#210: Evan Centopani, Easton Drake & Jason Budsock at The Cage on Animal's Next Chapter

Episode #210 of the PricePlow Podcast lands live from the expo floor of the Arnold Sports Festival 2026 in Columbus, Ohio, with three back-to-back conversations that cover 40-plus years of supplement history, a landmark creatine collab, and a glimpse at where the whole category is headed next.

Spencer and Ben sit down first with Evan Centopani, a 20-year Animal athlete and competitive bodybuilder who now runs a financial planning practice in New Jersey. Next up is Easton Drake, just 90 days into his role as Animal’s Athlete Manager after stints at Bodybuilding.com (BBCOM) and Applied Nutrition.

The third conversation brings back Jason Budsock, an OG in Animal’s brand and marketing history who has been on the podcast before. The through-line across all three: the Smarties creatine chew collaboration (Animal’s first-ever licensed flavor collab and the first of its kind in a chewable creatine tablet), the newly signed athlete Billy Love, and how creatine is pulling in audiences far beyond the meathead demographic — including women, the elderly, and yes, even kids.

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https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/animal-evan-centopani-210

Video: Animal at Arnold 2026 with Evan Centopani, Easton Drake, and Jason Budsock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVpezxJhxik

Detailed Show Notes: Animal at Arnold 2026 with Evan Centopani, Easton Drake, and Jason Budsock

• (0:00) – Introductions: Evan’s 20 Years at the Arnold
• (2:45) – Animal as a Legacy Brand
• (5:00) – The Steak, Not the Sizzle
• (7:00) – Brian Boss, Iconic Imagery, and the First Lifestyle Brand
• (14:00) – Financial Planning and the Creator Economy
• (20:45) – Meet Easton Drake: 90 Days at Animal
• (24:00) – Announcing Billy Love as Animal’s Newest Athlete
• (27:45) – Character Over Credentials
• (32:30) – Animal’s Strategic Content Philosophy
• (36:15) – Welcome Back, Jason Budsock
• (37:30) – Animal x Smarties: Two Industry Firsts
• (40:00) – Chews vs. Gummies and the Smarties Flavor Line
• (44:00) – Creatine’s Booming New Demographics

Where to Follow and Learn More

Connect with Evan Centopani, Easton Drake, Jason Budsock, and Animal

Evan Centopani

• Evan Centopani on YouTube – educational content, basement training, kitchen meal breakdowns
• Evan Centopani on Instagram
• Easton Drake on LinkedIn
• Jason Budsock on LinkedIn
• Animal Website
• Instagram: @animalpak
• Animal on PricePlow â sign up for news and price alerts

Resources Mentioned

• The CAGE Turns 20: Animal at the 2025 Arnold
• …

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