From Pitch to Podcast: How Clubs Can Use Celebrity-Led Shows (Like Ant & Dec) to Reach New Audiences

Hook: Turn casual interest into committed fandom — fast

Casual fans scroll past match threads, ignore tactical breakdowns and only show up for the big days. Clubs lose out because those occasional viewers rarely convert into ticket buyers, merch shoppers or long-term subscribers. The fastest way to change that? Celebrity‑led entertainment channels and club podcasts that meet casual fans where they already consume—light, personality-first shows hosted by familiar faces like Ant & Dec. In 2026, that approach isn't experimental; it's essential.

The opportunity in 2026: why celebrity hosts matter now

Recent moves across entertainment media show the landscape shifting toward production and studio models. In January 2026 Ant & Dec launched Hanging Out as part of a new digital entertainment channel, leaning into casual conversation and short clips for YouTube, TikTok and audio platforms. Media companies are also rebuilding around production and studio models—Vice Media's C-suite hires to scale production in late 2025/early 2026 are a sign that high-capacity content partners are back on the table for strategic collaborations.

For clubs, the takeaway is clear: celebrity hosts bring pre-built audiences, mainstream press attention and a content style that attracts the casual viewer. Pair that with a club's exclusive access and community, and you get a powerful fan-acquisition machine.

Why a club podcast or entertainment channel works (short answer)

• Lower friction for casuals: Short, entertaining episodes are easier to consume than full match analysis.
• Cross-platform discovery: Celebrity hosts push reach across mainstream and social platforms.
• Monetizable attention: Sponsorship, merchandise drops and ticketing offers can be integrated mid-episode or in short-form promos.
• Retention via community: Memberships, live tapings and Q&A sessions convert listeners into paying fans.

Core strategy: A 12-week launch playbook for celebrity-led club shows

Below is a tactical, sprint-based roadmap clubs can use to go from idea to launch within 12 weeks. Each week block includes decisions, outputs and KPIs.

Weeks 1–2: Discovery & talent alignment

• Secure host(s): target celebrities who align with club values and can reach casual viewers. Ant & Dec-style duos work well for light banter; single-name hosts fit interview formats.
• Define the show remit: entertainment-first, 20–40 minute episodes with 3–5 repackable short segments.
• Output: Talent contracts, show brief, 6-episode pilot plan.
• KPIs: Signed talent, approved content brief, pilot schedule.

Weeks 3–4: Production setup & partnerships

• Choose production partner: in-house production vs. studio partner (consider the new studio hires trend—some clubs partner with production houses for scale).
• Rights check: clear player image/use rights, league branding permissions and music licensing.
• Infrastructure: podcast host, multi-camera studio plan, short-form editing pipeline (vertical-first clips).
• Output: Studio booking, production crew, legal clearances.

Weeks 5–7: Pilot recording & repurposing

• Record 2–3 pilot episodes: include one matchday-special or watch-along to test fan behavior.
• Repackage: produce 10–15 vertical clips per episode (15s, 30s, 60s formats) and 3 audiograms for social.
• Output: Episode masters, clips, transcript for SEO.
• KPIs: Pilot engagement numbers from soft launch (views, listens, shares).

Weeks 8–9: Soft launch & community seeding

• Invite existing season-ticket holders, fan groups and mailing-list members to early access.
• Host a live taping for members and local press—capture behind-the-scenes content.
• Output: Testimonials, UGC (user-generated content) and social proof.
• KPIs: Early signups, social shares, email opens.

Weeks 10–12: Paid push, platform roll-out & measurement

• Full release across platforms: podcast apps (Spotify/Apple), club channels (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok) and celebrity social channels.
• Paid amplification: targeted social ads to lookalike audiences and lapsed fans; pre-roll video promos on match streams.
• Measurement framework: downloads/listens, view-through rates on clips, conversion to memberships/ticket sales.
• Output: Launch dashboard and 90-day growth plan.

Content formats that convert casual fans

Entertainment-first formats are your conversion engine. Mix these formats into a weekly cadence and repurpose aggressively.

Signature show: The celebrity hangout

Loose conversation, guest fans, quickfire games. Think Ant & Dec's approach: viewers want authenticity, not rigid structure. Feature player cameos, archive clips and fan questions.

Matchday watch-along

Live reaction, comedic commentary, fan polls. Use short clips and micro-highlights to hook viewers who missed the game.

Mini-docs & profiles (3–8 minutes)

Human stories—academy graduates, community projects. These create emotional bonds and are prime premium content for sponsors.

Rivalry Roasts & Light Debate

Short, sharable debates about rivals, transfers or viral moments. Great for social conversation and shareability.

Fan Submission Episodes

Q&As, fan stories and co-hosted segments—these turn listeners into contributors and reduce editorial costs.

Short-form daily clips (15–60s)

Snackable moments optimized for TikTok and Instagram Reels: a laugh, a headline, a merch drop tease. These drive discovery. For capture and clip tooling, factor in modern creator capture kits and mobile workflows.

Promotion playbook: how to launch and scale audience growth

Promotion is where many club podcasts falter. Follow this multi-channel approach:

• Leverage celebrity channels: Make sure hosts push every episode to their social audiences with unique CTAs.
• Matchday cross-promo: Promote episodes on LED boards, PA announcements, and matchday graphics. Use QR codes in stadiums for immediate conversion.
• Paid acquisition: Run short-form video ads to target casual sports viewers and entertainment fans, not just hardcore club followers—pair this with lightweight conversion flows for faster testing.
• Media partnerships: Partner with production houses or digital publishers to syndicate clips—Vice-style production partnerships can scale distribution and sponsorship.
• Playlist placement: Optimize podcast metadata and transcripts to appear in genre playlists and Google search results.
• Influencer seeding: Send personalized clips and invites to creators who cover lifestyle, comedy or mainstream TV, expanding beyond traditional football channels.

Monetization & business models

Episodes should be both community builders and revenue drivers. Combine these approaches:

• Sponsorships: Branded segments (e.g., “This half is brought to you by…”) and integrated host reads.
• Membership tiers: Ad-free episodes, subscriber-only live tapings and early access.
• Merch drops and live commerce: Time limited bundles during episodes—celebrity hosts generate urgency and social proof.
• Ticketing upsell: Offer matchday bundles tied to podcast memberships or meet-and-greets with hosts.

Measurement: KPIs that matter

Replace vanity metrics with business-linked KPIs:

• Acquisition: New listeners per episode, subscription rate, social follower lift.
• Engagement: Average listen/watch time, completion rates of long-form episodes, shares and comments on clips.
• Monetization: Sponsorship CPMs, membership conversion rate, merch conversion tied to episode promotions.
• Retention: Return listener rate across a 30/60/90 day window.
• Business impact: Tickets and renewals attributed to campaign touchpoints, uplift in local community sign-ups.

Production & operations: keep it repeatable and lean

Build a small core team and outsource heavy lifting:

• Showrunner/editor: oversees editorial calendar and clip pipeline.
• Producer: books guests, manages contracts and rights clearances.
• Audio/video editor: creates masters and short-form cuts.
• Community manager: handles UGC and distributes clips to fan channels.
• Legal/rights lead: manages player releases, music licensing and league permissions.

Legal & rights: don’t skip the fine print

Club content often overlaps with league and broadcast rights. Protect your show by:

• Securing explicit media releases for players, staff and guests.
• Confirming match footage usage rights with your league and broadcast partners.
• Licensing music and sound effects used in segments.
• Consulting player unions for commercial appearances tied to match promos.

2026 trends to exploit

Plan your show to capitalize on these ongoing trends:

• AI-assisted editing: Use AI to create highlight reels and audio summaries—this accelerates your clip pipeline.
• Short-form-first distribution: Platforms prioritize vertical content; ensure clips are vertical and captioned.
• Studio consolidation: Partner with production houses that can scale branded series and sponsorship sales—Vice Media's 2025–2026 strategy shows the resurgence of studio playbooks.
• Commerce integration: Live drops and in-stream buying will be common; prepare product SKUs in advance.

Practical examples and episode templates

Use these templates to keep production focused:

Template A: Weekend Warm-Up (30–40 mins)

• Opening banter (5 mins)
• Feature segment—legend interview or player story (10–12 mins)
• Match preview with a celebrity twist (8–10 mins)
• Fan questions + quickfire (5–7 mins)
• CTA: merch or membership plugin (1–2 mins)

Template B: Quickfire Clip Pack (15 mins)

• 3 x 3-minute segments: viral moment, fan story, sponsor slot
• Repurpose each segment into vertical clips

Sample budget ranges (ballpark)

Budgets vary widely. Here are three archetypes to help planning:

• Bootstrap club show: $5k–$15k per month—lean crew, in-house editing, shorter cadence.
• Mid-tier partnership: $20k–$60k per month—studio partner, professional editing and ad sales support.
• Celebrity flagship: $75k+ per month—A-list talent fees, multi-camera production, robust paid acquisition and merch sync.

Case example: what Ant & Dec’s entry signals for clubs

"We asked our audience if we did a podcast what they would like it be about, and they said 'we just want you guys to hang out'" — Declan Donnelly, Jan 2026

Ant & Dec’s strategy demonstrates three lessons for clubs: (1) audiences crave authenticity over polished punditry, (2) celebrities can carry non-football fans into club ecosystems, and (3) building a channel across platforms increases discovery. Use celebrity hosts to create approachable content that invites casual viewers to explore the club without overwhelming them with tactical detail.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Overly niche editorial: Keep a balance between hardcore fan content and accessible entertainment.
• Weak repurposing: If long-form isn't clipped into verticals, you lose discovery. Prioritize a clip-first workflow.
• No measurement: Track business outcomes, not just downloads. Tie episodes to offers with trackable URLs or promo codes.
• Ignoring legal: Always clear rights before pushing clips—this avoids takedowns and sponsor issues.

Actionable takeaways: 7 steps to start this week

1. Pick a celebrity host shortlist and reach out with a 1-page show brief.
2. Create a 6-episode pilot plan with 3 repackaging templates per episode.
3. Secure basic rights (players, stadium, match clips) before pilot recording.
4. Set up your clip pipeline: one editor, one social producer, transcript service.
5. Run a soft launch to your mailing list and fan groups and measure response.
6. Allocate a paid social test budget to drive the first 10k impressions to your clips.
7. Build your measurement dashboard mapping listens/views to ticket and merch conversions.

Final thoughts and future prediction

By late 2026, clubs that have partnered with mainstream talent and adopted studio-grade distribution will own the casual-fan funnel. Celebrity-hosted shows are not just a marketing play; they are a community product that fuels lifelong fandom. A well-executed celebrity-led channel brings new audiences into the stadium turnstiles, increases merchandise revenue and powers membership growth.

Call to action

If your club is ready to capture casual fans with a celebrity-led show, start with a 6-episode pilot and a clip-first distribution plan. Need a checklist or a 12-week launch template? Subscribe to our Fan Community & Opinion briefing or contact our editorial team to review your pilot plan—let’s turn star power into stadium seats.

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