Netflix and Barstool Sports announced a multi-year partnership Wednesday that will bring video versions of “Pardon My Take” and two other Barstool podcasts to the streaming platform.
Beginning in early 2026, new video episodes of “Pardon My Take,” “The Ryen Russillo Show,” and the hockey podcast “Spittin’ Chiclets” will only be available on Netflix. Podcast listeners will still be able to access audio episodes on other platforms.
“This partnership broadens how our members connect with Barstool’s leading sports voices and delivers exactly what our members crave: unfiltered commentary, sharp takes, and undeniable humor,” said Lauren Smith, Netflix’s vice president of content licensing and programming strategy, in a statement.
Netflix announced a similar content-sharing agreement with Spotify in October. Starting early next year, new video episodes of “The Bill Simmons Podcast” and several other podcasts produced by The Ringer, which Spotify owns, will be available to stream on Netflix as well as Spotify.
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What it means for audience, media players
There are many sports media battles for your attention from the traditional players (ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS, etc.) versus the newcomers (Amazon, Google and Netflix), but the behemoth fight for the future of how you watch between YouTube and Netflix is perhaps the most fascinating.
With its Barstool Sports deal, headlined by “Pardon My Take,” and its Spotify agreement, bannered by “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” Netflix is attempting to make you watch some of the biggest podcasts on its turf. While it won’t impact you if you just want to listen on a podcast app, those who like to watch Dan “Big Cat” Katz and Eric “PFT Commenter” Sollenberger will need a Netflix subscription to do so. These are all, no doubt, huge money deals for the podcasts.
It also adds prestige for podcasts if Netflix stays in the market. Pods will start on YouTube and, if they grow big enough, Netflix will bid to house its video. YouTube could strike back and start retaining popular podcasts with deals of its own. There are other players, as well, but few have the deep pockets to compete with Netflix and Google.
Podcast deals like these are clearly the next steps in Netflix’s development, which began with mailed DVDs, leasing programming from the networks it has largely now usurped, developing its own new shows and movies, buying sports broadcast rights, and now podcasts. Netflix wants to be the No. 1 destination for watching video, and YouTube may be its toughest competition.
The battle is on. — Andrew Marchand, sports media writer
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