Logan Swaim has seen the media industry evolve since he began working in it during the early 2000s. He has served in a variety of roles with several prominent brands that led to him becoming the director of content at Colin Cowherd’s digital podcast network The Volume.
Swaim worked as the executive producer of Good Morning Football on NFL Network, and got his start on the digital side of media working as an executive producer at DAZN. Swaim also produced the NBC Sports series Heart of a Champion with Lauren Thompson, which showcased athletes overcoming hardships to achieve moments of grandeur and contentment, along with the UNINTERRUPTED digital series Mr. Impossible with Matt Liston and CBS series Game Changers, which was hosted by Kevin Frazier for the three seasons it ran from 2013 to 2016.
Swaim has adapted with the changing industry since he received his degree, especially over the last few years emblazoned by a devastating global pandemic and has become instrumental in paving sports media’s path going forward. Since last January, he has helped build and maintain an eclectic podcasting lineup featuring network founder Cowherd, comedian Alex Monaco, former WWE television host Renée Paquette and basketball social media influencers LaJethro Jenkins and Dragonfly Jonez.
Additionally, the network has brought on both former and current professional athletes as show hosts, including Draymond Green and Aqib Talib. The Volume was also one of the first national groups to sign college athletes to NIL deals once the NCAA amended its rules, inking four Notre Dame football players to host their own podcast Inside the Garage, along with 2021 Heisman Trophy winner and Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young hosting his own podcast called The Bryce Young Podcast.
It is always important to continue to learn about the industry. That’s a seminal reason why Swaim is set to attend his first Barrett Sports Media Summit next week in New York City. He will participate in the panel “Planting Your Flag In a Digital World,” in which he will discuss his view of digital media’s evolution up to now and where he sees it going in the future. Joining him on stage will be Blue Wire Podcasts CEO Kevin Jokes and Meadowlark Media’s Executive Director of Audio Carl Scott.
Ahead of this imminent, long-overdue gathering of media professionals, I caught up with Logan Swaim to discuss his time at The Volume thus far, what it is like working alongside Colin Cowherd and the evolution of podcasting in the 21st century.
Derek Futterman: How does your role at The Volume differ from roles you have had in the past?
Logan Swaim: My previous roles have focused on developing one show and its audience at a time. My role with The Volume is helping develop an entire company. Thankfully we have a visionary leader in Colin [Cowherd], amazing and supportive partners at iHeart and FanDuel, a killer team and a killer product. Interesting people say interesting things about sports.
DF: How do you evaluate talent? How has the way you evaluate talent changed since you began?
LS: Every decision begins with Colin and from our ethos of ‘same sports, different angles.’ We look for big thinkers and unique opinionists who are covering sports in a different way – like Colin has throughout his career.
Like Colin, Jenkins and Jonez use real-life analogies to help connect with the audience. They had a take last year about what Kyrie Irving needing a mental reset [would] lead to him playing better – [which] it did – and compared him to employees going on vacation and coming back recharged at the office. That’s as informative as it is entertaining. Like Colin, Renée Paquette is fearless and can engage with guests who might make other podcasters uncomfortable.
DF: Can you describe working alongside Colin Cowherd, and what perspectives you and he share regarding the future of sports media?
LS: Working with Colin has been extremely rewarding. A big theme throughout his career has been ‘what’s next’ – he is fascinated with innovation and mobility, and he empowers his team to apply that to The Volume.
He sees where people are consuming content and wants us to serve those audiences. For a guy who is renowned for strong opinions, Colin is quick to pivot when he sees the industry evolving. As more states have legalized gambling, he’s encouraged to produce more gambling content. He asked us to hire a head of gambling – [and] we did [in] Sean Herlihy, and we’ve built out a robust gambling vertical including The Favorites with Chad Millman and Simon Hunter, Moneyline Monaco with Alex Monaco, and daily social content with Liv Moods.
DF: What led to the decision to bring Warriors forward Draymond Green on as a podcast host?
LS: Draymond embodies The Volume. He is emphatic, smart as hell and different. He was looking to start his own show, say the things that he wants to say and build his platform from the ground up.
He’s fascinated with every part of the process and willing to do the dirty work to grow his show. I mean that. He helps book and schedule his guests. He was excited to set up his microphone and webcam. He sends his audio files to his producer Jackson [Safon]. He has the same dedication and passion you see on the court. Even in our earliest conversations, Draymond realized The Volume was a perfect home for him.
DF: What led to the decision to bring on Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young and other athletes through NIL deals? What were the discussions like once you realized it was possible?
LS: Colin is all about empowering and amplifying the next generation of media talent, and the NIL gave us this unique opportunity to give active student athletes a real platform to share their perspectives on life as college football players.
Both shows we launched were around the biggest brands in the sport. On Inside the Garage, you hear four active Notre Dame players react in real-time to Brian Kelly leaving. On The Bryce Young Podcast, Bryce can detail real conversations he has with Nick Saban throughout the season. We had seen this ongoing trend with pro athletes, but not with college athletes. Both shows feel like the first of their kind.
DF: One year after the launch of The Volume, have you changed your expectations regarding the ceiling of the platform?
LS: Absolutely. It’s been fun to look back at where we were a year ago and see all that we accomplished in just 12 months. We launched with five initial podcasts and thought of ourselves as a more traditional podcast network. We have 13 shows now, and are just as focused on video as we are on audio.
We’re moving in the direction of an ‘always on’ content network – where you can watch our talent on essentially every platform – YouTube; Twitter Spaces; TikTok; Instagram Live. We’ve found video to be a meaningful revenue stream for us and that will be a big focus for us in 2022.
DF: How has the sports talk format evolved since you began, specifically its movement into the digital space?
LS: The idea of ‘immediacy’ and ‘authenticity’ have completely taken over the game. For immediacy – fans don’t want to wait for opinions and analysis. They want an immediate reaction. ‘Okay, this game just ended and my team got smoked; someone give me their take and help ease the pain.’ That is something we are big on at The Volume. We launched Lakers Tonight with Jason Timpf specifically for Twitter Spaces so Lakers fans can hear analysis as soon as a game ends.
As for authenticity – you no longer need a million-dollar studio and a bright, shiny desk to make content that cuts through. Some of our most engaging content will be Colin recording a selfie video about Aaron Rodgers while driving on the 405.
DF: What are the similarities and differences between sports talk radio and sports podcasts?
LS: People talk a lot about the differences between the two, but it seems like success for both is defined by their similarities. A good radio show and a good podcast ultimately depend on compelling voices who can capture you immediately, and can build an audience and community over time.
DF: How can podcasts and radio shows coexist in today’s media landscape?
LS: Colin is a unique voice in sports media. His opinions proved interesting first in sports radio, then on TV, after that on social media and now on podcasts. All these platforms can not only coexist; they can help you build a bigger brand.
DF: What are you looking forward to most about the BSM Summit?
LS: Meeting and learning from some of the smartest people in the industry. Hopefully getting to wear a Madonna mic. And a big hug from Jason Barrett.
