Good Vibes FC podcast drops Olipop merch collection as podcast sponsors further monetize shows

The GIST: On Tuesday, The Women’s Game — the women’s soccer side of the Men In Blazers (MiB) Media Network — released its first capsule collection in collaboration with Olipop (with an assist from Yeti) for its popular podcast, Good Vibes FC.

• While MiB podcasts have leaned into limited merch drops before with brands like Adidas and Umbro, this is the first time a podcast sponsor has shown up, indicating how these companies are looking to utilize pods and capitalize on merch opportunities. Everybody wants some.

The podcast landscape: In recent years, podcasters have begun to capitalize on fans that reward shows with loyal consumerism. Research shows podcast listeners engage highly with advertisers, so podcasters are now offering merch to these dedicated fans. In May, Good Vibes FC released hats and totes at a live event in Seattle.

• MiB told The GIST yesterday that when its shows have released merch, it’s often been limited collections tied to a release — a smart move from a production standpoint and considering Gen Z trends (they love a good drop). So while podcasts collaborating with apparel brands and athletes is nothing new, releasing merch with sponsors is a fun twist.

The beverage landscape: Non-alcoholic (NA) brands are buzzing around sports, with the category spending $311M in the past year. In SponsorUnited’s March report, NA beverages were the sixth most-active category across six women’s sports leagues, while its recent NWSL partnerships report showed NA brands like LaCroix spent around $3M over the past year.

• NA companies are utilizing health-focused, influencer-driven local campaigns to reach fans, allowing brands like Dunkin, LaCroix, and Olipop to achieve cult-like status. This is how Unwell Hydration played its NWSL deal: Affirming the popularity of soccer’s strong community, it launched Unwell FC, an exclusive fan club present at select games.

Zooming out: What do podcasts listeners and women’s soccer fans have in common? An intense feeling of community. Whether it’s GISTers, Slices, or a good old-fashioned supporter group, women’s sports podcast communities are becoming increasingly important, especially considering the overnight success of soccer-driven pods like The Women’s Game and Re-Cap.

• With that intense culture baked in, these emerging platforms need to appeal to the fan communities that built them up when diversifying their revenue through merch. Snap, crackle, pop.