http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/05/what-doomed-bill-simmons-at-espn
Vanity Fair spin on the situation.
Vanity Fair spin on the situation.
Bill Simmons out at ESPN
- Thread starter SectionWC ROW 3
- Start date
For the sake of accuracy
Jimmy Kimmel Live![edit]
In the summer of 2002, Jimmy Kimmel had been trying to get Simmons to write for his new late-night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! which was to premiere after the Super Bowl.[9][22][27] Simmons refused for most of the summer because he did not want to cut back on his columns and move to the West Coast away from his family and Boston teams.[22] Kimmel kept on "badgering" him and by mid-September Kimmel had him "on the ropes."[22] It was crucial for Simmons that he could write for the show and on ESPN.com and in ESPN The Magazine, which was possible because of the Disney connection with ESPN and ABC.[22] He has also stated that he joined the show because he was burned out from his column, felt he needed a change, and always wanted to write for a talk show.[4][35]
Simmons left Boston and moved to California on November 16, 2002[46] and began working in April 2003[47] as a comedy writer for the show.[14] Simmons called it "the best move I ever made"[4] and said it was one of the best experiences of his life.[48] He left the show in the spring of 2004[48] after a year and a half of writing for the show.[9] He wanted to focus full-time on his column,[20] since his writing was starting to slip and he did not have enough time to work on columns or even think about them.[48] Simmons remained in California.[9]
Jimmy Kimmel Live![edit]
In the summer of 2002, Jimmy Kimmel had been trying to get Simmons to write for his new late-night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! which was to premiere after the Super Bowl.[9][22][27] Simmons refused for most of the summer because he did not want to cut back on his columns and move to the West Coast away from his family and Boston teams.[22] Kimmel kept on "badgering" him and by mid-September Kimmel had him "on the ropes."[22] It was crucial for Simmons that he could write for the show and on ESPN.com and in ESPN The Magazine, which was possible because of the Disney connection with ESPN and ABC.[22] He has also stated that he joined the show because he was burned out from his column, felt he needed a change, and always wanted to write for a talk show.[4][35]
Simmons left Boston and moved to California on November 16, 2002[46] and began working in April 2003[47] as a comedy writer for the show.[14] Simmons called it "the best move I ever made"[4] and said it was one of the best experiences of his life.[48] He left the show in the spring of 2004[48] after a year and a half of writing for the show.[9] He wanted to focus full-time on his column,[20] since his writing was starting to slip and he did not have enough time to work on columns or even think about them.[48] Simmons remained in California.[9]
Burrs, it's relative when someone is discussing moving across country to pursue a career. If you've never done it you probably don't appreciate the risk/uncertainty it involves. It says something about a person to do as much. And, for the sake of accuracy he was married at the time.
Douchy to have a curiosity beyond the friendly confines of all you've ever known. That is straight from CoP Central Casting.
I agree that picking up and moving someplace, especially if you basically have nothing, to pursue a career, a dream, or whatever can be a risk. I'm not sure Simmons particular situation was all that risky. He was still writing for ESPN and was being urged by a established talk show host to join his team in LA.
It's not douchey to have curiosity. It's not douchey to travel the world. It's not douchey to live someplace different every three years. To each is own. But it's 100% douchey to try to belittle others who like what they do and where they live. Moving from place to place doesn't make you a better a person. It's not some sort of character flaw to be satisfied, content, and happy with where live.
That's fair. Just saying there are different levels of risk. If Simmons was financially secure at the time and was about walk into something else that enhanced this, then the risk wasn't as big as maybe some others who did it with less and far less support.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
Only someone in your line of work would assign high value to the puffery of "curating the ideas", the fake involvement of producing, branding, type face and "influence over the look and feel". It was a good overall idea. They didn't succeed because of typeface and feel though. He didn't make the films.
Executing ideas is secondary only to ideas themselves. He was key in both for a property that has been a major windfall for a major media company. That's just not an easy thing to do. I guess you can downplay it all you want. I happen to know a bit about what it takes to pull a documentary together - ideas are not easy and even when you have them, making them interesting is hard. Why do you say his involvement was 'fake'?
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
Can't speak necessarily to this case, but my understand is that being named one of three exec producers on a project just means that you came up with an idea and will get paid for it morseo than a high level of involvement in the execution of the idea. And like I said earlier, they don't need him around to continue that series. He just started the idea.
Let's not get carried away here. The 30 for 30 series I'm sure has had some nice ratings for some of the episodes, but when it comes to the success and value of ESPN and ESPN to Disney, it's far from a "major windfall." The fact that ESPN commands the biggest price by far of any cable channel from cable/sat/DSL providers has nothing to do with 30 for 30 or Bill Simmons commentary on the NBA. ESPN's website is nice and I know that he has helped to drive traffic there as well. I also bet they feel he hasn't always done all they expected in that regard (i.e., Grantland seems like a failed experiment).
But regardless for ESPN, it's all about live sports. No one is up in arms and threatening to cancel their cable/DSL/satellite if they can't get the next 30 for 30 or see Simmons commentary during the NBA draft or at halftime.
This is part of why ESPN had its limits in negotiations with the guy. And ESPN had plenty of great ideas before the days that 90210, Party of 5 and whatever TV shows he focuses on in his columns first hit the air. They have the ideas he developed for them and they own. And they'll have more ideas from people dying to work for one of the biggest names in sports at a below market price. He was not worth it and replaceable--I applaud the judicious use of shareholder funds.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
Not a major mindfall necessarily, but a new format and lower cost product for a network that needs that. How much did netflix pay for the 30 for 30 movies?
Due credit to Simmons - the 30 for 30 series is great, but it's hardly an original idea. Documentaries about sports have been plentiful and around forever. Ken Burn's "Baseball" (1994) is 18 hours long and won the 1995 Primetime Emmy. The only thing different about 30 for 30 is that it originally covered stories between 1979-2009 (the 30 years of ESPN's existence). Making a 30 for 30 show also brings with it considerable advantages over independent filmmakers - e.g. the Walt Disney Company owns an 80% stake in ESPN Films.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
Hoop Dreams came out in '94, When We Were Kings won best documentary oscar in '96. Previously other fringe sports had notable documentaries, The Man Who Skied Down Everest, Endless Summer, etc.
30 for 30 gave ESPN it's own programming beyond live sports and highlight shows. No one is arguing the guy created the documentary. In poor attempts to discredit the guy we're way off track. Silly.
I'd say that whoever came up with the ideas for the documentaries, specifically most of the original 30, deserve the cap tip. The USFL? The 80's Miami teams? Steve effing Bartman? Gr8 topics.
I can't get over the over valuing of these 30 for 30s. They're documentaries for christs sake. And ESPN had no original content prior to this??? I remember quite a few game shows and the SportsCentury series just off the top of my head. The revisionist history from these Sports Guy fan boys is staggering. You act like he invented sports writing.
Those sports century documentaries were boring.
Although I did enjoy stump the schwab.
Although I did enjoy stump the schwab.
All American
2 Minute Drill (2000–2001)
Beg, Borrow and Deal (2001–2002)
Bonds on Bonds (2006)
Bill Walton's Long Strange Trip (2003)
Bound for Glory (2005)
Cheap Seats (2004–2006)
Dream Job (2004-2006)
Free Agent (2005)
I'd Do Anything (2004–2005)
It's The Shoes
Knight School (2006)
Playmakers (2003)
Shaquille (2005)
Stump the Schwab (2004-2006)
The Bronx is Burning {2007)
The Life
A Season on the Brink (2002)
The Junction Boys (2002)
Hustle (2004)
3: The Dale Earnhardt Story (2004)
Four Minutes (2005)
Code Breakers (2005)
Through the Fire (2006)
Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos (2006)
Ruffian (2007)
Mr. and Mrs. America (2007)
Black Magic (2008)
The Fantasy Show (2006)
Outside the Lines Nightly (2003–2006)
Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith (2005–2007)
SportsNight (1993–1997)
Talk2 (1993-1998)
Unscripted with Chris Connelly (2001–2002)
Up Close (1982–2001)
Cold Pizza (2003–2007)
Jim Rome is Burning (2003–2012)
Battle of the Gridiron Stars (2005-06)
The Bronx is Burning (2007)
The Contender (2005)
ESPN2 Block Party (since 2005)
ESPN2 Garage (since 2007)
Madden Nation (since 2006)
NBA Live: Bring It Home (since 2007)
The New American Sportsman (since 2006)
Teammates (since 2005)
Tilt (2005)
World Series of Poker (since 2003)
30 for 30 (since 2009)
Nine for IX (since 2013)
1st and 10 (since 2004)
Around the Horn (since 2002)
Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable
First Take (since 2007)
His & Hers (since 2011)
Mike and Mike in the Morning (since 2006)
Olbermann (Since 2013)
Outside the Lines Sunday (since 1990)
Pardon the Interruption (since 2001)
The Sports Reporters (since 1988)
Best of Mike and Mike (since 2006)
SportsNation (since 2009)
Winners Bracket (since 2010)
BodyShaping (1990–1998)
2 Minute Drill (2000–2001)
Beg, Borrow and Deal (2001–2002)
Bonds on Bonds (2006)
Bill Walton's Long Strange Trip (2003)
Bound for Glory (2005)
Cheap Seats (2004–2006)
Dream Job (2004-2006)
Free Agent (2005)
I'd Do Anything (2004–2005)
It's The Shoes
Knight School (2006)
Playmakers (2003)
Shaquille (2005)
Stump the Schwab (2004-2006)
The Bronx is Burning {2007)
The Life
A Season on the Brink (2002)
The Junction Boys (2002)
Hustle (2004)
3: The Dale Earnhardt Story (2004)
Four Minutes (2005)
Code Breakers (2005)
Through the Fire (2006)
Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos (2006)
Ruffian (2007)
Mr. and Mrs. America (2007)
Black Magic (2008)
The Fantasy Show (2006)
Outside the Lines Nightly (2003–2006)
Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith (2005–2007)
SportsNight (1993–1997)
Talk2 (1993-1998)
Unscripted with Chris Connelly (2001–2002)
Up Close (1982–2001)
Cold Pizza (2003–2007)
Jim Rome is Burning (2003–2012)
Battle of the Gridiron Stars (2005-06)
The Bronx is Burning (2007)
The Contender (2005)
ESPN2 Block Party (since 2005)
ESPN2 Garage (since 2007)
Madden Nation (since 2006)
NBA Live: Bring It Home (since 2007)
The New American Sportsman (since 2006)
Teammates (since 2005)
Tilt (2005)
World Series of Poker (since 2003)
30 for 30 (since 2009)
Nine for IX (since 2013)
1st and 10 (since 2004)
Around the Horn (since 2002)
Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable
First Take (since 2007)
His & Hers (since 2011)
Mike and Mike in the Morning (since 2006)
Olbermann (Since 2013)
Outside the Lines Sunday (since 1990)
Pardon the Interruption (since 2001)
The Sports Reporters (since 1988)
Best of Mike and Mike (since 2006)
SportsNation (since 2009)
Winners Bracket (since 2010)
BodyShaping (1990–1998)
30 for 30 has added an income stream the espn has never had. They've never produced anything that was distributed via dvd/Netflix as far as I know.
Other than Lewis and Clark, I can't think of a bigger risk-taker than Bill Simmons.
People here are jealous that they type snarky comments on a message board and this guy created a brand out of doing something similar for a career.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
gr8 point. so 30 for 30 was basically just making SportsCetury/ESPNClassic puff pieces more artful? yaaaawn.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
Don't forget...
- several hours of former journalists yelling about fake talking points.
- highlight shows that cater towards sports that they have contracts with
I have not watched a Melrose segment in years. I dont think he's even watching the games. He used to be fairly entertaining too. Not sure he's recovered from telling the world Steve Stamkos was not ready for the NHL
Interesting that Grantland released a summer movie preview with him in it today. Obviously filmed before he was canned but I thought ESPN was adamant that he was no longer appearing in anything effective immediately.
My question made one of his mailbags. After hitting that peak there was nowhere else to go but downhill.