Spotify has sought podcasting domination by distributing its slate of shows through its in-house player and syndicating them on platforms like Netflix. Now, the Stockholm-based consumer media giant has opened up a new front in its battle against YouTube. Some video podcasts from the Spotify library are streaming on Twitch.
If you want to know where Spotify’s media strategy is headed, following Bill Simmons is usually a good idea. The former ESPN blogger is the founder of The Ringer, a sports media company that joined the Spotify family in 2020. Ringer shows were among the first Spotify originals to air on Netflix, and Simmons’ dismissive comments regarding YouTube reflect Spotify’s adversarial attitude toward the Google-affiliated hub.
As Spotify sets up shop on Twitch, The Ringer is once again in the spotlight. Simmons and co. dusted off an account that had been dormant for eight years to stream new episodes of Ringer Wise Guys, a video podcast based around sports betting.
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Simmons confirmed on X that the Twitch streams will be a regular occurrence moving forward. “Doing every episode live on @Twitch,” he tweeted. “Avail on all pod platforms as well obviously.”
Twitch isn’t exactly known for its podcast streams. Citing data from Streams Charts, Like & Subscribe reported that less than 1% of Twitch’s viewers can be attributed to the platform’s Talk Shows & Podcasts category.
There’s no reason, however, that Twitch can’t be a podcasting platform. It has a growing ad ecosystem and an increasing number of features that cater to on-the-go viewers and listeners. Its parent company, Amazon, has spent the 2020s building a competitive podcast network through programming initiatives and acquisitions.
Some public figures have already experimented with the idea of long-form, serialized Twitch shows. Keke Palmer has launched a talk show on her Twitch account, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has used the platform to connect with his constituents.
Given those developments, there’s no reason Twitch can’t work for The Ringer — and, by extension, Spotify. Amazon’s live stream hub is unlikely to become the focal point of Spotify’s distribution strategy, but as a means of reaching Gen Z viewers, Twitch has plenty of value.
