Mike Golic Sr. has bounced around with different opportunities since leaving ESPN in early 2021. He’s hosted a sports trivia show, called a game for Learfield IMG, and appeared on Peacock/NBCSN’s Pro Football Talk TV show. Now you can add a new podcast into the mix as Variety reported Friday that Golic will host a one-hour weekly video podcast alongside Meadowlark Media’s Jessica Smetana for DraftKings.
The yet-to-be-titled show is expected to debut this spring on all podcast platforms.
Also we are taking your thoughts on a name for the show!!! https://t.co/FC1yEa51eZ
— Mike Golic (@golic) February 18, 2022
Mike and Tyke
— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) February 18, 2022
“I’m excited to do a podcast with DraftKings,” Golic told Variety. “DraftKings is one of the top players in this game… I think about where gambling is going to be in the next few years, and I think it’s great that DraftKings is growing its content.”
“Jess is a bit younger than me,” said the 59-year-old. “She is very talented. We both love sports, we both love Notre Dame, and with the generational gap we’ll have a good time doing it.”
Per the release, the deal came together after DraftKings noticed that Golic was using their platform to place bets via his Twitter updates. A quick check revealed that Golic has tweeted about the betting platform a little bit, but not that much, so who knows what the deal is with that.
“We want to get more people to jump on DraftKings… and get my fanbase over to the platform,” Golic said.
This new gig still leaves plenty of time for Golic to continue pursuing play-calling opportunities for football games, something he’s said that he still wants to do.
Smetana, a former Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports, and SB Nation producer and writer, also co-hosts Meadowlark’s Off the Looking Glass podcast and works for the Dan Le Batard Show.
Despite the fact that Smetana works with Meadowlark Media, this podcast is outside the scope of the deal DraftKings signed with John Skipper and Dan Le Batard’s media company last May. In that deal, DraftKings has full control over ad sales, licensing to radio outlets, and other things. Per the announcement, it does not appear that Meadowlark has a hand in this podcast.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.