CMG Productions Teams Up with Stak and ‘The Football Ramble’ for New Sports and Crime Podcasts

EXCLUSIVE: CMG Productions, based in the UK, is joining forces with the independent audio firm Stak to create a series of podcasts.

Together, they plan to develop and produce a collection of podcasts centered around crime and sports, aiming to expand these into various formats that can scale across multiple platforms, including both scripted and unscripted content, with a focus on high-quality documentaries and dramas.

Founded in 2021 by Rebecca Knight and Claire McArdle, CMG not only develops TV intellectual property but also offers production services to U.S. and international networks for projects like The Agency and MobLand. Stak, located in London, is renowned for hosting hit podcasts like The Football Ramble, P1 with Matt and Tommy, and the anthology series Legacy.

Four original projects have initially been chosen for development, with narratives originating from the UK, U.S., South Africa, and Latin America. CMG and Stak are currently in talks with various platforms and other broadcasters to bring these projects to fruition.

Claire McArdle, Co-CEO of CMG Productions, commented, “From our initial discussions, it was evident that Stak shared our vision for narrating compelling stories in the realms of sports and crime. Stak is at the forefront of podcast production, and this partnership presents a fantastic opportunity to bring these intense narratives to audiences in audio and other formats. We are thrilled to collaborate with their team on this endeavor.”

“Partnering with CMG marks an exciting new chapter for us, and it’s something we are eager to expand upon,” said Nicky Anderson, Head of Narrative at Stak. “This partnership merges two top-tier creative entities with a unified mission to harness the narrative power and continually evolve the mediums and formats through which these stories are conveyed.”