Legendary TV Show SportsCafe Is Back-ish On NZME’s IHeart Radio Podcast Network

An icon of New Zealand sports television, SportsCafe, has made a triumphant return with its all-new podcast rendition, aptly titled Sportscafe-ish on New Zealand Media and Entertainment's iHeartRadio podcast network.

Hosted by three of the original crew, journalist, television presenter, and producer Ric Salizzo, former All Black and Warriors player Marc Ellis, and comedian Leigh Hart, the podcast promises to deliver the same irreverent humour and sports commentary that made the TV show a household name in the 90s and early 2000s.

Returning to New Zealand after a stint running a professional rugby team in New York, Salizzo joins forces with Ellis and Hart to bring their unique brand of sports banter to the podcasting world. Listeners can expect discussions on current sporting issues, surprise guest appearances, and nostalgic reflections on moments from the original SportsCafe show.

Salizzo is pleased to be able to give fans a long-awaited second helping of SportsCafe in a new age digital format.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the changing habits of how audiences consume content. When we started SportsCafe, Sky Sport only had 70,000 subscribers so it was a risk trying to start a show there. I love how in 2024 creators can go directly to their audience through podcasts, social media, and YouTube. It’s an exciting time to make content, so I thought, why not get back into it? And I knew a couple of people…”

“I’ve been really impressed with the way NZME has embraced the changing digital space. I did my work experience at the NZ Herald in 1981, and it's come a long way from sending stories and multiple carbon copies to the subs by pneumatic tubes. With the work NZME has done developing great podcasts like Between Two Beers, I thought they would be great to partner with to make sure we had a chance to build a strong audience with Sportscafe-ish,” says Salizzo.

Sarah Catran, NZME Head of Digital Audio, says: “NZME is dedicated to creating content that Kiwis love. I couldn’t think of more quintessential Kiwi content than SportsCafe, which we’re thrilled to bring into the digital age through our podcast network as Sportscafe-ish. We're pumped to team up with broadcasting legends Ric, Marc, and Leigh to deliver this podcast that I know fans have been waiting for.”

New episodes of Sportscafe-ish will be available every Wednesday on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

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