On a recent weekday morning inside a studio in the heart of Hollywood, Rachel Lindsay and Van Lathan, co-hosts of The Ringer\u2019s \u201cHigher Learning,\u201d were getting ready to roll. <\/p>\n
By the time the podcasters came into the Spotify Sycamore Studios<\/a> for their show, which covers all things in Black culture and politics, the overhead lights were set, and the cameras were precisely angled. Decorative books were propped up between their seats and a big red \u201cHigher Learning\u201d logo stood behind them. <\/p>\n As soon as everyone silenced their phones, the hosts began to banter like two old friends. Lindsay complimented Lathan on his recent foray into stand-up comedy at the Netflix is Joke Fest at the Laugh Factory.<\/p>\n \u201cI just have to say … basically a star is born,\u201d said Lindsay, grinning. \u201cI have to talk about it. Now I never doubted you.\u201d<\/p>\n The pair helms one of the many shows on The Ringer podcast network<\/a>, known for its roster of A-list celebrity hosts and sports and culture commentators that recently moved into Spotify\u2019s newest podcasting studios. <\/p>\n The 11,000 square-foot space on Sycamore Avenue was designed as both a home base for The Ringer\u2019s production and a video podcasting hub for select Spotify<\/a> creators. <\/p>\n Since its opening earlier this year, the space has welcomed more than 25 podcasters and shows, on top of the dozens of shows that still record at Spotify\u2019s Mateo studios in the Arts District.<\/a><\/p>\n The company estimates that over the last five years it has contributed more than $10 billion to the podcasting industry, including payouts to creators and investments in new content.<\/p>\n Podcasts are just one arm of Spotify\u2019s business<\/a>, as the audio giant has over 100 million songs<\/a> and 700,000 audiobooks<\/a> on its platform. But video podcasts have become an increasingly important way for the company to keep listeners tuned in \u2014 and paying for subscriptions amid growing competition from Apple Music and YouTube Music. Despite a surge in profits in the first quarter, Spotify\u2019s share price has fallen 25% this year as investors worry about a slowdown in subscriber growth.<\/p>\n Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay record their podcast, \u201cHigher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay,\u201d at Spotify\u2019s Sycamore Studios in Hollywood on May 7. The podcast is distributed on Spotify through The Ringer.<\/p>\n (Allen J. Schaben\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n One of the main drivers behind opening the Sycamore studios was to create a central hub for The Ringer, a media company Spotify acquired for $250 million in 2020. <\/p>\n Geoff Chow, Spotify<\/a>\u2018s<\/a> head of podcast studios and The Ringer\u2019s managing director, said the investment is already paying off \u201cin terms of the productivity and the quality of the content we\u2019re able to produce from here.\u201d <\/p>\n The Ringer is one of the streamer\u2019s most popular assets. Spotify includes nine Ringer shows in its list of the top U.S. podcasts.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re pouring into this space and their creators,\u201d Lathan said, before recording a new \u201cHigher Learning\u201d episode. \u201cWe really have the freedom to do so much.\u201d <\/p>\n He and Lindsay said the studio has elevated their show by switching up their workflow and increasing in-person work. <\/p>\n Thanks in part to its centralized location, tucked between the offices of SiriusXM<\/a> and music and sports entertainment company Roc Nation, they say guests are more eager to visit and record in person. Lathan joked that even while walking down the street, he\u2019ll run into radio personalities like Sway Calloway, who hosts his own successful \u201cSway in the Morning\u201d show on SiriusXM, and convince them to come up for a tour of the space. <\/p>\n Sycamore has already seen guest appearances from Snoop Dogg on \u201cGame Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul,\u201d Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on \u201cHigher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay\u201d and \u201cProject Hail Mary\u201d author Andy Weir on \u201cHouse of R.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis street is so cool,\u201d Lindsay added. \u201cIt\u2019s just a different energy here.\u201d <\/p>\n The duo first started recording at Spotify\u2019s Arts District campus<\/a>, which is more focused on audio-driven programs. But as the podcasting landscape evolves and video becomes a more important element, \u201cHigher Learning\u201d is now able to maximize on the new studio\u2019s video-first capabilities. <\/p>\n Chris Thomas, studio operator, works in the control room on the podcast, \u201cHigher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay.\u201d<\/p>\n (Allen J. Schaben\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n Spotify also employs a combination of full-time employees and freelancers that staff each show, including sound engineers, lighting specialists and set designers who help keep the place running.<\/p>\n The Ringer, founded by media mogul Bill Simmons, exists online as a website, a podcast network and video production house, anchored in sports, pop culture and politics coverage. Some of its most popular programs include \u201cThe Bill Simmons Podcast,\u201d \u201cThe Rewatchables\u201d and the inaugural Golden Globe winner \u201cGood Hang with Amy Poehler.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Many of the hosts overlap within The Ringer\u2019s podcasting ecosystem. Just between Lathan and Lindsay, they host and appear as regular guests on as many as five shows, so they work from the studio three to five times a week. By being in close quarters together, a greater sense of collaboration has enveloped The Ringer\u2019s team. Chow said there are some days when Simmons will walk onto four shows a day, just to share his thoughts on a topic.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is my dream of what The Ringer is. We\u2019re all here talking, we\u2019re all existing together,\u201d Lathan said. \u201cWe\u2019re all popping in and out of different rooms all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n Exterior view of the building that houses Spotify\u2019s new Sycamore Studios. The company takes up one floor of the facility.<\/p>\n (Allen J. Schaben\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n The Ringer was first founded in 2016. At the time, Simmons had recently been ousted from ESPN due to a strained relationship with higher-ups. Simmons had spearheaded the network\u2019s Grantland sports blog, which focused on cultural commentary that is similar to what The Ringer does today. The Ringer soon established itself as one of the fastest-growing independent podcast networks. <\/p>\n The brand still keeps its roots in fandom \u2014 whether it\u2019s through football or \u201cGame of Thrones,\u201d said Chow. So, to have a space that reflects the diversity of its programming often makes recording more fruitful, especially during key moments like the NFL draft<\/a> or awards season<\/a>. <\/p>\n As The Ringer continues to expand its roots in Hollywood, the network remains focused on maximizing its content. <\/p>\n![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/2133ff9\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2Ffb%2F2a5bb3c8443f95a7a3e45b5e8484%2F1553234-fi-spotify-sycamore-studios-ajs-12.jpg)
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