Bill Simmons’s new website has a name
Grantland 2.0?
Bill Simmons’s writing is almost back. On Wednesday, the former ESPN and current HBO personality announced the name for his new website, “The Ringer.’’
The website’s landing page reads: “A new digital venture from Bill Simmons. Coming soon.’’ On it are links to Simmons’s podcast and the social media streams for the site, which will fully launch later in 2016, Simmons announced on Twitter.
“The Ringer’’ will serve as the sole home for Simmons’s writing, an HBO spokesperson told CNN.com. According to a press release, via Politico.com, a digital newsletter will begin in mid-March. It will include “Ringer updates, riffs from our writers, and the occasional Russell Westbrook GIF,’’ as noted on the landing page.
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Simmons will also host an HBO talk show, and has already rolled out his new podcast series, “The Bill Simmons Podcast.’’
While working for ESPN, Simmons founded Grantland.com, a sports and culture website for longform journalism. The site was shut down in Oct. 2015, less than a year after Simmons left ESPN. He joined HBO in July 2015.
Former Grantland editor Sean Fennessey will serve as editor in chief for “The Ringer’’ — Fennessey was one of four Grantland staffers to leave ESPN and follow Simmons to HBO in October. According to CNN.com, Simmons has been recruiting and hiring additional Grantlanders.
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Simmons filed for a trademark for “The Ringer’’ in January 2016. The filing states the site’s long list of potential services, which include: “Downloadable podcasts, webcasts and electronic publications in the fields of entertainment, sports, sports and social commentary, pop culture, movies, music, television, technology, electronics, celebrities, current events, news, politics, lifestyle, and topics of general interest.’’
Perhaps “The Ringer’’ will be be a dead ringer of Grantland.
Notable departures from ESPN
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