Well, this came over yesterday. ESPN has announced that the smarmy Bill Simmons, a.k.a. Captain Blowhard, will host his own NBA-themed show called “The Bill Simmons Ego Trip” “The Grantland Basketball Show.”
This means that Simmons who never liked being on NBA Countdown and pouted over air time during the NBA Finals back in June, will leave the show so he can fill “The Grantland Basketball Show” with his own lackeys Grantland staffers and other contributors who will discuss all things NBA.
The show premieres in October and will have as many as 18 shows during the season. With this show, it means that Simmons can continue overseeing Grantland and the 30 for 30 documentaries.
As much as I pick on Captain Blowhard, if the 30 for 30 series is the only part of his legacy, then he can very proud of the sports documentary that changed the genre. But I digress.
The Big Lead’s Jason McIntyre chronicled how Simmons engineered his exit from Countdown and managed to convince ESPN management to give him his own show by whining pleading appealing to the top brass.
We have the announcement on the new show.
The Grantland Basketball Show with Bill Simmons to Debut October 21 on ESPN
First Grantland-branded Television Series to Include Up to 18 One-hour Episodes during NBA Season
ESPN will debut the first Grantland-branded television series – The Grantland Basketball Show – featuring Grantland Editor-in-chief Bill Simmons, on Tuesday, October 21, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Grantland Basketball Show will feature lively discussion about a variety of NBA topics, facilitated by Simmons, with a rotating group of Grantland commentators and other contributors. Up to 18 one-hour, primetime episodes of The Grantland Basketball Show will air throughout the NBA season on ESPN, including eight during the regular-season and eight during the NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals. Other episodes are planned for the NBA Draft and the NBA’s free agency period.
The Grantland Basketball Show will emanate from ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center. Elements from the show will also be showcased on several ESPN platforms, including SportsCenter and Grantland.As a result of the new NBA opportunity, Simmons will no longer appear as an analyst on NBA Countdown. He will continue to serve as Editor-in-chief of Grantland and co-executive producer of 30 for 30.
The Grantland Basketball Show will be created as one of the first projects from ESPN’s new Exit 31 production studio, overseen by Marie Donoghue, [senior vice president, global strategy, business development and business affairs]. Production for The Grantland Basketball Show will be overseen by Connor Schell, [vice president and executive producer, ESPN Films and original content].
John Wildhack, executive vice president, production and programming:
“We’re thrilled that Bill will continue to have a presence as part of ESPN’s NBA television efforts. The nature of The Grantland Basketball Show schedule will allow Bill to stay connected to the sport he loves, while focusing on his other priorities, including the successful Grantland site and the acclaimed 30 for 30 series.”
Marie Donoghue, senior vice president, global strategy, business development and business affairs:
“The Grantland Basketball Show is a great step forward for Grantland as it continues to evolve and to expand its presence across ESPN platforms. In addition, this show is precisely the type of innovative, smart content we’re aiming to create at Exit 31. Bill is one of the industry’s leading commentators, who also happens to be a human NBA encyclopedia, with a vast knowledge of the league and its history. We couldn’t be more excited to work with Bill and help bring his vision to life.”
That is all.
