Wondery has acquired the rights to the podcast New heights with Jason and Travis Kelce.
The Amazon-owned podcast studio has signed a distribution deal and an exclusive ad sales representation agreement with the brothers-turned-NFL stars' podcast. The deal was described as in the nine-figure range and “very competitive,” according to a person familiar with the matter.
As part of the multi-year deal, Wondery will have global distribution rights to all audio and video episodes of the podcast, back catalogue and the right to create international audio adaptations of the podcast.
The brothers launched the podcast in 2022, with Wave Sports + Entertainment, featuring behind-the-scenes looks at their football careers and lives, as well as in-season and pop culture insights. While Jason, then a center for the National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles, and Travis, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, were already a draw, the podcast entered a new level of the cultural zeitgeist when Travis started dating Taylor Swift and began discussing life with the pop star on the podcast.
New Heights is consistently ranked as the top sports podcast on Apple and Spotify during football season and has recently won Ambies, Webbys, and Shorty awards, as well as Podcast of the Year at iHeartMedia’s 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards.
“We've been watching the podcast grow since it launched, and I've built a relationship with Travis and Jason and I've been getting to know them for a while now,” Wondery CEO Jen Sargent said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “Sports is a really exciting category for podcast listeners. It's a strategic priority for Wondery and Amazon. So there were a lot of reasons to think about joining forces here on New heights podcast.”
As part of the agreement, New heights will still be available on all podcast services and YouTube. Wondery will also offer ad-free listening to Wondery+ subscribers and will have the right to host live streams and develop, manufacture, license and distribute products under New heightsWave Sports + Entertainment will continue to provide production services for New Heights.
This is the latest media move made by the Kelce brothers. In May, Jason announced his retirement from the NFL and has since joined ESPN as an analyst. In addition to his ongoing football career, Travis has also been tapped to host Amazon Prime's new spin-off, AAre you smarter than a celebrity?and is in talks to star in a new Lionsgate comedy.
“We couldn't be more excited to partner with Wondery for the next phase of New heights“, said Travis and Jason Kelce. “We love this show and the fan base that has grown with us over the past two seasons. Wondery understands our shared vision and will bring a wealth of experience and resources to take us to New Heights! We’re going to create some groundbreaking moments together through this partnership. We’re excited to get started on Season 3—see you soon, 92%ers!”
Wondery is also exploring potential live events, Sargent said, and is considering translating the podcast into multiple languages, as well as potentially creating localized content or live events internationally, depending on the market. The company also has first refusal rights to new shows from the Kelce brothers.
This deal follows Wondery's distribution and advertising sales deal with Dax Shepard podcast Armchair expert. That deal, announced in July, was valued at $80 million. That, plus SiriusXM’s $125 million deal with Alex Cooper and a $100 million deal with Smartless, a former Wondery title, stood out in this new era of podcasting, which has seen a slower pace of big-budget deals than the spending sprees of the past.
Sargent said that the agreements with New heights AND Armchair Expert are part of Wondery's strategy to “work with shows from recognizable cultural and entertainment figures who have established audiences.” Wondery is therefore stepping in to increase the reach of the podcast and the brand, with the additional push of Amazon. The podcast studio also hosts podcasts, We crashed AND Doctor Deaththat have been adapted for the screen, in addition to popular titles such as Trade wars, Scammers AND How I built this.
“We’re a podcast studio, we’re an ad network, we create our own content, but we’re part of Amazon, and we’re thinking about how we can take a 360-degree approach to growing audiences, growing IP, moving from audio to video, merchandising, live events and more, depending on the partner,” Sargent said.