Podcast stars are inking massive nine-figure deals. Here’s why companies are writing the big checks работа для девушек за границей

Podcasting superstars are taking their fame to new heights as media companies offer nine-figure deals for the rights to their shows.

NFL brothers Travis and Jason Kelce’s $100 million deal this week with Amazon’s podcasting studio, Wondery, marked the latest high-priced deal in 2024, highlighting a major shift in the audio landscape as top streaming platforms distance themselves from exclusive broadcast deals in favor of distribution and advertising rights.

In recent months, SiriusXM inked a $100 million deal to acquire the distribution rights for the popular “SmartLess” podcast hosted by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes. Spotify signed a new multiyear deal with Joe Rogan worth up to $250 million, announcing that his podcast, the platform’s top-performing program, would no longer be exclusive to the audio app. And earlier this month, Alex Cooper departed Spotify in favor of a three-year, $125 million contract with SiriusXM that granted the platform exclusive ad and distribution rights to her sex and relationship podcast, “Call Her Daddy.” The eye-watering figures mark the return of major podcast companies paying stars enormous sums for their audio programs, but with a twist on their previous business strategy. Rather than banking on unproven stars who might fail to deliver on episodes or a massive audience, companies are increasingly inking advertising and distribution deals to publish the shows across competing platforms.