Love him, tolerate him, or be puzzled by him, Darren Rovell has long been one of the most interesting people in the sports media. From being the unofficial czar of Sports Twitter to his years of entertaining back and forths with Richard Deitsch, through tenures at CNBC and ESPN, Rovell has been a constant presence in the ever changing world of sports media.
For the last five years, through the rise and widespread legalization of sports betting, Rovell has been a part of Action Network covering the industry. But in a Twitter/X post today, Rovell announced that he would be departing the company and making a transition to a new venture.
What a run it has been at the @ActionNetworkHQ.
So grateful for the vision of @phkeane & @chadmillman and for a team of people who will always be a part of my life. pic.twitter.com/66JV968x1N
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 28, 2023
“Five years ago, as legalized sports betting had just begun in the US, I took a leap of faith and left ESPN for the Action Network,” Rovell said. “These past five years have been some of the most fulfilling of my career… but transition in the sports media biz is rapid and sports business coverage has become even more essential for fans. I miss the dollars and cents reporting that originally pulled me into this business 23 years ago.”
“At the end of this week, I’ll be leaving Action Network to cover sports business full-time again. Can’t wait to share what’s next,” Rovell added.
It’ll be fascinating to see where Rovell lands given his experience and significant following. Certainly a return to either CNBC or ESPN could be in the cards if either of those networks wants to have a more prominent place covering the business side of sports. But there’s also plenty of new places covering the sports business world like Front Office Sports, The Street, and others. Given the importance of rights, sponsors, streaming, and media in the sports world, it’s a fitting time for Rovell to jump back in. Hopefully it also means he doesn’t have to bet on college basketball anymore.
