More than a year after first announcing her departure as the CEO of Barstool Sports, Erika Ayers Badan has a new media home.
According to Deadline, Ayers Badan (formerly Nardini) has joined Vice Media’s board of directors, where she is expected to “play a key role in helping the company’s push into sports programming.”
News of Ayers Badan’s addition to the Vice Media board comes one month after Deadline first reported that the company was creating a new sports division. Vice Media’s new sports-centric plans include partnerships with Omaha Productions and The Volume, as well as a Brady vs. Belichick: The Verdict series hosted by Chris “Mad Dog” Russo.”
“Erika is an innovative media executive, who brings significant digital, sports and content creation experience to the Vice board,” Vice Media Executive Chairman Mike Lang said, per Deadline. “We look forward to leveraging her expertise as we enter our next phase of strategic growth – with Erika joining our Board being the latest example of the momentum we’re building at Vice.”
Added Ayers Badan: “I have always had so much respect for the Vice brand and mission to be an authentic and alternative voice. I spent a lot of time studying Vice as we were building Barstool Sports, and it’s exciting to be part of the company’s future. I look forward to partnering with Mike and the board.”
While Ayers Badan’s Barstool ties might make her seem like a better fit for Vice’s digital properties — which exist as a separate entity under joint partnership with Savage Ventures — it’s also easy to see how her past experience could translate to the company’s television side. Prior to leaving Barstool last January, she played a key role in transforming the company from a irreverent sports blog to a sports media powerhouse, including the launches of sports and pop culture staples such as the original version of Pat McAfee’s show, Call Her Daddy and Pardon My Take.
Between both Vice Media’s new vision and Ayers Badan’s track record, it will be interesting to see what the new partnership in brings. In the meantime, you can get a taste of the company’s new sports-centric approach with the first episode of the three-part Brady vs. Belichick: The Verdict series having debuted earlier this week.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.