Making Media Courtside with The Tennis Podcast and David Law - [Making Media, EP.33]
Our guest today is David Law. David is a broadcaster and co-founder of the biggest podcast in tennis, aptly named - The Tennis Podcast. This is an exceptional conversation on what it takes to be successful as a podcaster. David and his co-presenters have recorded over 1000 episodes. They went 5 years without earning a penny from the podcast. It took over 10 years to become a full-time gig. But David and his team stuck with it. And now they have the biggest podcast in their field, a large and growing subscriber base, and count a host of famous names as listeners, including Billie Jean King and Lin-Manual Miranda. Growth, monetization, persistence, broadcasting – this episode has it all. Please enjoy our conversation with David Law.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.
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Show Notes
(00:03:07) - (First question) - David reflects on 11 years of podcasting
(00:06:00) - Starting The Tennis Podcast in 2012, David and his co-founder combined their love for tennis and podcasts
(00:08:45) - Focusing on audience growth and personal enjoyment
(00:11:26) - How David began as a tennis commentator
(00:14:10) - Conveying the feel of the match on the radio
(00:19:09) - The evolution of the podcast team
(00:25:33) - Deriving content from what's happening in the tennis world
(00:27:02) - Podcasting success relies on innate ability, unique voices, chemistry, and honing skills
(00:28:50) - How to maintain journalistic integrity
(00:32:05) - How The Tennis Podcast began monetizing through Kickstarter in 2017
(00:38:13) - Sponsors hesitation due to unfamiliarity with podcast medium
(00:42:04) - Podcasting creates a personal connection with listeners, unlike traditional broadcasting
(00:50:28) - David's most vivid memories surrounding tennis
(00:53:30) - Debrief