Bill Simmons is taking his talents to HBO.
Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated reports that Simmons has signed a multi-year deal with HBO and will be hosting a weekly show on the network beginning in 2016. He will also be producing content for HBO’s digital platforms, which will include video podcasts.
Simmons, who went through an ugly divorce with ESPN earlier this year, sent the following tweet on Wednesday afternoon:
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) July 22, 2015
HBO’s interest in Simmons was first revealed by The Hollywood Reporter roughly a month ago. The network is making a strong push to grow its digital audience in the wake of the HBO Now and HBO Go launch, and Simmons is certainly familiar with that field.
According to Deitsch, HBO will be Simmons “exclusive television home,” meaning he could still sign a writing deal with another media juggernaut or start his own website. As LB mentioned previously, Simmons was made famous with his creative writing at ESPN and — most recently — Grantland.
“It’s no secret that HBO is the single best place for creative people in the entire media landscape,” Simmons said in a statement.
If the innovation Simmons used in helping to create ESPN’s “30 for 30” series is any indication, he should thrive with HBO. The premium television network will likely censor Simmons far less (if at all) than ESPN did. An uncensored Simmons will be better for all of us.
