With Joe Rogan’s $200M Deal Set to Expire Amid Crisis, Controversial Podcaster’s Latest Achievement Puts Spotify in a Tough Spot

Do you listen to podcasts? Then thank Joe Rogan for doing his part in popularizing the podcast culture, which is currently practiced by many influencers and industries. The color commentator has been a monumental figure both for the world of MMA as well as for the world of entertainment. Joe Rogan’s podcast has almost always been at the top spot during its Spotify stint, and there’s barely any other podcaster who comes close to what Rogan has built.

Interestingly, Rogan made a deal with the music streaming app Spotify to do podcasts specifically on their app. It was a whopping $200 million deal. Rogan, as well as Spotify, enjoyed the top spot podium for a long time. However, the deal is about to end, and Rogan’s position is much stronger than before. Will Rogan stay with Spotify or not? Let’s find out.

The future of Joe Rogan’s exclusive deal with Spotify

Joe Rogan has again reigned supreme as the number one podcaster on the platform, with no other channel coming close to what ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ has achieved. With such a strong presence, Rogan has placed Spotify in a challenging position, as his exclusive deal with the platform expires next year.

The platform has already laid off 6% of its employees earlier this year and also raised the prices for its subscription tiers to increase profit margins. By doing that the streaming giant has reported strong numbers in the previous quarter. As per a Financial Times report from October 2023, the platform earned 6 million quarterly subscribers over the expected 4 million. Spotify posted a third-quarter operating income of $34.1 million. Their profit margin for the third quarter was 26.4%, compared to 24.7% from the previous year.

Let’s assume that Rogan walks out of Spotify. Then he will not only walk out with millions of viewers but also significant ad revenue. Therefore, Spotify faces a crucial decision.

The streaming giant has to make a lucrative deal that will please Rogan since other competitors have been eyeing him for a while. With some even offering as much as $100 million. Even though the podcaster turned it down saying “Spotify has hung in with me,” things are different now.

What if Joe Rogan walks out of Spotify

Joe Rogan has an upper hand in this deal thanks to his exclusivity, and this is the sole reason why it is a boon as well as a bane for Spotify. While Spotify’s outreach is undeniably extensive, it is noteworthy that only 17 percent of the podcast-consuming populace exhibits a strong preference for this platform, while YouTube steadily grows in popularity. The notion of Rogan’s podcast reverting to a state of independence has the potential to expand his area of influence, a decision that is more consistent with his expressed aspiration for a more inclusive and far-reaching audience.

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Alternatively, if Rogan isn’t interested in independence, other platforms may attempt to lure him with more lucrative offers. YouTube is entering the podcasting scene, Amazon has a track record of offering generous deals with fewer restrictions, and Elon Musk could vie for Rogan’s content as he transforms Twitter/X into a creator platform, as seen in their recent collaboration on a specially licensed episode for X.

Would you like to witness Joe Rogan on a different streaming site? Tell us about your opinion in the comments below.

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