Is Grantland founder and sports analyst Bill Simmons being courted by HBO?

By Christine Persaud Published June 18, 2015

any given wednesday bill simmons hbo cancelled — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Following his departure from ESPN last month, it seems HBO may have set its sights on sports personality Bill Simmons. The former ESPN analyst and editor-in-chief of digital magazine Grantland.com may be in line for a new HBO series, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

As a major name in the sports media world, Simmons is a sought after asset right now, even after his highly-publicized falling out with ESPN. His style is popular with younger audiences, as he often injects analysis from his own life, giving stories a more personal spin, and mixes in pop culture references for added entertainment. His contract was set to expire this September with ESPN, and after rumors of a rift with ESPN President John Skipper, it was confirmed that Simmons’ contract would not be renewed. A week later, Simmons and the network officially parted ways.

Related: ESPN sues Verizon over FIOS custom TV plans

Simmons’ past creative differences with ESPN are no secret, and his suspension last September following critical comments re the Ray Rice domestic violence case may have set the wheels in motion to speed up his departure from the network. HBO, which is known for its controversial programming like Game of Thrones and political talk show Real Time with Bill Maher, may very well be a better fit as home for Simmons, supporting more creative freedoms than perhaps ESPN (which is owned by the family oriented behemoth, Disney) was willing to provide.

According to the Business Insider, Simmons’ podcast was the most popular in sports. He has also written for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and was a popular NBA analyst. With his many rolls in the industry, Simmons has been nicknamed The Sports Guy. He originally got his job with ESPN back in 2001 after the network noticed his Website BostonSportsGuy.com. He is married with two kids, often referring to his wife, Kari Simmons (Crichton) simply as “The Sports Gal.”

Along with the possible HBO series, Gawker reported rumors earlier this month that Simmons may also be collaborating with Jon Stewart, who will soon be departing from The Daily Show, to start their own online subscription network.

Topics

Christine Persaud

Contributor

Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…

Entertainment

3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)

A girl looks at a boy in House at the End of the Street.

June is surprisingly over, and with it, a great month for movies comes to a satisfactory close. You've probably watched Inside Out 2 or Bad Boys: Ride or Die or maybe even The Bikeriders. From blockbusters to indie fare, the theatrical movie business has been robust and healthy.

The same goes for streaming. Netflix had a big hit with Richard Linklater's Hit Man, while Amazon Prime Video recently premiered the latest bonkers season of The Boys. HBO and Max have been quieter, but their robust library speaks volumes to the streamer's high quality. The following three films are older, but are just as worth your time as new hits like House of the Dragon season 2.
The Skin I Live In (2011)

Entertainment

3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)

Two men spy from a car in The Limey.

As we head toward the end of June, it's worth reflecting on how we want to spend the rest of summer. For some, that's going to mean enjoying nice weather or getting some time in at the beach. For others, it might mean escaping from the heat, at least for a while, to check out a great movie.

If you fall into that second category, then we've pulled together a list of three great, underrated, titles available on Amazon Prime Video that are all worth checking out. Prime Video is home to some of the best movies available online, but it can be hard to find the ones you want. These three will at least give you a great place to start.
The Limey (1999)
The Limey | 4K Restoration Trailer | Plays Dec. 19

Entertainment

The best Netflix original series right now

Eric and Benedict Cumberbatch in Eric.

The era of Peak TV was also Peak Netflix, because the streamer seemingly had an endless supply of new original series. So far in 2024, that hasn't been the case. Whether we'll ever get the same level of content again seems unlikely for now. But even in a reduced capacity, Netflix still has a few new additions to its lineup of originals.

For the month of June, we're adding the '80s-set thriller, Eric, which stars Benedict Cumbebatch. Our other pick for the month is Supacell, which is Netflix's new British series that remixes some old superhero archetypes. That's not a very big selection for fans who always want something new, but this roundup of the best Netflix original series really does have all of the top options in one place for you. All you have to do is scroll down and make time to binge watch some shows.