Grantland
- Thread starter Leather
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Official ESPN statement:
Effective immediately we are suspending the publication of Grantland. After careful consideration, we have decided to direct our time and energy going forward to projects that we believe will have a broader and more significant impact across our enterprise.
Grantland distinguished itself with quality writing, smart ideas, original thinking and fun. We are grateful to those who made it so. Bill Simmons was passionately committed to the site and proved to be an outstanding editor with a real eye for talent. Thanks to all the other writers, editors and staff who worked very hard to create content with an identifiable sensibility and consistent intelligence and quality. We also extend our thanks to Chris Connelly who stepped in to help us maintain the site these past five months as he returns to his prior role.
Despite this change, the legacy of smart long-form sports story-telling and innovative short form video content will continue, finding a home on many of our other ESPN platforms.
Effective immediately we are suspending the publication of Grantland. After careful consideration, we have decided to direct our time and energy going forward to projects that we believe will have a broader and more significant impact across our enterprise.
Grantland distinguished itself with quality writing, smart ideas, original thinking and fun. We are grateful to those who made it so. Bill Simmons was passionately committed to the site and proved to be an outstanding editor with a real eye for talent. Thanks to all the other writers, editors and staff who worked very hard to create content with an identifiable sensibility and consistent intelligence and quality. We also extend our thanks to Chris Connelly who stepped in to help us maintain the site these past five months as he returns to his prior role.
Despite this change, the legacy of smart long-form sports story-telling and innovative short form video content will continue, finding a home on many of our other ESPN platforms.
nattysez said:
Can't really blame the employees for assuming they're out of a job given the circumstances, even if they're not. Most places don't tell the world they're shutting down before they tell the people who work for them.
/turns phone off
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) October 30, 2015
well then
— Rembert Browne (@rembert) October 30, 2015
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) October 30, 2015
well then
— Rembert Browne (@rembert) October 30, 2015
Nope, they'll just shuffle him to the obscurity of the main NBA page.Clears Cleaver said:
Edit- Keri too. I'd guess it is only the pop-culture people who get the axe.
I loved everyone I worked with at G and loved what we built. Watching good/kind/talented people get treated so callously = simply appalling.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) October 30, 2015
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) October 30, 2015
Ken Tremendous @KenTremendous 31m31 minutes ago
"Grantland distinguished itself with quality writing, smart ideas, original thinking and fun. So we're junking it." http://es.pn/1GBMxam
Ken Tremendous @KenTremendous 22m22 minutes ago
"Look, guys, this is a business. And our business is miserable idiots trolling people with hot takes they don't even believe." - ESPN
"Grantland distinguished itself with quality writing, smart ideas, original thinking and fun. So we're junking it." http://es.pn/1GBMxam
Ken Tremendous @KenTremendous 22m22 minutes ago
"Look, guys, this is a business. And our business is miserable idiots trolling people with hot takes they don't even believe." - ESPN
When Simmons first announced the project on his podcast with Klosterman he said he wanted to create a space to give young writers a platform. It did such a great job of achieving that goal . A shame that space won't exist anymore for other young writers.
It's a mind numbing how ham handed of an ending it is. If you are another media outlet you have to be trying to snap up the Lowe,Keri, and other talent now feeling publicly punched in the nuts. Sure it was like a train coming down the inevitable tracks, but as an English major I thoroughly enjoyed the writing.
JimD said:
Is there any traffic stats available? I imagine Grantland's traffic wasn't much once Simmons left. As for FiveThirtyEight, you are right that it doesn't make sense at all on ESPN. Then again, maybe it too will be gone after the 2016 elections.
That the parent company is in a financial crunch at the moment didn't exactly help either. Great tweets by Ken, though. Right on the money.
Most everyone is under contract and basically have to stay or will have garden leave if they want to leave. Wonder if anyone recently reupped and now are stuck being guests in around the horn or writers for First Take
Rumors were that Lowe and Shoemaker both re-upped. Lowe obviously they'd want to keep for NBA stuff, but if it's true on Shoemaker what will they even do with him?Clears Cleaver said:
Senior ESPN source: "We're getting out of the pop culture business." https://t.co/dWNvwRwALb
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 30, 2015
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 30, 2015
Is there any indication that HBO might pick this mantle up in any way? I get why they wouldn't – Simmons in their tent notwithstanding, it's hard to imagine long form sports journalism ever being the bread and butter of what is fundamentally always going to be a movie cable channel. That said, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel is the real deal and in some ways you have to wonder if they would consider it.
"Hey, sorry about Grantland. But coming up next: The Fanduel/DraftKings Shouting Hour," where 8 doughy men shout about YOUR tweets!" - ESPN
— Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) October 30, 2015
— Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) October 30, 2015
ESPN whacks the lone readable platform it has. It's basically Barstool without Guess that Ass now.
It's a shame and the writing was on the wall, but "ham handed" is exactly right.
Beyond that, though, it seems incredibly short sighted by ESPN and Disney. The #1 thing cable providers are scrambling for is content. Sports provides appointment television, but demographics are shifting. Grantland provided a great platform for them to connect with a younger audience while incubating tomorrow's content drivers. ESPN might say that "blogging" is a deadend, but look where that got Simmons. They might say podcasting can't make money, but that model is, what, five years old? I'm in my mid-30s and I haven't turned on the radio in years.
I'd love to see what Grantland's line item cost within EPSN. It's got to be a drop in the bucket. Even if it's a slight loss leader, there's something to be said for investing in the future. I'm down to MNF and Mike Reiss at this point. Fuck them.
Beyond that, though, it seems incredibly short sighted by ESPN and Disney. The #1 thing cable providers are scrambling for is content. Sports provides appointment television, but demographics are shifting. Grantland provided a great platform for them to connect with a younger audience while incubating tomorrow's content drivers. ESPN might say that "blogging" is a deadend, but look where that got Simmons. They might say podcasting can't make money, but that model is, what, five years old? I'm in my mid-30s and I haven't turned on the radio in years.
I'd love to see what Grantland's line item cost within EPSN. It's got to be a drop in the bucket. Even if it's a slight loss leader, there's something to be said for investing in the future. I'm down to MNF and Mike Reiss at this point. Fuck them.
I'm going to offer a counterpunch...
Every time a publication like this shuts down or gets reorganized beyond recognition (TNR, is that you?), a host of writers flock to Twitter to bemoan its loss and question the motives of the parent organization.
I understand why – and I often share their disappointment. But here's the thing:
Great journalism doesn't have a *right* to exist.
And large companies aren't obligated to fund it out of their corporate profits. I mean, I suppose I'd understand that argument if ta mission-driven media organization like the NYT were shutting down GL (who frankly, have enough problems as it is).
But this is Disney. They are an entertainment company. They have shareholders, which is always the risk with ventures like these. That a company like Disney funded this thing in the first place—and for four years—is actually kind of awesome. We now have a pretty amazing template to operate from – and maybe some lessons learned about how to make something like this more sustainable going forward.
That's what I keep telling myself anyway.
Every time a publication like this shuts down or gets reorganized beyond recognition (TNR, is that you?), a host of writers flock to Twitter to bemoan its loss and question the motives of the parent organization.
I understand why – and I often share their disappointment. But here's the thing:
Great journalism doesn't have a *right* to exist.
And large companies aren't obligated to fund it out of their corporate profits. I mean, I suppose I'd understand that argument if ta mission-driven media organization like the NYT were shutting down GL (who frankly, have enough problems as it is).
But this is Disney. They are an entertainment company. They have shareholders, which is always the risk with ventures like these. That a company like Disney funded this thing in the first place—and for four years—is actually kind of awesome. We now have a pretty amazing template to operate from – and maybe some lessons learned about how to make something like this more sustainable going forward.
That's what I keep telling myself anyway.
I totally agree.Van Everyman said:
If it was really "appalling" to Simmons, well, figure out a way to make it work on its own. You have the sway and as noted you have a template. And maybe he is, and that would be great. But otherwise...
Life goes on and the writers who are good will get picked up elsewhere, or write books, or whatever.
Well, if anyone is interested in reliving the day that the National shutdown (which I think was one of Grantland's first stories), now you can!
I think Simmons' "appalling" line was about the fact that once again ESPN just released a statement and everyone who actually works there found out on twitter that their jobs were either gone or about to drastically change.Toe Nash said:
Edit- ESPN has really badly managed everything involving Grantland since the Simmons firing. They did that one on twitter as well. Then they have strung it along by talking up how Grantland was a priority and would continue on. Then they had the issues with not letting them thank the long-time editors who left, then they shut it down shortly after trying to get the talent to sign new deals.
soxhop411 said:
Well played...everyone loves a good ol' Friday afternoon news dump.
Somewhere in New York, an empty NFL public relations suit is nodding his head in approval at this announcement.
Here's another counter-perspective:
Imagine being John Skipper. You were Simmons' biggest champion for 15 years. At a time when people were wondering where the WWL was headed after its first initial run of talent had dispersed, you were the muscle behind Simmons' building this amazing empire that, in turn, helped the ESPN brand grow and mature. And you got credit for that.
In less than a year's time, it's all gone. You have chased out your partner and torn almost all of what you built together down. And pretty much everybody hates you for it and holds you responsible.
I'm sure Skipper is well paid for his work but jeez.
Imagine being John Skipper. You were Simmons' biggest champion for 15 years. At a time when people were wondering where the WWL was headed after its first initial run of talent had dispersed, you were the muscle behind Simmons' building this amazing empire that, in turn, helped the ESPN brand grow and mature. And you got credit for that.
In less than a year's time, it's all gone. You have chased out your partner and torn almost all of what you built together down. And pretty much everybody hates you for it and holds you responsible.
I'm sure Skipper is well paid for his work but jeez.
ESPN wants to build a model where they don't rely on the personalities of their media stars for ratings and they don't rely on quality writing for their web traffic.
Thirded. This is the nature of the content creation business. Grantland never generated enough readership or revenue to survive without being subsidized by the profitable parts of the company. That can't go on forever. Shows get canceled, sites get shuttered. It happens.Toe Nash said:
Simmons by every account was a much-loved boss for his support of the work itself, but part of running a company is protecting the people who work for you and let's be honest, he put his whole staff in a very precarious place when he dared Skipper to suspend him.
Van Everyman said:
Not sure if you are implying Skipper is some type of sympathetic figure. If so, do you still feel that way after reading this article?
IMO, the guy comes across like Baghdad Bob. The walls are closing in on this douche.
Not sympathy really -- just that this is a guy who started as a writer for Rolling Stone out of college and who now has absolutely has become Bagdhad Bob. These kinds of situations have a way of making everyone a loser in some aspect.
Edit: Just to be clear: I just don't think John Skipper, Columbia Journalism Graduate, set out to work for a company where he would be pushing out all their best journalistic talent.
Edit: Just to be clear: I just don't think John Skipper, Columbia Journalism Graduate, set out to work for a company where he would be pushing out all their best journalistic talent.
Robert Mays has good story on his twitter about how he got the job at Grantland. I hope Simmons finds away to keep helping young writers.