The Simmons/Rivers fight got me thinking, just how influential is Bill Simmons? No, this thread is not about the fight. It’s all about Bill Simmons the media figure. I believe this topic deserves a seperate thread. I have been a fan of his ever since he started his Podcast back in 2007. I have always found this guy fascinating, especially as a business mind. In fact, I believe he could be the most influential figure in sports media. Yeah, the Bill Simmons who talks about Boston sports 1/3 of the time, spends the other 1/3 making jokes, and the last 1/3 about other sports topics. He looks like a fan and writer who simply got lucky. But in reality, behind this authentic and relatable personality lies a business and media mastermind. Everything he does turns into gold. Think about this: he started his career writing funny columns. He quickly became the most popular sports writer, and eventually turned that into the most influential sports column website - Grantland.com. He started doing a Podcast back in 2007 called the BS Report, and quickly became the best in business. He eventually built the Grantland Network that hosts many popular podcasts, media assets and personalities. He also ideated/produced 30 for 30, a series of documentary that made some of the best documentaries in sports (The U, Once Brothers, Fab 5…). This year, he started doing TV. Some people don't like him, and some believes he and JVG are already the best Bball personalities on ESPN. But one thing that's undeniable: his presence propelled one of the worst NBA drafts into the most riveting one ever on TV. A lot of his success had to do with ESPN. And by all accounts, he is a pain to work with. But ESPN is more than happy to accommodate him and build an empire around this guy. I bet if ESPN fires every media figure they have but three, he would be one of them… In fact, he could be the last one. The funny thing is, very few people understands his influence, and many are quick to discredit him because “he is just a fan”, “he is dorky”, and “all he cares about is Boston sports”. And when people believe guys like Doc Rivers is more accomplished because “he is a champion”, I have to laugh. In term of influence and accomplishment, Bill Simmons trumps Doc Rivers in every aspect when compared to peers. Many coaches win championships, and Rivers only won one. But no one can do what Simmons does in sports media. Not even close. I believe when Simmons retires, he would be remembered as the pioneer in the field of sports media, the way people remember Steve Jobs in the field of technology.
He's making big bank off that grantland website and the podcasts, yes a very very smart business man.
Very good read. Although I think you're going a little too far - calling him a pioneer. I don't really agree, but I really enjoyed your post repped
He's a fascinating guy. I remember reading about his feud with espn years ago because they kept trying to censor him. Also, I think espn hired him because he had an independent blog that was so successful.
By the way, when I was in school I took a class called sports business. We were required to give presentation on a sports figure. One person did one on Bill Simmons and called him his "imaginary friend". I feel that perfectly describes how his millions of fans view him. I believe Simmons carefully develops and maintains that imaginary relationship. That's why he never reveals how rich, successful and influential he is. He will always want you to see him as "just a fan", someone you can relate.
Yep -- and I think that twitter account his 5 year old son just started is going to be great too. I'm taking it in my twitter account future league fantasy draft.
OP, I think you're taking it way too far, no matter how good Bill Simmons is he'll never even touch Doc's level as far as power or influence. The players and coaches create the story, the media just babbles about it. For a similar example, see Mel Kiper; he can yell and scream all he wants on ESPN about how teams made bad picks, nobody who counts actually listens to him.
That's irrelevant when we're talking the two compared to each other, which is what we're doing, because they're beefing right now. Simmons is a nobody next to Doc, pure and simple. OP is trying to assert the opposite, which just isn't true.
According to Sports Illustrated, he is currently the most powerful person in sports media. Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20130306/most-powerful-people-sports-media/#ixzz2XaPtmxHA
Actually, I think pioneer is a pretty accurate description... he's the first person I can remember that had a must-read internet sports column. In fact, I still can't even think of another one. There's a lot of great writers, but none that integrated sports/pop culture/internet like he has. And this is before even mentioning all the TV stuff. He's the most powerful figure in sports media for a reason.
LOL! So since he's such a 'nobody' next to Doc, why is Doc accusing him of being powerful enough to meet with the Celtic owners to get Doc fired? Surely a 'nobody' wouldn't be able to do that, amirite?
The man's the executive producer of an award-winning series of documentaries, the editor of a website - one of the first of its kind - that gets over 3 million visitors a month, the author of two NYT best-sellers, and hosts arguably the most popular sports podcast ever. And now he's on TV. There are very few contexts in which it would be accurate to describe him as a nobody.
Well, Doc wasn't fired, was he? The owner meets with season ticket holders and fans all the time, this is not exactly unusual. Clearly Simmons had little to no effect, and all he succeeded in doing was getting Doc angry at him. Hell, I'd be angry too if I learned that someone tried to get me fired, even if they had zero chance of success. Journalists don't create news, they report and discuss news that other people create. Next to the people who create the news, they will always be nobodies.
That's just Boston though, that's his town. If you asked Celtic fans if they'd rather have the run under Doc or Bill Simmons they'd take those years under Doc. I like Simmons a lot, his memory is unbelievable and he's pretty damn funny but he's nearing a point where more is less. I can't listen to his rambling podcasts anymore and some of that Grantland stuff is a waste.
