A premium Hollywood content studio is looking for the next big sports podcast, and they've identified four concepts they think could lead to the next breakout hit. Read on if you want to learn more about developing and producing a podcast pilot based on one of these concepts.

Inspired by popular sports podcasts like Pardon My Take and ESPN’s 30-for-30, a new breed of sports programming is rapidly replacing the traditional AM radio shows that fans always turned to for post-game gossip and analysis. Now, fans are gravitating towards podcasts, and they're tuning in to hear controversial viewpoints, hot topics, and up-to-the-minute news about the off-the-court drama of today’s athletes, whether it's NFL, NASCAR, or the World Cricket League. So, Tongal's teaming up with one of Hollywood’s premium content studios - and we're talking A-list here, with Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, you name it - to produce a pilot for the next big sports podcast! The studio has identified four concepts they think could be successful, each of which is included in the Background/Additional Details section below. 

We're running this project a bit differently, so if you are interested in learning more and pitching on this project, submit in the Pre-Pitch Phase to demonstrate your production capabilities. ANY creators that can produce a podcast will be asked to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement so that we can reveal the identity of the studio. At that point, you will also be given additional information to put together a pitch. One (or more) creators may then be selected to move forward into the next phase to produce a pilot.

Please note that there will not be any funds awarded in the Pre-Pitch Phase. Should a creator be greenlit in the Pitch Phase, they will then receive funding to produce their content. 

Please also note that this is a podcast production project, so we are looking for people who have past experience producing audio & podcast projects. If you're not able to produce yourself, but you know someone who would be a great fit for this, refer them through our Podcast Referral Project and earn up to $600.

DELIVERABLES:

• One 10-minute condensed podcast pilot 
• One Series bible

TIMELINE: For the full project timeline please see the Assets section.

EXPOSURE: The studio may develop a podcast for any audio platform

TARGET AUDIENCE: Sports podcasts lean male, but the studio is open to podcasts aimed at any adult audience, so you can target a broad demographic.

TONE: The studio is open to a wide range of tonal executions, so this can be dramatic, irreverent, insightful, emotional, weird, quirky, or exciting, intense, or any mix of these. It can be educational and conversational too, so long as it's a compelling format that will hook a listener.

EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: 

• Your pitch must include at least 10 ideas for episodes relevant to your topic
• Avoid podcasts that star or revolve around personalities that are currently active as TV broadcasters or commentators, especially if they wouldn't be offering any kind of different analysis than they do on their TV program.
• Some of these concepts can be research heavy, so your team should ultimately include a researcher, and probably a producer who is experienced working with and licensing archival material in your Pitch.
• If relevant to your pitch, you should include information on individuals or sources you have access to, intellectual property you control, or other reporting that may be pertinent.

OPEN BID: 

• This is an open bid project, so you will get to set your own budget proposal within the $6,000-$10,000 range.
• By participating in this open bid project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a bid. Though most open bid projects on our platform do move forward with a greenlit bid, we will notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any bids via the project forum. Regardless of the result, all open bid submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and the project team.

Here are the four concepts:

1. SO YOU HATE SPORTS: Who cares? You're going to love this anyway. Sit back and listen in as a pair of loveable knuckleheads regale the haters with incredible and entertaining human interest stories that involve sports and sports figures, but which transcend them, and require no love of any game - and no knowledge of it either - to appreciate. We see this as a podcast full of obscure, bizarre and unbelievable tales that appeal to anyone who likes a good story. Heroism. Hijinks. History. Hilarity. Think “Stuff You Should Know” and “Last Podcast on the Left.” These stories are so good and so accessible that you'll pull in actual sports fans too. The examples below illustrate what we mean, although you're not tied to them:

• THE FIRST HIGH FIVE: DODGER STADIUM: The first ever documented high five happened in 1977, during a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros. After a home run, Dodgers outfielder Dusty Baker high-fived his teammate, Glenn Burke. Burke was openly gay among his teammates, and after he was traded to the Oakland Athletics and became an icon in the gay community, the high five became a defiant symbol of gay pride in the Castro district of San Francisco.
• DID YOU KNOW PROFESSIONAL SLAPPING IS A SPORT? You do not want to get into a slap fight with the Russian man known as Dumpling. The rules are simple, you walk up to a white table, stand across from your opponent and slap his face, then, if he so chooses to return fire, you take a slap in the face. The two of you repeat this as many times as necessary until one bows out of the beautiful slap dance either on your own volition or by being knocked out.

2. THE LONG CON: The story of Vin Vecchione conning Peter McNeeley into a fight with Mike Tyson is fascinating in its own right, but it stands among many scandals and grifts that have rocked the sporting world. This podcast could take on the con artists that have maneuvered their way through sports - either for money, for fame, or for their own personal gain. From the origins of doping, to the corrupt refs, to ponzi schemes, to the infiltration of the mob, we’ll explore the well and little known cons that have occurred in the world of sports. The examples below illustrate what we mean, although you're not tied to them:

• BLACK SOX SCANDAL: This baseball scandal, known now simply as the "Black Sox Scandal," took place during the 1919 World Series, where the White Sox played against the Cincinnati Reds. It featured eight players banned for life from MLB for deliberately losing games during the World Series for the benefit of earning large amounts of money (with alleged ties to the mob).
• TIM DONAGHY / NBA GAMBLING SCANDAL: Tim Donaghy is known as the most notorious ref in the history of sports. He bet on so many games in which he was the referee, enabling him to deliberately call plays to his benefit!

3. 87-0 THE IMPOSSIBLE STREAK: Fans of Counter Strike: Global Offensive (GSGO) witnessed the Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) win 87 matches in a row, which became one of greatest winning streaks in eSports (or even sports) history! Like most legendary sports streaks, this story has it all -- the twists and turns, the “kids” who found themselves in the spotlight, and the alleged scandal no one ever knew was unfolding behind the scenes. For example, Fifflaren has made several accusations against his former eSports team, including being paid below minimum wage, not receiving any of his tournament winnings, merchandise, or sponsorships, and even being forced into tax evasion, among many other shady and unfair treatment from the organization. These kinds of player revelations really take you on one hell of a crazy journey, even years after the historic streak!

4. (PARENTS) CHASING GLORY: They're coaches, mentors, thieves, managers, volunteers, financiers, psychologists, supporters and tyrants. From the little league to the pros, there are parents and guardians who have had a massive impact in developing their children's careers. For instance, the early morning drives, parking lot dust ups, being there to pick up the pieces, arguing with coaches, referees, trainers...these are the parents behind the athletes - the good, the bad and the downright ugly. The examples below illustrate what we mean, although you're not tied to them:

• CARL & BONNIE LINDROS: Who knows how great Eric Lindros could have been as a hockey player. For years he was awfully good – tall, strong and bruising with a beautiful shot – he might have been one of the best ever if concussions hadn’t cut his career short. But his biggest problem might have been his parents who tried to manage every aspect of his career and relentlessly hounding grizzled hockey men into bending to his demands.
• RICHARD WILLIAMS: Richard, the colorful and controversial architect of the most improbable sports story around – the George S. Patton of the Williams invasion. “He’s been the most important person in my career,” Williams said in an interview this month at her final U.S. Open tune-up near Cincinnati. “I do miss my dad obviously. I miss him all the time. I call him. I try to reach out to him a lot. He calls me. He watches my matches. He still tells me things that I’m not doing right.” With little training or knowledge, Richard raised two African-American outsiders from gritty Compton, Calif., to be world-beating, transformative figures. When Serena and Venus Williams retire, they will have left a white-dominated sport, and the cultural landscape, forever altered.

Your approach obviously depends on the concept you choose, but the studio is open to anything. Additionally:

• You're not tied to a specific episode length.
• You should be able to sustain your podcast for at least 10 episodes.
• You should be able to identify at least 10 stories, instances, or people you plan to explore. 

TONGAL ORIGINALS INCUBATOR & THE SPONSOR:

• This project is part of the Tongal Originals Incubator program, and we're partnering with a premium content studio to make it happen. You can learn more about the program itself HERE, but the Sponsor has elected to remain hidden for the initial phase of this project. We can tell you that they're able to develop, produce, or finance any podcast, but beyond that, you'll be able to learn more if you're selected for the Production Phase. 

RIGHTS & PARTICIPATION: 

• If your Pitch is in consideration: Before pitches are selected, a short list of submitters whose pitches are in consideration will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement, at which point the Sponsor will be revealed, and budget proposals will be subject to good faith negotiations with the Sponsor. After that, the submission selections will be finalized and announced. 
• Submissions Not Selected by Sponsor: All rights to pitch submissions that are NOT selected by sponsor will revert back to the submitters after the close of the project.
• Submissions Selected by Sponsor: All rights to pitch submissions that are selected will be owned by the Sponsor for a period of 7 years. If and when the Sponsor elects to move forward with a submission after a pilot is delivered, the submitter's involvement and participation in the project, including their percentage of net proceeds, will be subject to good faith negotiations with the Sponsor and covered by a separate agreement.

PRE-PITCH PHASE:

In order to be considered for the Pitch Phase, you must include the below materials in your Pre-Pitch Submission. The Pre-Pitch Phase gives filmmakers the opportunity to submit a 500-word synopsis of their creative vision for the final Podcast(s), confirm their availability for production, and submit samples of previous work. It’s your chance to raise your hand and say, “Hey, I’m available and I have this opportunity and want to learn more!”

• TEXT (REQUIRED): 500 characters or less synopsizing why you are interested in and think you could be a great fit for this project.
  
  
• LINKS (REQUIRED): To your previous podcast work. Please specify your role (producer, director, sound engineer, etc.) and DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO YOUR SHOWREEL. Please link to individual podcasts. 

• PODCAST CONCEPT (REQUIRED): Select which of the three concepts you're pitching on from the dropdown menu.

PITCH PHASE:

If selected to move forward to the Pitch Phase, you must include the below materials in your pitch submission to be considered for this project. For examples of effective pitches, check out this gallery.

• TEXT (REQUIRED): 500 characters or less synopsizing how you plan to approach and execute your podcast. Your treatment should break down how you envision your 10-minute condensed pilot, as well as how that would fit into a longer season of content, with multiple ideas for additional episodes.
  
  
• PODCAST CONCEPT (REQUIRED): Select which of the four concepts you're pitching on from the dropdown menu.
  
  
• LINKS (REQUIRED): To your previous podcast or audio work. Please specify your role (producer, director, host, etc.). Please link to individual podcast episodes or audio files.
  
  
• TREATMENT (REQUIRED): This must included a detailed narrative description of your podcast's subject, as well as your approach to covering that subject. Your treatment should also include at least 10 ideas for episodes relevant to your topic. We've provided a treatment template, which you can find here.

• TEAM BREAKDOWN (REQUIRED): Please include a breakdown of the key members of your team (including but not limited to director, producer, host, etc.) and relevant examples of their past work. 

• BID (REQUIRED): This is an open bid project. This budget should be within the range of $6,000-$10,000. No full budget is required; just your bid.
  
  
• PITCH VIDEO (Optional): This is your opportunity to be face-to-face with the studio and show them what you're capable of. Consider submitting a pitch video in which you tell them what they can expect should they choose your pitch. For some examples of effective Pitch videos, check out this gallery. All Pitches will remain private until after the studio gives creator(s) the green light to move forward.

The most compelling pitch(es) will be greenlit, and upon completing the Winner Affidavit and the IP Assignment, the responsible creator will receive funding to create a 10-minute condensed pilot & a series bible. Please note: the payment of the pitch funds is subject to a payment schedule determined by Tongal. Please see the full payment schedule in the Assets section.

PRE-PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS: Prior to beginning production, podcasters must receive the below approvals from the Sponsor.

• SCRIPT (if applicable): This project requires script approval (if applicable) before podcasters move onto the Production Phase. The Sponsor may provide feedback on your script and ask you to submit a new version. There may be multiple rounds of feedback until a script is approved by the Sponsor.
• TREATMENT FOR PILOT: This project requires treatment approval for the pilot before podcasters can move onto the Production Phase. The treatment should describe how you plan to execute the pilot and how you plan to make the content interesting, accessible & engaging in the podcast format. The Sponsor may provide feedback on your treatment and ask you to submit a new version. There may be multiple rounds of feedback until a treatment is approved by the Sponsor.
• SERIES BIBLE: This project requires series bible approval before podcasters move onto the Production Phase. The Sponsor may provide feedback on your outline and ask you to submit a new version. There may be multiple rounds of feedback until a series bible is approved by the Sponsor. 
• HOST CASTING (IF APPLICABLE): This project requires casting approval for any hosts or voice talent before podcasters move onto the Production Phase. You must submit at least two options per role. If the Sponsor does not approve either of your options for a role, you may be asked to submit two new options.

For your convenience, we’ve provided some helpful templates to use at your discretion. They include templates for creating a treatment, production budget, storyboards, shot list, call sheet, and a music cue sheet. Additionally, there are templates that will help you clearly present cast, location, and wardrobe options to the Sponsor. They can all be accessed here.

REVISION REQUIREMENTS: Once the Production Phase has closed, the greenlit submitters will enter the Revisions Phase. Filmmakers will perform reasonable edits on their podcasts according to the Sponsor’s feedback.

MUSIC: Tongal has partnered with three premiere music providers: Jingle Punks, Universal Production Music and Epidemic Sound, any of which can be used to source music for your podcast submission to this project. Music from these providers is available to registered Tongal members at no charge solely for their incorporation into submissions to this project and will not require a separate Music Release Form. To learn more about using each of these music providers, click on any of the providers’ names above. 

If you choose to use custom/original music, you must fill out and submit our Music Release Form. If you obtain music from third-party catalog providers, you must purchase the appropriate license at your own expense and submit it with your license purchase receipt when you turn in your podcast paperwork.

ASSET DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS: You must also provide all project files, editing sequences and a .wav and .mp3 master file of your completed pilot in order to submit final payment. You are responsible for the costs associated the hard drive and shipping.

For Tongal’s file delivery specs and any other questions you may have about post production, please click here.

1. Preferred format for upload to the Tongal website is HD 720p 16x9. Acceptable file formats are .mov, .avi, .mp4, .wmv. Acceptable codecs are H.264 (MP4), MPEG-4, H.263, MPGV, WMV, DivX. Should your submission be greenlit, you will also be required to provide a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec.
   
   
2. Unless provided otherwise, all work must be your own original creation and free of any copyrighted material. You shall provide detailed information of your work regarding the source, the creator and background information as requested by Tongal.
   
   
3. In the event you utilize any third-party materials, such as music provided by a third-party music provider not provided by Tongal, you must obtain full written license and consent from the owner of such third-party materials and provide such license and consent forms to Tongal.
   
   
4. BY SUBMITTING A PODCAST ENTRY, YOUR SUBMISSION IMMEDIATELY BECOMES THE SOLE PROPERTY OF TONGAL OR ITS ASSIGNEES – SEE OFFICIAL RULES FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT OWNERSHIP OF ENTRIES. YOU MAY NOT PUBLICLY SHARE OR PUBLISH YOUR SUBMISSION IN ANY MANNER AND YOU MAY NOT POST OR UPLOAD YOUR SUBMISSION TO ANY WEBSITE OR CONTENT HOSTING SITE (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE OR VIMEO), WITHOUT THE PRIOR EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT OF TONGAL. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF YOUR ENTRY IN THE PROJECT.
   
   
5. Submissions cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Sponsor.
   
   
6. Submissions must not portray Sponsor in a negative way, the determination of which will solely reside with Sponsor.
    
7. By submitting to this project, you acknowledge that your work may become subject to public voting on the Tongal site. Public voting may be used to help the project sponsor determine the final rank order.
    
8. Podcasts must be in the English language or subtitled.
    
9. Limit 5 submissions per member, per Phase.
    
10. You must be at least thirteen (13) years or older to enter.
    
    
11. The Sponsor reserves the right to repost the contest.
    
    
12. In addition to the judging criteria stated in the OFFICIAL RULES, Pitches will also be evaluated on that member's ability to execute the final Podcast based on their prior work and experience as a filmmaker.
    
    
13. The Sponsor will be entitled to reasonable revisions on the finished Podcasts without providing additional compensation. Remember it's easier to re-edit than re-shoot so try to get as much coverage as possible.
    
    
14. In addition to the standard Tongal W-9, Winner Affidavit, and IP Assignment, greenlit Podcast creators MUST also provide Talent, Location, Music (or other) Releases for all assets appearing in their Podcasts, as well as a photograph/headshot OR copy of a photo ID for all On-camera Talent releases. You must also provide all project files, editing sequences and a 1080p .mov master file, using a ProRes, Animation, or Uncompressed Codec to claim your earnings.
    
    
15. See OFFICIAL RULES for additional contest information, terms and conditions. If there is any conflict or inconsistency between these requirements and the Official Rules, the terms and conditions of these requirements shall prevail.