CMG & ‘The Football Ramble’s Stak To Make Sport And Crime Podcasts

EXCLUSIVE: UK-based CMG Productions and indie audio company Stak are teaming on a slate of podcasts.

The pair will co-develop and produce a slate of crime and sport podcasts, which will be expanded into “scalable, multi-platform” formats in scripted and unscripted, particularly premium docs and drama.

CMG, launched in 2021 by Rebecca Knight and Claire McArdle, both develops television IP and provides production services for U.S. and global networks on projects such as The Agency and MobLand, while the London-based Stak is known as the home of popular podcasts such as The Football Ramble, P1 with Matt and Tommy and anthology series Legacy.

An initial four original projects have been selected, with the stories hailing from the UK, U.S., South Africa and Latin America. Each is in development stage, with CMG and Stak in discussions with platforms and other commissioners.

McArdle, Co-CEO of CMG Productions, said: “It was clear from our first conversations with Stak that we were aligned on how to tell these captivating stories in the sport and crime space. Stak are leaders in the podcast production industry, and this partnership is an opportunity to bring these high-stakes stories to life in audio formats and beyond. We’re delighted to be working with their team to make that happen.”

“Working with CMG is an exciting new venture for us, and one we’re really looking forward to building on,” added Nicky Anderson, Head of Narrative at Stak. “This collaboration is about bringing together two leading creative companies in their respective fields, that are united by a shared belief in the power of storytelling and a commitment to evolving the formats and mediums through which those stories are told.”