Fanatics and ‘The Pivot’ podcast part ways after less than a year

The Pivot, the popular interview show hosted by former NFL athletes Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor, is parting ways with its partnership with the global digital sports platform Fanatics.

The video podcast struck a deal with Fanatics in May 2024, when Clark announced it as a “multiyear, exclusive partnership.” Now, Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reports that the two sides mutually agreed to end the partnership in late 2024.

Since The Pivot left its Fanatics deal, it already nabbed a big interview with seven-time NCAA champion coach turned ESPN analyst Nick Saban.

Here’s more from Glasspiegel’s reporting.

“Pivot represented Fanatics’ first big foray into direct digital media sponsorship, but at the end of the year the two sides reevaluated their commitment to each other and it was decided that Pivot would be better off returning to be an independent platform, sources said.”

While Glasspiegel added that The Pivot is exploring deals with other platforms and sponsors, “nothing is imminent,” he wrote.

An executive at The Pivot confirmed the move.

“We were excited to partner and work with Fanatics, had some good moments throughout the experience and looking forward to continuing doing what has made The Pivot the impactful platform it is today,” Pivot’s executive producer and partner Alicia Zubikowski told FOS in a statement.

Since a $350 million Fundraising event in 2021, Fanatics has expanded from e-commerce and sportswear into sports gambling, collectibles, and content. The partnership with The Pivot marked the company’s first major content partnership, which ended in less than a year.

Given the significant resources at Fanatics’ disposal and the status of CEO Michael Rubin in the industry, this is unlikely to be the last we hear of Fanatics sponsoring and licensing content as it seeks to be a destination for sports fans.