Platform Media has acquired a majority stake in the world's biggest rugby show, The Good, The Bad and the Rugby.
Launched in 2020 by England legends Mike Tindall and James Haskell alongside veteran presenter Alex Payne, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby is rugby's most vibrant media brand, spanning audio, video and social. It is widely known.
The chart-topping podcast is currently in its fifth season, and its digital and social channels boast nearly 1 million followers.
The show has toured several theaters across the UK and Ireland and features new books, regional titles from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, subscriber-only programming, a format dedicated to women's programming and much more. A spin-off work has been launched. Rugby starring England's all-time top scorer Emily Scarratt, England scrum-half Natasha 'Mo' Hunt and renowned broadcaster Elma Smit.
Platform Media's team has been producing and commercializing the show since its inception. Clients include Continental, Vodafone, British Airways, Allianz, Domino's Pizza, Honda, Prime Video, Red Bull, World Rugby, RFU and more.
The acquisition is Platform Media's first acquisition under the banner of global podcast group PodX, which in May 2024 marks the most significant M&A activity in the UK podcast industry to date.8 It purchased a majority stake in the company in an order-of-magnitude transaction.
Platform Media will work with Mike, James and Alex to continue to grow the show and explore areas for the brand, including expanding into new sports.
Co-founded in 2021 by Matthew Shelley, Matt Sayward, and Rick Ankers, Platform Media creates, distributes, and monetizes sports and entertainment podcasts and digital formats. Clients include Amazon Music, Audible, BBC, Domino's, EFL, NFL, Paramount, Red Bull, Simply Be, Spotify, Vodafone, William
hill.
said Rick Ankers, Executive Director of Platform Media. For better or worse, rugby is a winning format through and through.
“Mike, James, and Alex are incredible storytellers and entertainers. They have their own opinions, are insightful, and share a true camaraderie and chemistry. This show transcends sports completely. They are a testament to their character and star power, and we are thrilled to work with them to take the show and format to new heights.”
Mike Tindall, James Haskell and Alex Payne, co-hosts of The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, said: before.
“From day one, they understood our vision for The Good, The Bad, The Rugby and helped us grow it into the global media brand it is today.
“With the support of Platform Media and PodX Group, we will reach greater heights, expand into new territories and continue to deliver first-class rugby content to our loyal viewers around the world.
“With the Lions Tour, Six Nations and Women’s World Cup on the horizon, 2025 promises to be our biggest year yet and there are exciting times ahead.”
Patrick Svensk, CEO of PodX Group, said: “With the support of Platform Media, we are confident that The Good, The Bad & The Rugby team will take their programming to the next level and launch bold, innovative programming as their next step.”Exciting new territory . ”
