Sport Social Podcast Network (Sport Social) has expanded its international offering through a new partnership with leading French creative sports consultants and production studio Freakkick. The network will work with Freakkick to support French rights holders and sports institutions looking to capitalise on the booming podcast market.

This comes at a time when the French podcasting market is growing rapidly. According to the Alliance for Print and Media Data (ACPM), over 20 million people in France currently listen to podcast content every month. Of these listeners, 26% consumed sports-related content, listener research organization Médiamétrie found.

French podcasts are also reaching new listeners worldwide: according to Médiamétrie, more than 168 million French podcasts were listened to or downloaded worldwide in June. In partnership with Freakkick, Sport Social will support independent podcast creators and rights holders, allowing them to join a growing podcast network, create engaging podcasts, diversify their audiences and monetize their shows in a market dominated by radio stations and traditional media publications.

The partnership comes as Sport Social continues to grow rapidly, having already established itself as Europe’s largest sports-related podcast network. The network recently expanded into Germany, where it signed its first three German-language podcasts: Spotfight Wrestling Podcast, Sidelines and Gästekurve. It is also working with a growing number of key rights holders – including Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspurs, World Athletics and Paralympics GB – to help them use podcasting as a content engine, able to generate assets across all media platforms and reach new audiences.

Freakkick works closely with numerous French female athletes, including Marie-Florence Candassamy, Johanna Wonyou and Léna Kandissounon, helping them increase their media presence and profile through engaging content. In recent years, the company has established itself as a leading creative consultancy for brands such as Waze, On Location, the official hospitality provider of Paris 2024, and eco-friendly sporting goods supplier NOLT.

Ruth Fitzsimons, Head of International at Sport Social Podcast Network, welcomed the partnership: “The French podcast market is really exciting at the moment – we’re seeing incredible growth and tons of opportunities for producers and rights holders. Sports podcasting in particular is growing rapidly and these shows have a clear, engaged fanbase of passionate listeners. That’s a strong audience that brands and rights holders can target and engage with, and they’re doing so more and more. Together with Freakkick, we can dive into this market and expand our reach, supporting another fast-growing international sports podcasting space.”

Maxime Hatton, founder of Freakkick, said: “The podcast market has grown steadily in recent years, with sports-related content being one of the most popular topics. This trend is not going to slow down anytime soon, especially as 2024 is set to be an exceptional year for French sport.

Firmin Sylla, Head of Sports Marketing at Freakkick, added: “In the context of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, now is the perfect time for producers and rights holders to develop their sports shows. We are particularly pleased to partner with Sport Social – a team of real professionals – to amplify the voices of sport in France and help them reach new audiences.”