Vox Media will launch a new sports podcast with Gotham FC and U.S. Women’s National Team star Midge Purce, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
A podcast has been in the back of the soccer star’s head for the last two years, but it will finally come to fruition later this spring. The Harvard psychology grad has always been interested in the athlete’s mind, so this podcast will explore that subject and give a peek behind the curtain into the reality of sports.
“The ultimate purpose of it has stayed the same, which has been to unveil the reality of sports, the taboo conversations and the hidden and coveted sides of the sports industry that it’s normal to keep hidden,” Purce told TheWrap of the show’s evolution.
The weekly video podcast will feature Purce speaking with other elite athletes about their experiences and giving a realistic view into the grit and hard work it takes to compete at their levels.
“I really wanted to unveil that side of sports, so that the younger generations don’t feel so alone when they’re going through things that we all have gone through,” she added. “And so that the image of successes that they were seeing aren’t just the Instagram reels and social media highlight clips.”
A two-time NWSL Champion and 2023 NWSL Finals MVP, Purce has expanded her career off the pitch. Outside of athletics, she has been on Broadway in “Chicago” and modeled for Sports Illustrated Swim. This series marks her first foray into the media and podcasting space.
“[Midge] obviously has deep subject matter expertise,” Nishat Kurwa, Vox Media’s SVP and executive producer, told TheWrap. “She’s also extremely smart, funny, charming, charismatic. These are all key ingredients when it comes to people that are going to be able to connect with audiences in a deep way and hopefully develop a weekly habit around watching them host their shows.”
Purce specifically described the tone of the show as “intimate.” Rather than centering on game recap or timely news, the series will primarily feature athlete-led, peer-to-peer conversations that delve into identity, ambition, resilience and what it truly takes to maintain elite status.
“The opportunity to really break down the athlete mind with some of the most elite players in the game — I just think it’s going to be really special hearing from these individuals who are so excellent in their fields, talk about what’s going on behind closed doors, not just during the game,” Purce added.
The show will join Vox Media’s podcast network, one of the largest in the U.S., alongside other athlete-led franchises including “A Touch More” hosted by Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, “Bird’s Eye View” hosted by Sue Bird, “Pretty Tough” wtih Maria Sharapova, “Not Just Football” with Cam Heyward and more.
“Athletes are extraordinarily well poised to be podcasters,” Kurwa noted. “Podcasting affords an opportunity for athletes to extend that experience into the media sphere and build enduring businesses for themselves. And fans get a chance to hear our athletic heroes’ backstories firsthand and also in diverse new format.”
