Dan Le Batard and Meadowlark Media have won the big one.
Only the tiny gold trophy that the ex-ESPN host hoisted on Wednesday’s episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz didn’t represent a Peabody or a Sports Podcast Award, but rather his company’s new deal with DraftKings.
“It’s the prize everyone in podcasting wants. And we, our show, this one, has won it. Congratulations, guys. We have signed a new deal with DraftKings that is one of the best deals that you will find anywhere in the industry to continue our partnership with DraftKings,” Le Batard said, officially announcing the deal that was first reported last week. “They have been the best partner that we have ever had and now are long-term working for each other. DraftKings will support all of the things that we do around here.”
While Meadowlark Media’s new deal is certainly a cause for celebration, the negotiations weren’t hiccup-free — at least from a perception standpoint. Earlier this month, co-founder and CEO John Skipper left the company, while Barrett Media reported that co-host Jon “Stugotz” Weiner was set to take on a reduced role moving forward.
After officially announcing the new deal with DraftKings on Wednesday, Le Batard alluded to the recent speculation before effectively laughing it off. He also expressed gratitude to DraftKings, which Meadowlark Media has been in business with since shortly after its formation following his own exit from ESPN in 2021.
“They have supported us as the best partner we’ve ever had and it’s not just because of the money,” Le Batard said of DraftKings. “It’s because they let us, in a really fractured media time, have real freedom and independence the way nobody in this business has. They let us do what we want. They’ve funded, they’ve supported and we’ve learned so much together over the last few years. And this rocket ship is about to take off and grab all the things there are to be grabbed.”
The former Miami Herald columnist also thanked his audience, noting that it’s their loyalty that has made the show’s post-ESPN success possible.
“That’s what DraftKings is paying for,” Dan Le Batard said. “That’s the best symbiotic marriage you can have with your audience; when the audience funds it that clearly and the sponsor understands it and gives the audience and the show the freedom it needs to actually partner. So blessed. So blessed to be able to have the greatest gift, the ‘big one,’ which is: you get to keep doing it.”
Moving forward, questions remain, as it’s currently unclear how Meadowlark Media’s new deal compares to the three-year, $50 million pact it previously signed with DraftKings in 2021. But for now, it’s a time for celebration in Miami, tiny trophy and all.