During a recent episode of Cam Newton’s “Funky Friday” podcast, former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall expressed his view that the breakup of the “I Am Athlete” show represented a substantial missed opportunity, one that he believed had the potential to impact not only his financial success but also leave a lasting mark on his legacy.
The “I Am Athlete” podcast, co-hosted by Marshall, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor, launched in April 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The show delved into trending sports topics and addressed more profound societal issues.
Success, then Breakup
Marshall and his associates’ initial podcast rapidly gained prominence, leading to the development of spinoff podcasts such as “I Am Nascar” and “I Am Woman.” However, the situation took a downturn when former NFL players Taylor and Channing departed to establish their own brands.
On the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, published on Feb. 10, 2022, Taylor remarked, “Because Brandon (Marshall) made the initial investment, he took it upon himself to gain the majority of the control and the ideas.”
He further added, “A lot of people’s livelihoods are at stake, and I don’t want to talk too much about it. We’re not competing against them [‘I Am Athlete’], we’re just trying to give the people something to enjoy.”
After leaving “I Am Athlete,” Taylor and Channing redirected their energies toward a new business venture called “The Pivot.”
The ‘I Am Athlete’ Money
During Newton’s Oct. 29 podcast, Marshall was questioned about his financial gains from the “I Am Athlete” podcast. He revealed it wasn’t very much. In fact, he says he is currently in $12 million of debt since the podcast’s inception.
He also disclosed that in his partnership with his co-hosts, he felt like he received the short end of the stick, while his co-hosts profited.
