An old video clip is being reshared on the internet where UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan shared details about a startling business proposition he received in 2015 that could have dramatically altered the trajectory of his media career.
Rogan, whose podcast has become one of the most influential platforms in digital media, revealed that an unnamed radio company approached him with an audacious offer. They wanted 50% ownership of his podcast while offering “no money” in return.
“An offer just five years ago from a company that was a radio company that wanted 50% of the podcast,” Rogan explained. “They were going to give me no money. They wanted 50% of the podcast just to be associated with them.”
According to Rogan, the company attempted to sweeten the deal by promising to leverage its industry connections. “They said, ‘We’re going to pull together all these advertisers and it’s going to help your revenue,” he recounted.
Rogan firmly rejected the proposal, emphasizing his skepticism about such arrangements. “No 50 percent,” he stated, highlighting the lopsided nature of the offer.
Drawing from industry experience, Rogan expressed concerns about what typically happens when traditional media companies acquire digital properties. “They never deliver what they say they’re gonna,” he cautioned. “And then they come in and they just gut the thing.”
“The beautiful thing about podcasts is podcasts all get big on word of mouth,” Rogan noted, mentioning the organic growth model that has helped his show thrive independently.
Since this incident, Rogan has continued to rise in the podcasting world. In 2023, he signed a new deal with Spotify, reportedly worth up to $250 million, which included revenue-sharing provisions while allowing him to expand distribution to platforms like YouTube.
According to recent financial reports, Spotify paid more than $100 million to podcast publishers and creators worldwide in the first quarter of 2025 alone, with Rogan’s show among the top performers globally.
