Podsauce MVPs 2021: our favorite sports podcasts of the year

We are coming at you hot with Podsauce’s sports picks for the Most Valued Podcasts of 2021. We’ve got podcasts with superstar athletes, podcasts with superfans, and podcasts that are taking our fantasy teams to the next level. We’ve got new podcasts that blew our socks off, and old podcasts that just keep getting better.

From docuseries to sports news all day, every day, here are our picks for our favorite, must-listen sports podcasts of the year:

The Run – 2016 Chicago Cubs

Even though it was just five years ago, in 2021, we had to commemorate the once-in-108-years phenomenon with “The Run – 2016 Chicago Cubs.” Matt Spiegel and Roy Wood Jr. take us game-by-game, inning-by-inning with Cubs legends and celebrity superfans through that fateful World Series run. One of the few things all baseball fans can agree on was how magical that November was, which is why this podcast is just so great.

Pardon My Take

Three times a week, “Pardon My Take” delivers the loudest sports news and opinions. Hosts Big Cat & PFT Commenter (assuming they must have real names) somehow keep up the hype for six hours a week, letting us in on all of the breaking sports news, the match-ups of the week, and giving us interviews with athletes from across the leagues.

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz interview your favorite sports stars, break down sports news, and recap all sorts of pop culture news all from their perspectives. “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz” goes beyond just sports though, sharing their views on current events and news from their own lives. Each episode is filled with surprises, as topics that find their way into conversations go way beyond sports.

30 For 30 Podcasts

From the makers of ESPN’s award-winning docuseries 30 For 30 comes in a podcast that’s just as spectacular and even more detailed. “30 For 30 Podcasts” is telling sports stories like they’ve never been told before, exploring how sports, competition, athleticism and adventure affect our lives and our world. Hear series-long stories and one-shot episodes alike, from the legacy and complexities of Romanian gymnastics coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi, to Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird’s time in Russian basketball and the shady team owner with a dark past.

The Old Man and the Three

JJ Redick, former NBA sharpshooter and Duke basketball legend, and co-host Tommy Alter talk all things NBA with the biggest names in the league in “The Old Man and the Three.” While it started inside of the 2020 NBA bubble, this podcast features interviews with stars like Kemba Walker, Alex Caruso, Gabrielle Union, Collin Morikawa, and many more who love the game.

The Fantasy Footballers

“The Fantasy Footballers” trio of Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright have been handing out astute analysis, strong opinions, and matchup-winning advice for over three years. Entertaining, knowledgeable, and extremely competitive, if should be no surprise that they’re one of our favorite sports podcasts this year.