Bill Simmons is headed to HBO.
After ESPN cut ties with the sports media star in May, Simmons will now host a weekly TV show and video podcasts on HBO starting next year as part of a multi-year deal.
Re/code reported that Simmons’ talk show will air on the main HBO service, as well as HBO’s digital platforms like HBO Go and HBO Now.
Simmons, 44, rose to fame in the 2000s writing a popular column for ESPN.com and creating the award-winning 30 for 30 sports documentary series. He later founded the ESPN-owned sports and pop culture site Grantland.com in 2011.
The outspoken Simmons clashed with ESPN executives over the years and the sports media giant ultimately decided not to renew his contract when it expires in September.
It will be interesting to see what type of content Simmons helps produce at HBO and whether it gains popularity. Sports Illustrated noted that Simmons will likely ink a deal elsewhere for his written content.
“It’s no secret that HBO is the single best place for creative people in the entire media landscape,” Simmons said in a statement. “From the moment I started talking to [HBO Programming President Michael Lombardo] and [HBO CEO Richard Pleple], it was hard to imagine being anywhere else.”
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) July 22, 2015
