Former ESPN president John Skipper is reportedly leaving Meadowlark Media, the Miami and New York-based production house he co-founded with longtime ESPN host Dan Le Batard in 2021.
According to Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports, who first reported the news, “It was not immediately clear what the new leadership structure will be for Meadowlark’s business.”
Added Glasspiegel:
“One source said that Meadowlark will be aiming to focus more on its podcasts, including The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz and Pablo Torre Finds Out. There will be less of an emphasis on documentary content, although it will not totally go away, the source said.”
John Skipper reunited with Le Batard after resigning from ESPN in 2017 and joining DAZN. Before running ESPN, Skipper came up in music magazines. His journalistic spirit is believed to have powered projects like ESPN the Magazine and, at Meadowlark, its documentary division.
Since Meadowlark’s launch, it has co-produced a handful of audio and video documentaries, including last year’s Boston Red Sox doc The Comeback for Netflix and an upcoming series for Prime Video covering the final years of WNBA star Diana Taurasi’s career.
The company launched with a three-year, reported $51 million licensing partnership with DraftKings Sportsbook. It moved out of its classic Clevelander hotel studios on Miami Beach into the more spacious, snazzy Elser downtown. And it significantly expanded its video output for its podcasts, striking streaming distribution deals with Max and Peacock.
Meadowlark’s deal with DraftKings expires later this year according to Le Batard, who has been open about what the possible end of their partnership could mean for the company overall.
Meadowlark is home to The Dan Le Batard with Stugotz and the Peabody-nominated Pablo Torre Finds Out, but many of its other shows have come and gone quietly. In recent months, talent such as Charlotte Wilder, Lucy Rohden and Jessica Smetana have shifted their roles at Meadowlark or departed altogether.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.