The Ariel Helwani Show

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

In 2024, Yahoo Sports partnered with award-winning journalist Ariel Helwani to launch Uncrowned, a new combat sports media brand. Uncrowned produces comprehensive MMA, boxing, and wrestling coverage and is headlined by _The Ariel Helwani Show_, a new podcast that delivers combat commentary, analysis, and in-depth interviews with some of the biggest names in sports.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

_The Ariel Helwani Show_ has proven to be a case study in how to extend the reach of a show through multiple formats, partnerships, and platforms. Fans can not only access Helwani’s expert combat analysis via _The Ariel Helwani Show_, but also on Ariel x Ade, a new boxing show that airs live on DAZN before streaming on demand on Uncrowned. Uncrowned also launched Helwanivision, an alternate broadcast for the Professional Fighters League Battle of the Giants PPV event, which features members of _The Ariel Helwani Show_ reacting to and analyzing fights in real time. In addition, _The Ariel Helwani Show_ leverages new Uncrowned social channels, as well as Helwani’s robust personal social media following, to reach fans across multiple platforms. Ultimately, the podcast is a lighthouse example for how the industry can effectively engage fans in a hyper-fragmented media landscape. It successfully extends its reach across multiple formats and platforms to meet fans where they are, no matter what device or social or streaming network they’re on.

Objective

Combat sports, spanning MMA, boxing, and wrestling, are exploding in popularity. According to TKO’s 2023 annual report, there are more than one billion combat sports fans worldwide. Despite this rising interest, there historically hasn’t been a media brand that’s covered all three major combat sports comprehensively.

Yahoo Sports set out to change that in 2024 by partnering with award-winning journalist Ariel Helwani to launch Uncrowned, a new combat sports media brand. Uncrowned produces comprehensive MMA, boxing, and wrestling coverage and is headlined by _The Ariel Helwani Show_, a new podcast that delivers combat commentary, analysis, and in-depth interviews with some of the biggest names in sports.

Airing live three times a week and hosted by 15-time MMA Journalist of the Year Ariel Helwani, _The Ariel Helwani Show_ aims to help Yahoo Sports achieve its broader mission of making sports fans smarter. The podcast also strives to be a lighthouse for Uncrowned, guiding fans to the new brand’s other podcasts and expert combat sports reporting. Finally, with strong distribution across multiple platforms, _The Ariel Helwani Show_ helps Yahoo Sports meet fans where they are in a highly fragmented media landscape.

Strategy & Execution

_The Ariel Helwani Show_ – and Uncrowned more broadly – went from conception to execution in less than two months. Creating a new podcast in such an accelerated timeline was no small feat. Key steps along the way included:

* Hiring World-Class Talent: To deliver expert analysis that makes sports fans smarter, _The Ariel Helwani Show_ features a dynamic roster of world-class combat sports experts including Helwani, Eric Jackman, Conner Burks, Frank Lenz, and Petesy Carroll. All total, Yahoo Sports hired roughly 20 new people for Uncrowned, nearly all of whom contribute to _The Ariel Helwani Show_.
* Landing on a Show Format: _The Ariel Helwani Show_ airs three times a week (Monday-Wednesday) for 3-4 hours per show. It features a mix of combat sports news, analysis, banter, and interview guests. This fluid format takes advantage of Helwani’s unique talents as a skilled orator and interviewer.
* Building a New Set: _The Ariel Helwani Show_ is recorded live from a new studio in the Yahoo New York City office that was refurbished in two months to align with the show’s vision and vibe. It features state-of-the-art production equipment and hundreds of unique memorabilia from Helwani’s life and career.

Organizations

• Yahoo Sports
• Uncrowned

Links

•   Website
•  YouTube
•  Spotify
•  Apple
•  Amazon
•  iHeart

Featured

• Ariel Helwani

Credits

Ariel Helwani
Host/Executive Producer
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Eric Jackman
Executive Producer
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Conner Burks
Producer
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Andy Henriquez
Technical Director
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Frank Lenz
Audio Engineer
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Jordan Kamzan
Producer
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Ben Heffner
Encoding
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Ant Evans
YouTube Management
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Spencer Embry
Social Media
YouTube/Uncrowned

Kel Dansby
Social Media
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Kristen McAndrew
Studio Operations
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Chris Costa
Senior Engineer
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Tyler Demcher
Studio Engineer
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Christopher Heinz
Studio Engineer
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned

Nicole Gartner
Senior Manager, Content
Yahoo Sports/Uncrowned