• Loading stock data...
Saturday, February 8, 2025

CC Sabathia Lands at The Ringer and Spotify with Exclusive Audio Deal

  • Sabathia’s “R2C2” podcast with broadcaster Ryan Ruocco moved to The Ringer on July 28.
  • The former Cy Young winner got into the TV and radio business with a one-year deal at ESPN in his final season, but prefers more unfiltered mediums.
CC Sabathia Lands at The Ringer and Spotify with Exclusive Audio Deal
Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Former Cy Young winner CC Sabathia was announced as the latest addition to The Ringer and Spotify on July 28, signaling a further push into the sports space for the audio streaming giant and the growing potential in podcasts for athletes.

“R2C2,” the three-year-old podcast featuring the six-time All-Star and broadcaster Ryan Ruocco, will release one or two episodes per week year-round. The duo chat with athlete and celebrity guests about a wide range of topics – including the current MLB season – and comment on the sports world at large.

Previously, “R2C2” spent time at The Players’ Tribune and Uninterrupted, both dedicated athlete empowerment platforms founded by superstar players. But the podcast has even bigger aspirations. 

“Obviously, exposure and growth are big catalysts here,” said Mark Lepselter, Sabathia’s agent and principal at Maxx Sports & Entertainment Group. “And I think that CC has a competitive nature and certainly wants to see the podcast grow and expand its reach. … Giving it the ability to have more branding behind it, more advertising behind it, more, resources behind it.”

In September 2019, Spotify began ramping up its sports content. The company hired former CBS News president David Rhodes as a consultant to develop its original audio programming strategy, and brought on former Facebook head of sports media partnerships Amy Hudson to lead sports podcasting efforts.

Then in February, the company acquired Bill Simmons’ sports and pop-culture outlet The Ringer for approximately $200 million. As of January 2019, the company’s podcast network built around Simmons’ flagship show drew 35 million downloads per month. 

Podcasting is an ideal outlet for the 40-year-old Sabathia, who got into the TV and radio business with a one-year deal at ESPN in his final season as an active ballplayer for the New York Yankees. The new deal keeps Sabathia’s audio exclusive to the two companies, spans multiple years, and includes other forthcoming content with Spotify and The Ringer, Lepselter said.

While he is free to seek out a new TV gig, which is the typical route for players of his caliber with media acumen, Sabathia said on Simmons’ podcast July 28 that it’s unlikely he’ll do so in a traditional way because of his predilection for using colorful language. Inherent to any new ventures will be an ability for Sabathia to be himself. 

“He’s got a charismatic personality, but to go along with that charismatic personality, he’s a no-bulls— kind of guy, and I think people respect who he is as a person, what he accomplished as an athlete, and what he stands for overall,” Lepselter added. “I think that ties into why he’s an interesting listen, on the podcast in particular, but on other platforms overall – in interviews and different things that he’s done, and is doing, and will do in the future.”

The Ringer has brought in multiple established sports shows and talent since the Spotify deal, deviating to an extent from its earlier mode of creating new shows for its internal, often homegrown talent. 

In June, the podcast network added “Stadio” – a global soccer podcast founded in August 2019 by Berlin-based bloggers Ryan Hunn and Musa Okwonga – and a podcast from baseball bloggers Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman, known for their work as the “Cespedes Family BBQ” for Cut4 and DAZN. 

“When an opportunity to add a show with a proven track record like R2C2 presented itself, we jumped at the opportunity,” a spokesman for The Ringer said. “CC and Ryan are excellent hosts, whose baseball insight has immediately made our network stronger.”

Adding a podcast with a well-known athlete, like “R2C2,” also isn’t without precedent at The Ringer. 

In 2019, the company debuted “Winging It” with NBA players Vince Carter and Kent Bazemore – the latter left after the first season and Carter has since retired from playing, but continues to do the show. NBA veteran JJ Redick also has a Ringer podcast, which moved to the network from Uninterrupted in 2017.

On August 3, the company announced the addition of a weekly “The Ringer NBA Show” podcast episode with staff writer Logan Murdock, a new hire, and retired NBA veteran Raja Bell.

But, Sabathia – who also recently joined Roots of Fight to create a clothing line to honor Black baseball icons – has looked to carve out an alternate route in the modern sports media landscape, on his terms.  

“I think he’s going to be a guy who’s a content creator who fits where the space is going right now,” Lepselter added. “He’s a real guy and I think people know that – it’s clear. There’s no fraud to CC Sabathia.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

ESPN Faces Potential Exit from MLB Media Rights As Opt-Out Looms

A 35-year rights relationship now faces a very different media landscape.

NFL Exec: We’re Reaching More Fans Without Spreading Too Thin

NFL media executive Brian Rolapp is bullish on the evolution of streaming.
Stephen A. Smith
exclusive

Stephen A. Smith Says Deal to Return to ESPN Coming ‘Very, Very..

Smith’s old contract was set to expire this summer.

Disney Earnings Highlight ESPN Comeback; Iger High on NBA’s Future

Revenues and operating income grow at the ESPN parent company.

Featured Today

Nov 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley (26) after the Eagles defeat the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium.

How the Eagles Reinvented Championship Roster Construction

Philadelphia is one of the most innovative franchises in the NFL.
February 3, 2025

‘Ultimate Throwback’: The Unimpeachable Cool of Hartford Whalers Gear

Nostalgia and street cred have driven a consistent frenzy for merch.
January 20, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44), before a 2024 NFC divisional round game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium.
February 1, 2025

The New WAGs: Sports Wives Building Business Empires

Athletes’ wives and girlfriends are bucking stereotypes and cashing in.
Feb 3, 2019; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears mascot dances on the court during a stoppage in play in the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Haas Pavilion.
January 31, 2025

The Toll of Bicoastal Travel on New ACC Members Cal and Stanford

Cal and Stanford face missed flights, chaotic sleep schedules, and academic demands.
February 7, 2025

How Much Longer Can Fox Sports Keep the Top-Rated Pregame Crew Together?

The three have been at Fox NFL Sunday since 1994.
Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton (44) leads Oracle Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) during the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit.
February 7, 2025

Netflix Exploring Bid for Formula One Rights in U.S. Starting 2026

ESPN holds the rights to F1 through 2025.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Dec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; FOX broadcaster and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady looks on before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium.
February 5, 2025

Tom Brady Cagey About Scope of Role With Raiders

Brady was approved as a minority owner in the Raiders in October.
February 5, 2025

FS1 Will Air the Most LIV Golf TV Hours in New Fox..

The 2025 LIV Golf season tees off Friday in Saudi Arabia.
Jun 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; NBA TV analyst Charles Barkley talks on set before game three of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
February 4, 2025

Charles Barkley Will Deny NBC, Amazon Offers to Stick With TNT

Barkley has repeatedly flip-flopped in his career plans in recent years.
February 4, 2025

Fox Reports Big Sports Profits, Eyes New Streaming Service

Football and baseball helped power surges in company revenue and net income.