Learfield, DGital Media Launch Podcast Series

College sports fans will have new inside information to consume on their favorite team this 2016-17 season with twice weekly podcasts by collegiate marketer Learfield and DGital Media, the innovative creator of high quality, on-demand audio entertainment. The exclusive partnership provides for the creation of original, non-event audio content for fans by the familiar, hometown radio voices associated with some of the nation’s most recognizable collegiate athletic programs.

The initial launch will feature football, men’s basketball and Olympic sports of the Alabama Crimson Tide, North Carolina Tar Heels, Oklahoma Sooners, and Oklahoma State Cowboys, with additional programs to be added soon. The podcasts – featuring a first-ever opportunity to hear this level of behind-the-scenes insight, guest interviews and conversation by voices fans know – will be introduced every Tuesday and Friday. Fans will be able to listen and subscribe to these podcast series 24/7 on many platforms including Apple iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.

“The major college sports marketplace in the United States is insatiable when it comes to consuming content, and this partnership is a great example of where we can help many colleges go by creating a compelling and engaging on-demand audio platform for their millions of fans,” says Chris Corcoran, Chief Content Officer, DGital Media. “All the platforms we engage on are the exact ways in which college fans, especially younger, engaged millennials, are consuming media, so know this has huge potential.”

“Research shows that 72 percent of millennials listened to digital audio the past month and 46 million users overall have listened to a podcast in the past 30 days, making these original podcasts an outstanding platform for our university partners,” says Tom Boman, Learfield’s vice president, broadcast operations. “Not only can our schools extend their reach with fans week to week with added value for that overall experience, but it’s content their fans won’t get anywhere else.”

Learfield’s Digital Senior Vice President Scott Carlis adds, “Learfield’s mission is to provide the most immersive and engaging fan and brand experiences in collegiate sports with our university partners. This teaming presents a terrific opportunity to bring sponsors into the exciting world of podcasts to help build their brands and deepen those connections around a highly emotive communications platform.”