YouTube Sports Podcasts: Reach Fans with New Ad Lineup | 2025 Data

YouTube has launched the “Top Sports Podcast Lineup,” a new advertising offering designed to connect brands with the growing audience of sports fans consuming podcasts and video analysis on the platform. The move comes as sports-related podcasts garnered over 8.5 billion views on YouTube in 2025, signaling a significant shift in how fans engage with sports content.

The lineup aims to provide advertisers with a streamlined way to align their campaigns with popular YouTube podcasters, including shows like “New Heights” and “The Rich Eisen Show.” YouTube’s first weekly podcast chart, released in 2025, revealed that sports podcasts are a significant driver of engagement on the platform, with five shows cracking the top 100 most popular playlists in the U.S. Based on watch time.

Among the top-performing sports podcasts identified in the YouTube chart are “Club Shay Shay,” hosted by Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, which ranked seventh. “Nightcap,” co-hosted by Sharpe and former NFL wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, at number 28; “The Pat McAfee Show” at number 12; “Gil’s Arena,” featuring former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, at number 20; and Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” at number 81.

According to YouTube, 56% of individuals aged 14-24 watch podcasts or videos from athletes on a weekly basis, demonstrating the appeal of this content format to a younger demographic. The Top Sports Podcast Lineup is currently available to all U.S. Advertisers.

NBC Sports maintains an active presence on YouTube, offering podcasts and other sports content through its official channel, while Fox Sports Radio also utilizes YouTube Music to distribute its programming, featuring personalities such as Colin Cowherd and Doug Gottlieb.