First there was Bill Simmons’ “BSPN” podcast network. Now, there’s a Bill Simmons Media Group, and it’s made a big hire; NFL Network executive producer Eric Weinberger. Weinberger was one of the initial staffers at Fox Sports and a senior producer on The Best Damn Sports Show Period before heading to NFLN, where he oversaw the network’s extensive studio programming. Here’s more on the move, from Deadline’s Erik Pedersen:

NFL Network executive producer Eric Weinberger is joining former ESPN and Grantland honcho Bill Simmons as President of the newly formed Bill Simmons Media Group. Weinberger will be one of the EPs of Simmons’ upcoming HBO talk show. He also will oversee the building of a new content website and a podcast network and help to develop scripted and non-scripted projects, shortform digital content and other creative projects, as part of Simmons’ first-look deal with HBO.

“I can’t wait to start working with Eric,” Simmons said in a statement. “He’s a talented guy with an impeccable reputation, someone who is uniquely equipped to help me build an innovative multi-media company from scratch. We’re both beyond excited to start brainstorming about my show and other HBO Sports projects as well. I know from experience that you’re only as good as the people around you, and Eric is one of the very best.”

It still isn’t terribly clear what Simmons’ new content is going to look like, especially on the website front, but he’s not kidding around with hires; Weinberger is a relatively big fish in the sports media world, and one that it’s interesting to see land at a new venture we still don’t know much about (and to land there with responsibilities for stuff we don’t yet know about). Add him to the hires of former Grantland types we’ve already seen, and it looks like Simmons is building something big. Just what that’s going to be is unknown for now, but it will be well worth watching.

[Deadline]

 

About Andrew Bucholtz

Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.

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