Longevity, not spikes.
Media changed quickly; the way it was built didn't. We play the long game so growth holds instead of breaking.
ABOUT BACKCHAT
WHEN WE COULDN’T FIND THE ROADMAP,
WHEN WE COULDN’T FIND THE ROADMAP,
WE MADE ONE
THE MODEL
A MEDIA SYSTEM BUILT FROM THE WORK
BackChat Group is a modern Australian media company built for how content actually works. Not legacy media. Not an agency. We build the system modern media runs on.
It started in a garage with webcams, no roadmap and no real production process. The goal was simple: talk sport honestly, independently from mainstream media. There was no grand plan, just trial and error. Recording was inconsistent, sponsor deals were messy, roles were unclear. Every mistake forced a fix, and over time those fixes became systems.
The gap turned out to be industry-wide. Legacy media wasn’t built for speed, agencies weren’t built for niche operators, and independent creators were building businesses without systems. So we built the method that didn’t exist.
What started as a podcast became a repeatable system. Today, BackChat Group runs 30+ shows across studios in two states, built from Perth and expanded into Melbourne. Four connected divisions. Different functions. Same principle.
WE BUILD FOR LONGEVITY, NOT SPIKES.
THE SHIFT
MEDIA USED TO HAVE GATEKEEPERS
If you wanted distribution, you had to go through them. Technology removed that completely. Anyone can reach an audience now.
Access isn’t the barrier anymore. Structure, quality and execution are.
ONE OPERATING SYSTEM
DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS
DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS
SAME PRINCIPLE
PRINCIPLES
HOW WE OPERATE
A strong idea or a talented person is only the start.
Without the right structure around the work, growth eventually breaks. BackChat built a way of doing it that brings the right pieces together and allows good work to keep moving at a high standard.
Independence needs discipline.
Independence is easy. Sustainability isn't. Shows need rhythm. Content needs a standard. Talent needs the right opportunities. The people behind the work need the space to do it properly. Independence works when the work behind it does.
FOUNDERS
BUILT BY THE PEOPLE WHO RUN IT
Co-Founder
Will Schofield
A 194-game AFL career and a 2018 premiership with the West Coast Eagles, then into media on one belief: audiences wanted honesty and personality more than the traditional system delivered. Today, Will works across Fox Footy, radio and digital media while continuing to co-host BackChat's flagship shows and help shape the Group's audience and commercial direction.
Co-Founder
Dan Const
Studied journalism, worked inside traditional media, then built BackChat as the alternative to gatekeepers and slow systems. Dan oversees the systems behind the Group, including production, commercial operations, creator development and the workflows that keep it moving.
THE TIMELINE
FROM GARAGE TO GROUP
-
2017
BackChat is born.
An AFL club podcast about how good backmen are, hosted by Will Schofield and Sam Butler.
-
2020
The new era.
Relaunched from a spare room as a weekly, independent AFL conversation. Dan Const joins Will Schofield.
-
2021
More than a podcast.
The audience doubled and a second show, Shelter FootyCast, proved the model could be repeated. First staff hired.
-
2022
Network growth.
The 4WD Podcast and more shows join, across sport and lifestyle. Still in the garage.
-
2023
Our first studio.
A purpose-built space with multiple recording studios and a serious jump in production capability.
-
2024
One million downloads.
The network crossed a million combined downloads and sponsors signed multi-season deals.
-
2025
Scaling nationally.
Expanded from Perth into Victoria with BackChat Melbourne. Live events and video-first content.
-
2026
BackChat Group forms.
Network, Studios, Creator and Co come together as four connected divisions. One operating system. Different functions. Same principle.
GET IN TOUCH
PARTNER WITH
PARTNER WITH
BACKCHAT
We match brands to the right show, talent and format rather than forcing a standard package.
WORK WITH US