5 Philly Sports Podcasts to Listen to Instead of Talk Radio
Talk radio used to be the only option if you wanted to listen to the latest dirt and gab about your team. Not anymore.
These Philly sports podcasts will get you in on the action.
Though a recent Nielsen report shows radio as far and away the dominant media platform in the U.S., accounting for 67 percent of ad-supported listening time, that number sinks to 45 percent if you isolate the under-35 demographic. And this year’s Infinite Dial study by Edison Research reveals time spent with TV and podcasts running about even for those between 18 and 34. Media consumers — and sports fans — are only getting more digitally savvy.
By nature, radio plays broad, sometimes appealing to baser instincts. Podcasts, on the other hand, can be niche, nuanced, and serialized, allowing them to form inside jokes, community, and esprit de corps. Plus, there are no missed episodes, so you’re always part of the conversation — one that naturally continues on social media. Here’s where to get in on the action.
Eagles
Philly Special
Bill Simmons’s vast Ringer podcast network rose from the ashes of ESPN’s Grantland (R.I.P.), with countless hours of content focused on sports and pop culture. The radiant green light shining among pods like The Rewatchables and Bandsplain is the network’s sole Philly-focused offering: Philly Special. On Thursdays and Sundays, Sheil Kapadia (formerly of Philly Mag and the Athletic’s Birds With Friends) and Ben Solak preview, react, debate, and analyze all year long (and discuss the other sports in the off-season).
Phillies
Phillies Therapy
Back in the day, a burgeoning Phillies Twitter was more likely to be discussing advanced metrics than the team itself. Part of the vanguard was Paul Boye, who also wrote for Phillies Nation. Today he’s still providing the fandom with smart, nuanced takes. He’s joined by co-host Matt Gelb, another mainstay of the stat-curious 2010s discourse (he was an Inquirer beat writer then; he’s the Athletic’s Phillies writer now). With that pedigree, it’s no surprise that this pod is insightful, engaging, deeply sourced, and unapologetically nerdy.
76ers
The Rights to Ricky Sanchez
Once upon a time, “Trust the Process” was uttered into the ether by the Sixers, who were hoping fans would bear with GM Sam Hinkie’s plan to tank for a brighter future. But it was Spike Eskin and Michael Levin, hosts of this fan-favorite podcast, who made it into a rallying cry. They made t-shirts. They threw draft lottery parties to watch the Process in action. And they nurtured a corner of the fandom more focused on evidence than immediacy, one that’s outlasted Hinkie and the Process itself. Today they’re still offering smart basketball commentary, inside jokes, special guests, and tangents that keep it fresh.
Flyers
Snow the Goalie
Flyers coach John Tortorella once called it “that silly podcast,” and now Snow the Goalie sells a t-shirt emblazoned with that quote. For a show that’s part of the Crossing Broad Expanded Universe, that tracks. Anthony SanFilippo brings experience as a longtime Flyers beat reporter, while Chris “Bundy” Therien provides the perspective and insider knowledge of a former player. They’re joined by Russ Joy for everything from game recaps and analysis to behind-the-scenes tea. Since partnering with the Flyers late last year, their access to front-office brass has given them even more of an edge.
Union
PHLY Philadelphia Union Podcast
When Kevin Kinkead’s It’s Always Soccer in Philadelphia, a great pod with an even better name, went on indefinite hiatus last year, the Union partisans had to turn elsewhere for DOOPy deep dives. One of the aspirants is YouTube-based newcomer PHLY Sports and their regular show hosted by Renee Washington and JP Zapata, who keep viewers updated on the latest news, rumors, and postgame analysis.
>> Click here to return to The Great Philly Sports Fan Evolution
Published as “We’ve Embraced Podcasts” in the September 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
