Listen up! Netflix is officially diving into the podcast biz: The video-streaming giant inked a deal with Spotify to bring a batch of top original podcasts, including from Bill Simmons’ The Ringer, to subscribers worldwide.
The companies did not disclose terms of the pact, including how long the licensing deal runs. The partnership will bring sports, culture, lifestyle and true-crime podcasts from Spotify Studios and The Ringer that “complement Netflix’s existing programming and unlocks new audiences and wider distribution for the shows,” the companies said.
Spotify shows coming to Netflix are set to include “The Bill Simmons Podcast” sports and pop-culture interview series; “The Rewatchables,” in which Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey and other Ringer hosts have debated and dissected more than 300 classic films; and true-crime series “Serial Killers.” The initial selection of titles is “just the beginning” of the partnership between Netflix and Spotify; the companies said they will continue to add more podcasts across various genres and studios.
The video podcasts from Spotify will be available on Netflix in the U.S. in early 2026, with other markets to follow.
Netflix’s move to video podcasts to its lineup come as podcasters — who originally have worked in an audio-only format — have increasing added video as a way to increase audience engagement. Spotify has encouraged podcasters to distribute their shows as video episodes, and YouTube has now become a major podcast distribution platform. According to a recent study by radio broadcaster and audio company Cumulus Media, 72% of podcast listeners said they prefer shows with video.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, on the company’s Q1 2025 earnings call in April, was asked about his company’s interest in podcasts. “We’re constantly looking at all different types of content and content creators,” Sarandos responded. “The lines between podcast and talk shows are getting pretty blurry. We want to work with kind of great creators across all kinds of media that consumers love. And podcasts, to your point, have become a lot more video-forward.”
Sarandos added that “as the popularity of video podcast grow, I suspect you’ll see some of them find their way to Netflix.”
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Many of the podcasts under the Netflix-Spotify deal are produced by The Ringer, which was launched by Simmons in 2016 and acquired by Spotify in 2020 for about $250 million. The Ringer Podcast Network roster includes more than 50 shows
“This partnership marks a new chapter for podcasting,” said Roman Wasenmüller, VP, head of podcasts at Spotify, in a statement. “Together with Netflix, we’re expanding discovery, helping creators reach new audiences and giving fans around the world the chance to experience the stories they love and uncover favorites they never expected. This offers more choice to creators and unlocks a completely new distribution opportunity.”
Lauren Smith, Netflix’s VP of content licensing and programming strategy, commented: “With video podcasts on the rise, our partnership with Spotify ensures we bring the full video versions of these top shows to Netflix and Spotify. From pop culture and lifestyle to true crime and sports, this curated selection of video podcasts adds fresh voices and new perspectives to Netflix, making our entertainment lineup more exciting than ever. This offers more choice to creators and unlocks a completely new distribution opportunity.”
Spotify and Netflix released a list of some of the podcasts covered under the pact:
- Sports: “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” “The Zach Lowe Show,” “The McShay Show,” “Fairway Rollin’”, “The Mismatch,” “The Ringer F1 Show,” “The Ringer Fantasy Football Show,” “The Ringer NFL Show,” “The Ringer NBA Show”
- Culture and Lifestyle: “The Rewatchables,” “The Big Picture,” “The Dave Chang Show,” “The Recipe Club,” “Dissect”
- True Crime: “Conspiracy Theories,” “Serial Killers”
From Variety US