Sport Social partners with Hickory’s Smokehouse

Sport Social Podcast Network (Sport Social), Europe’s largest sport-dedicated podcast network, has forged a new partnership between Hickory’s Smokehouse (Hickory’s), a growing American BBQ restaurant brand, and one of the biggest National Football League (NFL) podcasts, The Nat Coombs Show.

Hosted by Nat Coombs, who has spearheaded NFL coverage on TV and radio in the UK for the last 15 years, The Nat Coombs Show will allow Hickory’s to tap into a passionate and engaged audience of NFL viewers and fans. The partnership will run throughout the 2024/2025 NFL season and will present listeners with unique, targeted and highly engaging content in a campaign including host-reads, sponsored mini-episodes, and a live recording of The Nat Coombs Show from Hickory’s Wilmslow restaurant.

Hickory’s Smokehouse joins Sport Social at a time of rapid growth for the network, and is the latest addition to a growing roster of well-known brands, including Visit Barbados. It marks the first time that Hickory’s Smokehouse has ventured into podcast advertising.

It follows Sport Social’s recent success in reaching 12 million monthly downloads across its chart-topping podcasts. Alongside household brands, the network also works directly with major rights holders looking to capitalise on audio content, including World Athletics, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Paul Swaine, Brand Partnership Director at Sports Social Podcast Network, said: “As the NFL season kicks off, Hickory’s will be the go-to place for fans to watch the games - particularly on NFL Sundays - so joining forces with The Nat Coombs Show is a powerful way to further elevate the fan experience. There’s also a significant focus on engaging new audiences, with content aiming to help demystify the NFL and make it more inclusive to UK fans. Podcast advertising can be hugely beneficial for brands, especially when working with shows that truly align with their essence and ethos, and this partnership is an ideal example of that.”

Jason Bligh, Director at Hickory’s Smokehouse explains their NFL story: “We’ve been huge fans of the NFL ever since we first fired up the smokers and swung open the doors in Chester back in 2010. We’ve loved introducing a whole host of new fans to barbeque and the NFL over the years, with guests joining us to watch and share the love of the amazing game. And, with the growing popularity of American football in the UK, our NFL Sundays and Super Bowl parties just keep getting bigger.

“We’re super excited to be partnering with The Nat Coombs Show. It will be a great opportunity for our team and regular fans to engage with even more content around the sport and help us reach new audiences. We can’t wait to welcome listeners to Hickory’s and give them an unforgettable experience of this high-stakes game.” For more information on the Sports Social Podcast Network, visit: https://podcast.sport-social.co.uk