What I’ve Learned From Hosting a Sports Podcast
In August 2020, I created a sports show called “The Boundless & Ballin’ Podcast” (“BBP” for short). Established before the restart of the 2020 NBA season and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pod has allowed me to express my views on a sport I am passionate about. This past year has taught me a lot about podcasting and journalism as a whole, and I will be revealing the lessons I have learned while on this incredible journey.
Content Creation and Marketing
Beginning with the practical lessons, having a podcast taught me all about content creation and what I can do to improve after each episode. Over the course of recording and publishing nearly every other week, I soon began to figure out what works and what doesn’t, which has allowed me to improve the content I make and the ideas I come up with. One of those ideas came from Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, in which I took the principle of “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” and explained how it should be used in sports debates. Another tactic that I use when outlining my shows has been consuming various forms of sports news, whether it’s watching ESPN in the mornings or perusing through social media throughout the day. Doing such diligent research has allowed me to elevate both the quality of the podcast and the expectations I hold myself to as its host and producer.
As far as marketing goes, I have used my admitted “obsession” of social media to my advantage, promoting episodes on my Twitter and Instagram and even running a Facebook page dedicated to the podcast. This has given myself and BBP more exposure to others, whether they are sports junkies like myself or just regular folks looking for a podcast to listen to. Regardless, social media’s power has been proven time and time again, as I receive a steady uptick in listeners and constant feedback from my peers. I even inspired a friend of mine to start his own podcast, gladly offering him tips on the software I use (AnchorFM) and how to record, edit, and publish episodes.
Honesty and Objectivity
When it came to putting my voice out there, I knew I had to be objective and unbiased from the jump. Though I am a Lakers fan, I had to put that aside and be open-minded towards other teams. I also learned to not “guarantee” anything or have any major “Hot Takes”, as those could backfire in the end. I typically end most of my statements with “In My Opinion” or “We’ll wait and see” so that listeners know I am not committed to that particular belief.
At the same time, I have also learned to “tell it like it is’’, with much of that ability coming from my experience as a play-by-play announcer. The principle of being authentic on air while I’m calling games has extended to discussing the NBA on the podcast. I have been able to openly critique and criticize players as well as specific plays or actions. I have also given praise where it is due, whether it’s the Clippers making their first Western Conference Finals in franchise history or the Bucks making the most recent Finals when everyone believed the Nets would come out of the East.
Talking Sports Amid Social Injustice
I have also used my platform to commend athletes for supporting social justice movements as well as advocate against hate crimes towards the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
In a world that has been heavily impacted by injustice towards minorities and the politicization that comes with it, I believed that I could praise athletes for supporting the Black Lives Matter movement without inserting my political views on the topic. I am of the belief that not everything needs to involve politics, which is why I try to avoid the issue altogether on the podcast. I also think it is important to fervently support causes you truly believe in, which is what many players did by boycotting games after the shooting of Jacob Blake and other incidents of police violence.
I also felt compelled to discuss a subject that hit close to home for me: Asian American and Pacific Islander hate crimes. Given the polarizing times we are in, I knew I had to speak up instead of staying on the sidelines, which is why I condemned the attacks on AAPIs and also interviewed two fellow Filipino friends about the topic. I understand and applaud how younger people have spoken up on issues that affect them, and felt it was important to do the same through my podcast.
The last two years of podcasting have been amazing for me and have given me invaluable experience in the field of audio journalism. As I ponder the future of the podcast and whether or not to continue it in college, I know that the work I have done has prepared me well for journalism extracurriculars at the collegiate level, and The Boundless & Ballin’ Podcast will always have a special place in my heart.
