Vox Media Builds Sports Roster With Midge Purce Podcast, F1 Series.

Vox Media is adding its second show from a star of women’s sports in the past two weeks. It has enlisted Gotham FC and U.S. Women’s National Team star Midge Purce to host the new podcast “Confessions of an Elite Athlete.” Vox has also inked a deal to handle sales and distribution for the Formula 1-focused “The Red Flags Podcast,” further building its sports-meets-personality roster.

Purce’s new series sits at the intersection of sport, psychology, and culture, according to Vox. Purce will have conversations with some of the world’s most accomplished athletes, executives, and performance experts on the podcast, pulling back the curtain on the realities of competing at the highest level — from identity and ambition to resilience, sacrifice, and the often-unspoken challenges behind elite performance.

“The ultimate purpose of this show is to unveil the reality of sports — the conversations that are usually kept behind closed doors,” said Purce. “I want to create a space where athletes can be honest about what it actually takes to perform at an elite level — how they handle the pressure, the doubt, the work — and where the next generation can see that they’re not alone in what they’re experiencing.”

It is the second sports-related show from Vox Media this month. It earlier announced that Maria Sharapova, the five-time Grand Slam tennis champion, will launch the series “Pretty Tough.” Her weekly interview series is described as a space with discussions about peak performance, career strategy, wellness, and leadership.

Vox is best known for news, tech and political podcasts like “Pivot.” But it also produces “Not Just Football” hosted by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward. Like Purce’s new podcast, it also blends sports and pop culture. Purce seems ready made for walking the line. She is a Harvard graduate with a degree in psychology. With new episodes out biweekly on Tuesdays, Vox says her show offers audiences a rare, inside look at the emotional and mental dimensions of elite competition. The first episode is a conversation with Sam Rapoport, who discusses her history-making tenure as an executive at the NFL, and how football saved her life as a young queer person growing up in Ottawa. 

“Midge’s energy, drive, and curiosity are infectious,” said Ray Chao, Vox Media’s Senior VP/General Manager of podcasts. “We’re excited to partner with Midge to create a platform for elite athletes to have honest, unfiltered, and candid conversations that fans rarely get to see.”

Vox has also signed a separate deal with Red Flags Media for marketing, sales and distribution of “The Red Flags Podcast.” Launched in 2021 by longtime friends Brian Muller and Matt Elisofon, the series reimagines Formula 1 through an entertainment-first lens. The show blends insightful commentary with humor to explore the personalities, rivalries, and cultural moments that make F1 a high-speed spectacle both on and off the track.

Building on the success of “The Red Flags Podcast,” Muller and Elisofon also launched a special series, “Vankah Hours,” where they are joined by former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner. Every Wednesday, they share insightful predictions and behind-the-scenes perspectives about racing teams.

“Brian and Matt have built the definitive F1 podcast for the ‘Drive to Survive’ generation that also speaks to the diehards,” said Lillian Xu, VP of Podcasts at Vox Media. “Together with Guenther, they have created a deeply informed, irreverent, unfailingly fun show and we’re so excited to partner with them and grow the business together.”

The new shows are already generating live event opportunities. Vox Media will host a live taping of “Confessions of an Elite Athlete” on May 7 in New York. Find details here.