Jason and Travis Kelce are starting a lucrative new deal with Amazon’s Wondery, which has exclusive ad sales and distribution rights to the famous football brothers’ popular weekly podcast “New Heights.”
The three-year deal between the Kelce brothers and Wondery is worth more than $100 million, according to a source familiar with the pact.
Starting Wednesday (August 28) – coinciding with the start of the next NFL season – Wondery owns worldwide distribution rights to all audio and video episodes of “New Heights With Jason and Travis Kelce,” including the show’s entire back catalog, as well as the rights to create international audio adaptations of the podcast. Wondery owns exclusive rights to monetize and distribute audio and video podcast episodes.
“New Heights” will continue to be available on all podcast services, including Wondery’s various distribution channels and YouTube. The deal also includes ad-free listening for Wondery+ subscribers, live streams, and rights to develop, manufacture, license and distribute all merchandise based on “New Heights,” including new consumer products. Wave Sports + Entertainment will continue to provide production services for “New Heights.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Wondery for the next phase of ‘New Heights,'” the Kelce brothers said in a statement. “We love this show and the fan base that has grown with us over the past two seasons. Wondery understands the shared vision and will provide a wealth of experience and resources to guide us to ‘New Heights’! Through this partnership, we will create some groundbreaking moments together. We look forward to getting started on Season 3 – see you soon, 92%ers!”
This is another big deal for Wondery, similar in structure to the $80 million deal the company announced last month with comedian and podcaster Dax Shepard. Other notable podcasters have recently inked high-profile deals, including Joe Rogan’s multi-year, $250 million deal with Spotify and Alex Cooper’s deal worth up to $125 million with SiriusXM.
Wondery CEO Jen Sargent said the company has been following the Kelce brothers’ podcast since it launched at the start of the 2022-23 NFL season. “‘New Heights’ is, on the surface, a sports podcast, and sports is such a widely listened-to category,” she said. “But it’s become a cultural phenomenon — they’re in that cultural zeitgeist.”
On the show, the siblings – both Super Bowl champions with 24 years in the NFL between them – talk about life on the football field and share personal stories from their everyday lives. They have also discussed topics ranging from peanut butter and jelly to UFOs and have a rotating roster of interviews with celebrity guests. The weekly series continues to be one of the most popular podcasts on both the Apple Podcast and Spotify charts and was named Podcast of the Year at the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards.
The Kelces have other media deals off the field. Travis Kelce, better known in some circles as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, is hosting a 20-episode season of “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” for Amazon Prime Video. And Jason Kelce, who retired after last NFL season, has signed on as a commentator for ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” pregame show.
Wondery’s audio portfolio spans multiple genres, including true crime, comedy, business, history and sports. Sports programming includes “Six Trophies,” “Men in Blazers” and “The Offensive Line With Annie Agar.”
