AUCKLAND, Today: Two decades of cricket yarns, chaos and comedy — The BYC Podcast has officially hit the big 2-0. It’s New Zealand’s longest-running sports podcast and still swinging for six.
First released on 25 June 2005 as a downloadable MP3 on the Beige Brigade website, the show helped shape Aotearoa’s podcasting landscape. Now part of NZME’s iHeartRadio platform and The ACC’s award-winning network, it clocked 170,000 downloads in 2024.
Paul Ford, original and current host says, “The BYC was consummated at a Belgian beer cafe in Wellington and was born out of the central premise of the Beige Brigade and later The ACC.
“The idea – to have a crack at something new, embrace shenanigans and have a laugh. In this case it was an opportunity to talk to an audience gagging for some not-too-life-and-death chat about cricket.”
“I can’t think of any podcast, sporting or otherwise, that has had the longevity of The BYC.” – Mike Lane
Across the years, the podcast has featured a legendary line-up including Jeremy Wells, Kevin Sinnott and Jason Hoyte — all united by a love for the game and a healthy dose of ridiculousness.
To celebrate 20 years, a special commemorative episode drops Wednesday 25 June. It’ll bring together voices from the past and present for a nostalgia-packed look back at the BYC journey.
Mike Lane, General Manager of The ACC says, “I can’t think of any podcast, sporting or otherwise, that has had the longevity of The BYC. It’s a credit to Paul and the wider team of lunatics that they’ve covered NZ’s summer sport for so long. Viva La BYC!”
From fan forums to full-blown national syndication, The BYC Podcast remains a cult favourite. Catch the anniversary episode and all the chaos on iHeartRadio.
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