Last week, in the midst of an exit interview with Dan Patrick, Votto jokingly went into Harrison Butker mode when he was asked about Travis Kelce robbing him of a chance to step up as Taylor Swift’s backup boyfriend. “Are they getting married, or are they just sinners?” the supposedly spurned Votto asked, stone faced, following up with a question about how Kelce and Swift’s families feel about the relationship. Patrick was beaming with delight, a lighter moment amidst a conversation filled with unusual candor about the end of an athlete’s career, the total immersion that sports demands, and its place as an occasional distraction from life’s harder moments.
The interview was special, but it always is when Votto matches up with Patrick… or with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo… or when he pops up on Intentional Talk. This chat was heavier, sure, but that just shows Votto has that gear as well, allowing him to connect with fans on an emotionally honest level in certain moments where others might retreat into the safety of cliches. I guarantee you most analysts aren’t calling for more palpable “anger, hatred, and spite” in the midst of an on-field ego clash — like Votto did with Bryce Harper and Orlando Arcia’s showdown during the playoffs last year. There, he was seizing on the desire of fans to see more real moments of passion in the game.
The point is that Votto is just different from everyone else. If you put him behind a desk and pay him to reference the old days and talk about swing paths, it’s going to be like locking a Porsche in a garage. Luckily, there is another way.
Current and former player-led podcasts are all over the charts across baseball, basketball, and football, and they can lead to big paydays with the right talent. (This isn’t limited to media deals — just ask new Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Reddick how Mind The Game worked out for him.)
Look at Pat McAfee. On one hand, he’s a like-him-or-loathe-him figure. On the other hand, he’s a no-doubt success story who went from outspoken former punter to wildly successful podcaster. For better or worse, his unique voice carried him from Barstool to an indie to an $85 million deal with ESPN and a lot of creative freedom.
Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce represent another dream scenario for Votto. The brothers sold their New Heights podcast to Amazon’s Wondery for $100 million on Tuesday. That deal comes just a few months after Jason signed a massive deal with ESPN to become one of the faces of their NFL coverage just after he retired from the Eagles. That’s a hell of a TayTay bump, but let’s give the brothers their props for these success stories that they’ve built toward for years. These stories make it clear: media companies like ESPN will open the vault if a big name comes with a proven and portable audience.
With his personality, profile, and proven skill, Joey Votto is, like Pat McAfee and the Kelce brothers, something more than a former player turned pundit. He’s an entertainer who might well find meteoric success as a brand within and perhaps beyond the conversations that swirl around baseball — assuming that’s what he wants, of course. If it is, then his talents clearly could match his ambitions, and take him beyond the gilded cage of a cushy but limited studio job.
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