This week, the third major name rumored to be leaving ESPN decided to leave ESPN, as Colin Cowherd chose to leave the Worldwide Leader for (reportedly) the greener pastures of Fox Sports. Cowherd follows in the footsteps of Keith Olbermann and Bill Simmons, each of whom has similar departures from ESPN in recent months.
So we posed a question to our staff – if you could hire just one of the three, Cowherd, Olbermann, and Simmons, for your sports network, which would it be?
Andrew Bucholtz: To me, Cowherd is the safe draft pick, while Simmons is the one with risks but a much higher upside. I would take Simmons, but I recognize it’s a gamble. He brings a lot of potential value to the table as a writer, podcaster and commentator, but what really elevates his value to me is his work behind the scenes on documentaries and at sites like Grantland. At the right place, and with the right kind of management (guiding him rather than restricting him), Simmons will be a huge asset, but he needs much more careful management than a company man like Cowherd, and there’s more potential for his situation to blow up. Cowherd brings substantial proven value on radio and some value on TV, and he should need less hands-on management, so he’s a safe acquisition. Simmons is more risky, but his upside makes it worth rolling the dice. (Olbermann is also a risky play with some value, but his value isn’t near either of the other two given their versatility and his previous baggage.)
Ken Fang: I’ve gone back and forth on this and weighing the options, as much as I like Keith Olbermann and he’s played the good soldier in his second tour at ESPN, his baggage is immense and may be tough for a network to take a flier on him. Simmons is like that bottle of nitroglycerin that you know is dangerous and should not touch it, but when you shake it up, it blows up in your face. I’d have to take Cowherd here. He’s controversial, he’s nuts at times, but he has a track record on ESPN Radio. He has his legions of fans who will most likely follow him to Fox Sports 1. If he joins Fox Sports Radio, that’s a heavy hitter lineup of Dan Patrick, Rich Eisen and Cowherd. But even if he doesn’t join FSR, but does television, there’s the possibility of a morning or daytime show and being the anchor for Fox Sports 1. Cowherd is the pick here.
Dan Levy: I’ve given this a lot of thought and while Olbermann isn’t even in the conversation at this point, the more sensible choice for a big media company is probably Cowherd. I’m sure Simmons will be a big star wherever he goes, but he’s certainly not the safer pick. Cowherd is a radio stalwart and has done a ton of TV. If given wings to really express himself–I imagine he was rather buttoned up at ESPN, especially on TV–Cowherd can give you more bang for your buck than Simmons, even without the internet acolytes B.S. brings with him.
Joe Lucia: Simmons seems like the obvious choice, right? He brings a lot to the table with his columns and podcasts, and I think that would be very useful as we continue to focus more and more on digital content. For as much as I enjoy Olbermann’s work, I think his value is limited at this point. As for Cowherd, I’m still not sure if he can carry a TV show in a non-radio format – and that’s big for me, considering his desire to branch out a bit more in TV.
David Rogers: I’d go with Bill Simmons and I don’t think it’d be a difficult decision. Simmons seems to bring more to the table and could fill far greater roles than Olbermann or Cowherd. Whether it’s TV, radio or something on the digital side, Simmons has proven he can excel in all three areas. Considering how important the digital side of entertainment is in this day and age, it’s critical to hire someone who has a proven track record – and a cult following – on the web.
Matt Yoder: If I had my choice of the three it’s pretty easy, I take Bill Simmons. He can do more for a network than anyone else can, will bring the biggest following, and draw the biggest audience. But most importantly, he’s the only one that has a track record of producing must see events. As talented/polarizing as Cowherd and Olbermann may be, at the end of the day they’re just talkers… and talkers don’t pull viewers. Events do. (Look at NBCSN/FS1 ratings for any studio show without a live event lead-in.) Beyond live sports, 30 for 30 is as close to an event in sports television as you can get. That’s the edge Simmons brings.