8 Premier League Clubs Join Sport Social and the Sport Audio Movement

Sport Social, the UK’s largest dedicated sports podcast network, has become the go-to audio platform for Premier League clubs, with eight top-flight teams now part of its growing roster for the 2024/25 season. This marks a major milestone in the shift toward audio-led fan engagement strategies across elite football.

Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Leicester all joined Sport Social Podcast Network in the 2024/25 season, increasing the total number to 8 clubs and 9 podcasts on the network. Sport Social’s Premier League line-up features:

• Aston Villa
• Brighton & Hove Albion
• Leicester City
• Manchester City
• Nottingham Forest
• Tottenham Hotspur
• West Ham United
• Wolverhampton Wanderers

Outside the top tier, the network also hosts official podcast content from a number of other football clubs including QPR, Celtic FC, Hibernian, Preston North End, and Stoke City, with further Premier League additions anticipated in the near future.

Podcasting is proving to be a powerful tool for clubs looking to reach supporters on a deeper level. With most episodes running 30 to 45 minutes, podcasts offer a rare opportunity to hold a fan’s attention – something that’s increasingly difficult to achieve on social or video platforms. In fact, according to RAJAR, 84% of podcast listeners stay tuned for all or most of an episode, demonstrating just how engaged this audience is.

Ryan Disdier, Vice President Content from Aston Villa said:

“We wanted to launch an official team podcast to help bring our fans closer to the team by providing them content through a medium we hadn’t fully maximised yet. Having an in-house podcast is a crucial asset for any club.

Sport Social was incredibly helpful during the initial stages of the development of the podcast, helping answer any and every question we may have had. Following the launch of the podcast, they have remained invaluable in our partnership in helping us produce the best content we can.

I think being able to connect with the club through every outlet (social, digital and podcast) is an incredibly critical component for a supporter in 2025. The value in having a presence through the podcast landscape is immense.

We want to continue to evolve our content and offer supporters new ways to engage with the club they love. The podcast, in collaboration with Sport Social, is a tremendous way to do that.”

As well as Sport Social’s production partnership with Aston Villa, Stoke City were amongst the new recruits over the last years, trusting Sport Social Podcast Network to deliver their official podcast. Thomas Holdcroft, Head of Marketing and Communications at Stoke City, said:

“We launched Potters’ Pod at a time when we were seeking to increase the volume and elevate the quality of our content offering.

As the partnership has progressed and the podcast has become established, we have come to enjoy a hugely productive working relationship with Sport Social, based around a variety of different factors.

They balance their own expertise with the humility to appreciate that you know what is right from a tactical communications perspective for your club, always making recommendations that assist you as a club in making the right decisions.

Finally, the team at Sport Social are always willing in their endeavours to work to your timelines, however challenging they may be, and take pride in their craft, thus ensuring that decision making when refining edits can always be based on editorial factors and never on basic quality control.”

Clubs are also recognising the emotional value of audio. Research by Edison found that 58% of sports podcast listeners tune in to feel part of a community. That sense of belonging is a key differentiator for audio, especially when paired with exclusive club content and storytelling that brings fans closer to the game, the players, and the culture around their team.

The commercial case for club podcasts is also gaining momentum, as they realise the opportunity to tap into a previously unexplored revenue stream. A joint study by OMD and Acast found that podcast advertising delivers nearly five times the return on investment compared to traditional media – a compelling proposition for rights-holders looking to grow revenues while maintaining full control of their brand.

Sport Social enables clubs to tap into this opportunity with full-service support – from production and hosting, to distribution and monetisation – giving teams a direct connection to fans on the move, at home, or wherever they listen.

As more clubs explore new ways to build audience relationships and drive value across digital platforms, Sport Social is proud to lead the way in helping rights-holders harness the unique power of audio. Additional Premier League announcements are expected in the coming months.