ESPN Podcasting Has a Record Year

 

From audioblogging in the 1980s to the first digital audio podcast of 2004, the powerhouse audio medium of podcasting has grown exponentially since its humble beginnings. As of 2020, there are 850,000 active podcasts and over 30 million episodes, with more than half of all US consumers above the age of 12 that listen to podcasts. This is staggering growth, considering there were just 500,000 active podcasts in February 2018—and ESPN is betting big on this progression continuing.

This past October, ESPN podcasts were downloaded more than 69.5 million times—a record month for the company. MarketScale Radio hosts Daniel Litwin and Tyler Kern dive headfirst into the niche shows and top talent that are driving ESPN’s listener numbers, the challenges of production during lockdown, the importance of content creation, the competition they face, and more.

  • ESPN podcasts broke records, downloading more than 96.5 million times in October.
  • The company leaned into personality-driven podcasts and flexible remote workflows to churn out content.
  • ESPN faces heavy competition in the space from Spotify, iHeartMedia, The Ringer, and Barstool.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

customer movement
Bonfire Branding: How Solo Stove Sparked a Customer Movement with Liz Vanzura (Episode Three)
January 22, 2026

As audiences tune out polished ads and lean into trust, brands are being forced to rethink how they show up for the customer. Research consistently shows that consumers rate peer-created content as more credible than traditional brand messaging, and algorithmic discovery is increasingly rewarding authenticity over polish. With AI reshaping how people search and…

Read More
supply chains
Why the Best Careers Are Designed Like Resilient Supply Chains
January 22, 2026

What do supply chains and community have in common? They both deliver value—when managed with purpose. At their best, they show how intentional systems, meaningful connections, and consistent action turn effort into lasting professional growth. This week on Professional Quotient, listeners hear from Nathan Chaney, founder of Supply Chaney, whose insights bridge the mechanics…

Read More
brand
Bonfire Branding: How Solo Stove Sparked a Customer Movement with Liz Vanzura (Episode Two)
January 22, 2026

As people seek relief from constant digital noise, the backyard has quietly become a modern “third space” in everyday life. Outdoor living, fire pits, and at-home hosting continue to grow as consumers prioritize connection, ease, and experiences that feel meaningful without requiring more complexity. Brands that understand this shift aren’t just selling products—they’re offering…

Read More
Image
The Retrofit Advantage: B2B Renovation Strategies Powering Retail, Healthcare, Sports, IoT, Energy, ProAV, Engineering, and Construction
January 20, 2026

Innovation is no always a new build. In B2B, the fastest return often comes from upgrading existing facilities without pausing operations for months. Renovation and retrofit projects have become a core business lever because they influence measurable outcomes: energy consumption, staff productivity, customer throughput, uptime, safety, compliance, and lifecycle maintenance costs. Below is a B2B…

Read More