire teams with PAR and Simplecast

Podcast Ad Reps (PAR) and Simplecast are pleased to announce a sales representation and distribution agreement with Blue Wire, a sports podcasting network of over 85 original podcasts.

Founded in October 2018, Blue Wire has emerged as a home for younger content creators who have built highly engaged audiences on Twitter, Snap and YouTube. Blue Wire’s roster is comprised of beat-reporters, bloggers, super fans, athletes, independent journalists, broadcasters, comedians and internet personalities. The eclectic team has 40 different podcasters on the network who are women or of color.

“We’re solving a creator and listener problem in the marketplace,” said CEO Kevin Jones. “Podcasts are changing how fans consume sports. New voices are emerging. Listeners are pivoting away from traditional media outlets and instead finding their favorite topical influencer. Blue Wire exists to help our podcasters and fans build these stronger relationships.”

“Our team was excited to accept the challenges Kevin and his team presented to us,” states PAR President Rick Selah, “and the shows are a perfect complement to expand our existing sports catalog of powerhouse shows like No Laying Up and The Sports Reporters.”

Some of Blue Wire’s notable podcasts include Laker Film Room, Bronx Pinstripes, Light Years, The Chris Van Vliet Show, Snapback Sports and The Tajh Boyd Podcast. The network covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Premier League, College Football, College Basketball, Fantasy, Gambling and is starting to dip into pop culture.

“We are now capable of offering coverage year-round to our agency partners seeking sports fans,” observes PAR CRO Anthony Savelli. “If a brand wants to reach Hoops fans from March Madness thru the NBA Playoffs, we have 25 shows to offer. Same with Football. And if brands want to reach Soccer fans, NHL fans, Baseball, Gambling, or even Boxing fans, we can bring a loyal audience.”

“The model Blue Wire has created to support emerging talent find an audience in podcasting is innovative and noteworthy,” says Dane Cardiel, Simplecast’s Director of Sales and Partnerships. “We’re beyond excited to partner with Blue Wire and PAR to bring them a truly enterprise suite for podcasting: content management, distribution, dynamic content delivery — all built upon the most comprehensive audience analytics offering in the industry. We can’t wait to see what they accomplish next.”

Blue Wire plans to continue growth throughout 2020 with forays into original storytelling and building an academy for college podcasters.