The popular sports show will make its Netflix debut with a live episode on January 11. Starting that night, new episodes will stream live on Netflix every Sunday at 11:30 p.m. ET. After each live broadcast, the video version will remain available on Netflix and Spotify, while the audio-only version will continue to be released on all major podcast platforms.
During the NFL season, host Bill Simmons will once again team up with longtime collaborator Sal Iacono, better known as “Cousin Sal,” for their fan-favorite weekly segment Guess the Lines. Beginning this spring, Simmons will also be joined by Zach Lowe for regular NBA coverage.
The move is part of a previously announced partnership between Spotify Studios, The Ringer, and Netflix. Along with The Bill Simmons Podcast, several other popular shows will also be making their way to Netflix, including The Zach Lowe Show, The McShay Show, The Rewatchables, and Conspiracy Theories. More details about additional titles are expected to be announced later. January 11 is the first confirmed date for when these podcasts will begin appearing on the platform.
Netflix’s interest in podcasting doesn’t stop there. The company recently struck deals with iHeartMedia and Barstool Sports to stream video versions of some of their most popular podcasts. These include The Breakfast Club, My Favorite Murder, Dear Chelsea, Pardon My Take, The Ryen Russillo Show, and Spittin’ Chiclets. In both cases, the video versions of these podcasts will be exclusive to Netflix.
As video podcasting continues to grow, Netflix is clearly positioning itself as a serious competitor to YouTube, which currently dominates the space. Bringing well-known voices like Bill Simmons to the platform signals that Netflix is betting big on podcasts as the next frontier in streaming entertainment.
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