It was just a matter of time before Bill Simmons found a new home.
After being fired by ESPN in May, Simmons has inked a deal with HBO and will launch his own weekly talk show, beginning in 2016, according to reports. The talk show will have Simmons touching on current sports topics as well as more spontaneous topics with guests (current and former athletes and possibly celebrities alike).
The reported multi-year contract will also give the outspoken sports personality the ability to produce content for HBO's digital platforms via video, features and podcasts sort of like he did with Grantland and podcasts for ESPN. He'll also consult for HBO Sports on non-boxing programming, including possible documentaries.
"We have been fans of Bill Simmons and his work for a very long time. His intelligence, talent and insights are without precedent in the areas he covers," HBO programming president Michael Lombardo said in a press release statement, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. "We could not be more thrilled for him to bring those talents to HBO and to become a signature voice at the network, spanning the sports and pop culture landscapes."
Simmons also added: "It's no secret that HBO is the single best place for creative people in the entire media landscape. From the moment I started talking to Michael and Richard [Plepler, HBO chairman and CEO], it was hard to imagine being anywhere else."
After 14 years of working with ESPN, Simmons was fired in May, seven months after notoriously ripping NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and earning a three-week suspension from the Worldwide Leader in Sports.
Following Simmons' departure, ESPN also parted ways with Keith Olbermann and national radio host Colin Cowherd more recently and is widely-reported to be tightening its belt.
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