Sports Online
Lolo Jones Launches ‘Gold Medal Loser’ Podcast Through Blue Wire
“Jones is in a very small group of people who have competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.”

Published
1 year agoon
By
Will Dundon
Podcasting company Blue Wire is continuing to expand. Summer and Winter Olympian Lolo Jones will be hosting the company’s latest podcast Gold Medal Loser. The podcast consists of interviews Jones recorded this summer while training for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, including Olympic skater Adam Rippon, Peleton instructor Jess Sims and former NBA player/current ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson walking Jones through the ups and downs of their careers.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of podcasts and have been interested in creating my own,” Lolo Jones told Awful Announcing via email. “As an athlete, I’m usually the interviewee and wanted to have some fun on the other side of the table. We thought it would be cool to interview folks from different walks of life—including a big focus on Olympians and Paralympians. I’m always fascinated about the different personal journeys all these talented people have taken to get to the top.”
Jones said Blue Wire proved to be a great fit for her to launch this podcast.
“They let me really control the creative direction and shape the show how I envisioned it—but I’m still new at this platform so I leaned on them for insight on how to make this a success.”
This isn’t Jones’ first rodeo when it comes to sports media either. She co-hosted a female-athlete-focused show with MJ Acosta and Lindsay Czarniak for Peacock called On Her Turf during the Tokyo Olympics. She also plans to work in media more frequently once her career ends. Roles like this while she’s still training offer more experience for her.
She said that can be tough to fit in while still competing though, especially in two different sports.
“I’ve tried to capitalize on any breaks I’ve had to get media experience…whether it be due to injury, competition seasons canceled from COVID, or any other extended windows where my training schedule is a little light.”
Jones is in a very small group of people who have competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. The list sits at 170 all-time. Elevn of them have represented the U.S.
Gold Medal Loser continues the long list of podcasts Blue Wire has done with professional athletes. It also continues the company’s approach of monetizing podcasts through cross-platform presenting sponsorships; this will be the fifth one they’ve done that way, and the second with Discover. Lolo Jones said she’s excited for people to get to listen to it and hopes it will be relevant to a wide range of listeners.
“Nobody has an easy or straight path to get to the top of our fields. Hopefully hearing about these life experiences will help the listener in some way. If you know me (or follow me on social), you know I’m always trying to do one of two things: inspire you or make you laugh. Hopefully this does both!”

Will Dundon is a sports media writer for BSM, and producer for ESPN’s 102.5 The Game in Nashville, TN. Additionally, he hosts the Paydirt Sports podcast. You can find him on Twitter @williedundon or reach him by email at willdundon2@gmail.com.
Sports Online
Vox Media Layoffs Hit SB Nation Hard
“Not only are many writers and podcasters out, Awful Announcing reports that SB Nation’s coverage of hockey and soccer have taken major hits.”

Published
19 hours agoon
January 20, 2023By
BSM Staff
More layoffs hit Vox Media on Friday. The company laid off 7% of its workforce. That amounted to nearly 130 employees. A number of SB Nation employees took to social media to announce they were victims of the cuts.
Yup, got laid off today. Gonna miss working with all the talented folks at @secretbase but I know they'll keep kicking ass.
— Ryan Nanni (@celebrityhottub) January 20, 2023
Not sure what's next! But if you wanna chat about something, email me at ryan.nanni@gmail.com
Some personal news… pic.twitter.com/PDkuI0hPmm
— Rob “Stats” Guerrera (@StatsOnFire) January 20, 2023
I've been let go by @SBNation / @voxmedia after 7+ years.
— Hector Diaz (@iamHectorDiaz) January 20, 2023
SB Nation had all-world talents throughout those years and it still does. I’m just happy to have played a small role in it.
Today I have been laid off. I always thought I would leave Vox and SB Nation of my own accord, but today they chose to move away from hockey coverage.
— Steph Driver (@StephaliciousD) January 20, 2023
I don't know what is next for me, I'm a little shellshocked tbh, but here we are. Steph Driver is on the market. https://t.co/Ncg3cZzlsX
i was part of today's layoffs. we did a lot of good shit in my 5+ years at sb nation and i'm really proud.
— hayleykat (@HayleyKArcher) January 20, 2023
social teams do so much more than people realize. they truly have their hand in every single part of a company. invest in your social team, then trust and believe in them. https://t.co/CDuHsRlTY2
Well, to this point I've dodged the emails and calls but apparently my luck has run out. My time at Vox has come to a close.
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) January 20, 2023
I have been extraordinarily blessed to head the pod team @LakersSBN, a site I've helped grow into the monster it is today.
Today I have been laid off. I always thought I would leave Vox and SB Nation of my own accord, but today they chose to move away from hockey coverage.
— Steph Driver (@StephaliciousD) January 20, 2023
I don't know what is next for me, I'm a little shellshocked tbh, but here we are. Steph Driver is on the market. https://t.co/Ncg3cZzlsX
Woke up to an email that I’m part of the layoffs at Vox. Shout to my amazing coworkers @hmfaigen @PaulHudrick @AnthonyIrwinLA @BradyKlopferNBA @StatsOnFire the rest of the team and crew @Liberty_Ballers looking forward to what comes next!
— Jas Kang (@jaskang21) January 20, 2023
Hey fam. Kelly here. Just needed to say a couple of things. As you now know, Vox Media has decided to no longer support the existence of Broad Street Hockey. Why? Can't tell you.
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) January 20, 2023
I honestly don't know what this means. For the site. For our writers. For me. I don't know.
Not only are many writers and podcasters out, but Awful Announcing also reports that SB Nation’s coverage of hockey and soccer has taken major hits. Entire team sites have been gutted and/or shut down.
The Twitter account for Massive Report, an SB Nation blog covering the Columbus Crew, reports that the site is no longer hosting any MLS team blogs.
We have been made aware that VOX (which owns SB Nation) will no longer support MLS sites due to the economic climate. We are not sure what this means going forward and are working behind the scenes to figure out what's next. https://t.co/xVi7QjLkjc
— Massive Report (@MassiveReport) January 20, 2023
Jim Bankoff, CEO of Vox Media, told staffers that the publishing industry is facing a “challenging economic environment”. The cuts are being made to adjust to those realities.
Vox Media’s union addressed the layoffs in a tweet. The organization says it is “furious at the way the company has approached these layoffs, and are currently discussing how to best serve those who just lost their jobs.”
Sports Online
TikTok Testing Podcast Feature
“It also isn’t clear how podcasters would be able to take advantage of TikTok’s reach with their current shows.”

Published
23 hours agoon
January 20, 2023By
BSM Staff
TikTok wants in on podcasting. According to Business Insider, the app is going about things very differently from competitors in the social media space.
Facebook and Twitter failed to gain traction by adding traditional podcasts to their platforms. TikTok is testing a feature that would allow users to experience content on the app as audio-only.
Video is at the core of TikTok’s appeal. It is hard to see how offering the content in an audio-only mode appeals to the average user. It also isn’t clear how podcasters would be able to take advantage of TikTok’s reach with their current shows.
Every iteration of media struggles with attracting a younger audience. If podcasters can crack the code, TikTok could be what opens up a whole new audience to them. While more than a third of Americans use TikTok, an Edison Research study found that 61% of Americans between the ages of 12 and 34 use the app regularly.
While many sports entities have relationships with TikTok, what they currently put on the app isn’t necessarily designed to be consumed as audio only. If TikTok podcasts catch on, it could open up a whole new world of content creation for sports brands.
Sports Online
Barstool Says Bussin With The Boys Podcast Banned From Radio Row
“According to rankings from Chartable, Bussin With The Boys is the 4th most-listened-to football podcast in the country.”

Published
1 day agoon
January 20, 2023By
BSM Staff
The long-running feud between Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continues and it sounds like Glendale, Arizona is becoming ground zero for their companies’ latest standoff.
According to a tweet and subsequent blog post from Portnoy, Bussin With The Boys — a podcast hosted by NFL players Taylor Lewan and Will Compton — has been barred from entering Radio Row during Super Bowl week.
In a tweet, Compton — who has previously claimed he was kept out of the league in 2022 because of his association with Barstool Sports — purported to show a message from an NFL official that claimed “We credential current players but if this person has a contract with Barstool then we won’t be able to accommodate”.
Check out this message received a few minutes ago on getting access to Radio Row @ the Super Bowl
— Will Compton (@_willcompton) January 19, 2023
I don’t know why I still get surprised but you’d think that 9 years in this game & trying to represent it the right way would be worthy of credentials
The hate for Barstool is DEEP pic.twitter.com/fsmoaqS5Bw
Portnoy has been removed — sometimes forcibly — from NFL events over the course of the past few seasons. Barstool Sports led a large protest at Gillette Stadium during the 2017 season opener after the “Deflategate” scandal. The company also manufactured 70,000 towels with an image of Goodell with a bright red ball nose to insinuate that he is a clown.
Goodell has previously claimed – under oath – that he is not aware of a ban of Portnoy, even though Portnoy and members of the Barstool Sports staff have been removed from league events and have even been arrested at league headquarters during a protest.
According to rankings from Chartable, Bussin With The Boys is the 4th most-listened-to football podcast in the country, trailing only Pardon My Take, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, and The Herd with Colin Cowherd. It is the ninth most popular sports podcast according to those same rankings.