The top-10 SANDCAST episodes from 2023

This year was, in every way, the best year we’ve ever had at SANDCAST. It may have taken us more than five years, but we alas upgraded our mics, to the world-class Shure MV7s. Midway through 2023, Gabby Bourne put the final touches on our studio, making it look like a legitimately professional endeavor. Our camera, too, received a facelift, upgraded from a blurry Mevo shooting in 720 to an excellent Canon.

Maybe it’s correlation, maybe causation, but our numbers, both on audio and YouTube, have exploded.

Our downloads shot up by more than 50 percent year-over-year. We hit monthly highs in six consecutive months. Half of the top-10 episodes you’ll see below currently rank in our top-10 all-time.

The most recent podcast growth research shows that more than 50% of listeners discover new podcasts through personal recommendations. The best way, by far, for SANDCAST to grow is from our listeners, viewers, and, in this case, readers, sharing it with volleyball fans, so these suggestions to friends are hugely appreciated. A massive thank you to everyone that’s been sharing and supporting the show over the years, through our awful audio and shoddy camera work to still-sometimes-suspect audio and relatively less shoddy camera work.

Merry Christmas everyone, happy New Year, and enjoy our top-10 beach volleyball podcasts from 2023.

1. Miles Partain

Little surprise here. Prior to Miles Partain coming on SANDCAST, he was mostly a mystery, a scintillating 21-year-old who had won an AVP tournament, trailblazed a new style of American beach volleyball, abruptly left the UCLA indoor team, yet also somehow avoided the grips of social media. This episode was, as far as I know, the first extended conversation he’d had in a relatively public setting. Not only was it the most popular episode of the year, it also ranks No. 2 all-time.

2. Taylor Crabb and Taylor Sander

Love them, hate them — you’re interested in Taylor Crabb and Taylor Sander, and you know it. At least, that’s how it seems from  the volume of downloads, views on YouTube, and the steady stream of comments, which range from fanboys to a deep and amusing loathing. They’re the most interesting team in the country, one of the finest indoor talents quickly cutting his teeth on the beach with perhaps the most gifted American player of this generation. It’s a combination that leads to anything we do with…