ESPN and Grantland Founder Bill Simmons have been unable to agree to terms on a new contract. His current contract that pays Mr. Simmons $5 million a year expires in the fall. ESPN President John Skipper said that, “It was clear it was time to move on.”
Simmons began writing for ESPN.com in 2001, and for seven years starting in 2002 he was the lead columnist for ESPN The Magazine. Simmons also served as a writer for the Jimmy Kimmel Live show on ABC from 2002 to 2004.