It’s been over a month since ESPN and Bill Simmons officially parted ways and even though his contract isn’t up until this fall, other outlets are already hoping to get the Grantland founder. One of those media outlets is reportedly HBO.
Buried in a big Hollywood Reporter story about the premium cable network’s success, reporter Lacey Rose writes that HBO is trying to get Simmons, since he is easily one of the most popular faces in sports journalism today. Insiders for THR said that, although Simmons has had several interested parties, HBO looks like a better option for him, since it would involve a TV show. Plus, he could have even more content on HBO Now.
A source confirmed the report to CNN Money, although HBO still has not commented.
The issue with HBO taking Simmons is that he is also known for his columns and HBO currently has no outlet for that. But if the company is trying to get more Internet subscribers, adding a site like Grantland wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Although it was widely expected, ESPN’s May announcement that they would not renew Simmons’ contract in September was still a surprise. Even more surprising is the fact that he hasn’t written anything for Grantland or appeared on ESPN since that announcement.
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