Tennis greats Serena and Venus Williams are embarking on a new venture – a video podcast, which will be hosted on X, formerly Twitter. In a statement announcing the news, the podcast is described as being for “visionaries, creators and rulebreakers passionate about shattering the status quo” and to give the public “a front-row seat into their playful banter and undeniable bond.” The as-yet-unnamed show will be hosted by both sisters, and will premiere in August. Other audio platforms are expected to also air the show after its debut.
“We’re so excited to be launching our new podcast, a place where we will share our personal stories, have authentic conversations, spotlight important topics, and laugh a lot,” the Williams sisters said in their joint statement. “This platform gives us the chance to engage directly with our fans who have supported us throughout our careers, and we’re excited to connect with audiences, old and new, in a way we’ve never done before.”
The sisters are among the legendary elite of tennis, with Serena Williams having won 23 Grand Slam titles, the most in the open era of the sport. Venus has won seven Grand Slam titles, which include five victories at Wimbeldon. The sisters have also been dominant playing together, winning three Olympic gold medals and 14 Grand Slam titles. Venus and Serena Williams are among the most popular sports personalities on the X platform – Venus has 1.2 million followers, while her younger sister Serena has 10.6 million.
“Venus and Serena are among the most recognizable and revered athletes in the world, and their decision to team up with X places them at the center of our rapidly evolving original content strategy,” said the Head of Original Content at X, Mitchell Smith. According to metrics provided by the company, 92% of all social mentions of the Williams sisters take place on X, and Serena Williams is mentioned more than 5,000 times on the platform daily. The podcast will be produced by X in collaboration with Serena’s production company, Nine Two Six. It adds to the sports-themed programming that has been aired on the social media platform. The WNBA and X had a partnership to stream games through the platform last season, having an estimated reach of 5 million viewers.
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Source: NewsOne