Come hang out with the "30 for 30 Podcasts" team and pitch your sports storytelling ideas. A pitch from On Air Fest last year is currently in production! 

Do you have a narrative story to tell from the world of sports and beyond? At On Air Fest 2025, ESPN's ”30 for 30 Podcasts” wants to hear from YOU. Only ticket holders can sign up for this opportunity - register here to confirm your pitch meeting. 

This is a unique and rare opportunity to pitch a show to top-level ESPN executives with the chance to have it picked up for podcast production and potentially expanded into other content types across the ESPN, FX, and Disney streaming ecosystem.

“30 for 30 Podcasts” is going beyond the field to explore how sports, competition, athleticism, and adventure affect our lives and our world with audio documentaries about NBA activism, NFL video games, polar exploration, Olympic failure, and more.

Successful pitches will be:

• A focused story, for example a single event illuminating a larger impact, with sports as a setting to explore off-the-field themes (cultural, racial, societal, etc.) - it can be a new angle on a story you thought you knew!
   
• A clear narrative storytelling structure with a clear protagonist and antagonist. If possible, it is ideal to have a wealth of archival audio available.
  
  
• We want compelling characters who are well-represented by archival tape and/or willing to sit for an interview. And finally, a minimum 30-minute run time, ideally multiple episodes.

Want an idea of what we love? Check out:

• Pink Card, Shima Oliaee’s (Dolly Parton’s America, Radiolab) four-decade story of resistance, rooted in soccer that is part memoir, sports drama, social history and caper. It will forever change how you view fandom and freedom.
• The Sterling Affairs by Ramona Shelburne, a story about basketball in LA, a ruthless real estate empire, the worst owner in sports, and the scandal that rocked the NBA. 
• The Bag Game about the Billy Preston college hoops' bribery scandal. 

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Still have questions? Join a virtual AMA office hour with Preeti Varathan, Head of 30 for 30 Podcasts, to learn more on Thursday, February 6th at 9am PST/12pm EST - RSVP here

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