Bill Simmons announced a deal with HBO on Wednesday for a weekly talk show after ESPN refused to renew his contract after 15 years with the company.
Simmons originally started off with ESPN as a columnist and climbed the ladder to become one of the most well recognized voices of sports from his podcasts. In 2007 he was named the 12th most influential person in online sports by the Sports Business Journal. Although ESPN and Simmons had a long relationship, it was not always a smooth one. In 2014 Simmons was suspended by ESPN for criticizing NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Simmons is not only expected to host the weekly talk show, but also produce content for multiple HBO venues. He will be consulting with HBO Sports in the development of shows and documentary films.
“We have been fans of Bill Simmons and his work for a very long time. His intelligence, talent and insights are without precedence in the areas he covers,” HBO’s President of Programming said about adding the veteran broadcaster to the network. “We could not be more thrilled for him to bring those talents to HBO and to become a signature voice at the network, spanning the sports and pop culture landscapes.”
