NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce have signed a lucrative podcast deal with Amazon, reportedly worth $100 million.
The three-year agreement, announced on Tuesday, grants Amazon’s Wondery audio network exclusive multimedia rights to the brothers’ popular podcast, New Heights.
The Kelce brothers expressed their excitement about the deal, which comes just before the launch of the podcast’s third season. New Heights, which debuted in 2022, features the siblings interviewing celebrity guests and sharing personal stories, all infused with their unique brand of humor.
Travis Kelce, 34, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, has recently gained additional fame as the boyfriend of pop star Taylor Swift.
His older brother, Jason Kelce, 36, retired this year after a 13-season career with the Philadelphia Eagles and has since taken up a role as an analyst with ESPN.
The podcast’s success highlights the growing popularity of sports podcasts and podcasts in general. New Heights won Podcast of the Year at the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards.
Wondery CEO Jen Sargent described the show as more than just a sports podcast, calling it a “cultural phenomenon.”
Podcast listening has surged in recent years. According to Nielsen, the number of Americans tuning into podcasts has increased by 45% in the last five years, reaching 183 million people.
Similar growth has been seen in the UK, with podcast ad revenue soaring globally, now worth billions.
The Kelce brothers’ deal with Wondery follows a similar agreement the company made with comedian and podcaster Dax Shepard last month. Other notable, high-value podcast deals include Joe Rogan’s $100 million partnership with Spotify and Alex Cooper’s move to Sirius XM.
In addition to the podcast deal, Travis Kelce is set to host the U.S. game show Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?, also for Amazon.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874
