Podcast listenership continues to rise, particularly among engaged sports fans. In alignment with this, YouTube announced a Top Sports Podcast line-up for advertisers, which will make it easier for ad partners to tap into sports discussion and maintain connection with this audience outside of the games.
YouTube’s Top Sports lineup is generally available to all U.S. advertisers, and provides an easy way for brands to advertise on sports-related pod content by tapping into this valuable audience base.
As per YouTube: “When the biggest global stages and championship showdowns are wrapping up, the conversation on YouTube is just beginning. With the all-new Top Sports Podcast Lineup, your brand can stay at the heart of it all.”
The offering will ensure targeted placement on key sports discussion podcasts, adding more placement opportunities for related brands.
And with podcast engagement rising in the app, it’s an opportunity that may be worth considering.
In February last year, YouTube reported that it had reached a billion monthly podcast listeners in the app. The platform has also become the single most frequently used service for podcast listening in the U.S.
YouTube’s audio-only listening experience (for Premium subscribers), combined with the rising number of YouTubers hosting their own celebrity and influencer-led podcasts, means more people are turning to the platform for the latest pod content.
YouTube also noted that in 2025 alone, there were more than 8.5 billion views of sports-related podcasts on the platform.
As such, this new advertising segment could be a valuable opportunity, which could help advertisers get their messaging into the ears of more engaged, relevant audiences.
