Spotify announced it would acquire The Ringer, the sports and pop-culture site and podcast network founded by Bill Simmons, on February 5, 2020.
Simmons launched The Ringer in 2016 after leaving ESPN. The company combined written coverage of sports, television, film, music, and culture with a growing podcast operation. By the time of the deal, its shows included a substantial sports lineup and attracted roughly 100 million monthly downloads.
The acquisition fit Spotify’s wider strategy of becoming an audio company rather than a music-only service. The Ringer brought recognizable hosts, sports expertise, and established audiences that Spotify could use to expand podcast listening and advertising. Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek reportedly described the acquisition as gaining “the new ESPN.”
A common mix-up is confusing The Ringer with Bleacher Report or SB Nation. Those are also major sports-media brands, but neither was the site Spotify announced it would acquire in February 2020. Spotify completed the acquisition in March 2020.