MrBallen Podcast Moves to SiriusXM (Exclusive)

True crime podcaster John Allen aka MrBallen is moving to SiriusXM from Wondery.

As part of the multiyear agreement, SiriusXM will have exclusive advertising sales rights to Allen’s flagship show, The MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious, on audio, as well as on his YouTube channel, which has 10.5 million subscribers. SiriusXM will also acquire the rights to the MrBallen network of shows and work to develop new programming.

The former Navy Seal began creating content in 2020 and has since turned his storytelling of well-researched true crime into a media empire, with the flagship MrBallen podcast ranked as the 11th most popular podcast in the U.S., according to Edison Research.

“I am thrilled and honored to be part of the SiriusXM family, and excited to welcome even more people around the world to the strange, dark, and mysterious community,” Allen said. “Telling stories that entertain, inform, intrigue, excite, and maybe sometimes frighten the millions of people who share my passion for storytelling is a dream come true. Working with the incredible team at SiriusXM will allow me to take that dream to the next level, and I can’t wait to show our fans the new projects we’re developing together.”

Allen’s move to SiriusXM from Wondery comes after the breakup of the Amazon-owned podcasting company in August, wherein the narrative podcast studio moved to Audible and the more creator-focused shows moved to a new division at Amazon. Morbid, another top true crime podcast, made the move to SiriusXM in July.

Allen had signed a three-year, first-look deal with Amazon in 2022.

The deal comes after SiriusXM also made major deals for top-charting podcasts including Smartless, Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy, and other popular true crime podcasts including Crime Junkie, Dateline NBC and Rotten Mango. With MrBallen, SiriusXM now has deals with nine of the top 20 podcasts, according to Edison Research.

“John Allen has built The MrBallen Podcast into a global phenomenon,” said Scott Greenstein, president and chief content officer of SiriusXM. “His distinctive storytelling has captivated millions and set a high bar in the genre. This signing further underscores SiriusXM’s place as home to the biggest names in podcasting, whether they are audio or video stars. And as the premier destination for fans of mystery, suspense, and true crime storytelling, we’re excited to help John and the MrBallen team reach even more audiences.”

New episodes of The MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories will be available on the SiriusXM app and all other podcast platforms starting Nov. 1, with early access for SiriusXM Podcasts+ subscribers.