The Friday afternoon news dump came with bad news for fans of quality writing.
ESPN announced Friday it’s suspended the publication of the sports and pop culture website Grantland, effective immediately.
“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.”
The only good news out of the announcement is ESPN will reportedly honor all of the Grantland writers’ contracts, and the company’s intent is to use the sportswriters on other ESPN platforms.
The sports and pop culture blog was started in 2011 by then-ESPN personality Bill Simmons. He served as editor-in-chief until leaving ESPN earlier this year.
“Grantland distinguished itself with quality writing, smart ideas, original thinking and fun,” ESPN continued in its statement. “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.”
Once Simmons left, many thought the writing was on the wall for website. Those fears were realized Friday.
Simmons chimed in shortly after the news broke.
Thumbnail photo via Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports Images
