ESPN has announced it is shutting down Grantland, the sports and culture site founded by Bill Simmons. Grantland was home to some of the most thoughtful and original reporting on the internet. It took on subjects not as mere entertainment but as a critical part of understanding the world.
Simmons departed Grantland and ESPN in May after criticizing NFL commissioner Roger Goddell in ways that irritated ESPN brass. After Simmons started a new venture with HBO, many of the site’s top staffers departed. ESPN has been cutting staff and the news comes on the heels of the announcement that 300 staffers across the organization would be laid off.
Still the announcement on Friday seemed to come as a surprise to many Grantland writers and editors, who reported learning the news on Twitter.
Although it failed to attract a mass audience, it had legions of devoted fans. Many of them reacted to the news by tweeting their favorite Grantland articles.
Tweeting this extraordinary @Wesley_Morris essay as a small farewell to @Grantland33, one of my favorite sites. https://t.co/iTBii7OHHT
— Mark Lieberman (@MarkALieberman) October 30, 2015
This remains one of my favorite pieces of journalism of all time: https://t.co/Bmneg1meCJ
— Dan Trombly (@stcolumbia) October 30, 2015
My favorite article of all time, "Shane Carruth Will Have Another," came from Grantland. https://t.co/y8bJeqG8jf
— Nicholas Slayton (@NSlayton) October 30, 2015
I've shared this before, but in memory of its passing, here's my favorite @Grantland33 (and @CKlosterman) story: https://t.co/GHJGetFPVO
— Eric Snyder (@NSHBIZSnyder) October 30, 2015
still think about this @Grantland33 piece from @runofplay. maybe my favorite one from the site, ever. https://t.co/VhYXe4x16X
— Sam Brodey (@sambrodey) October 30, 2015
I think my favorite piece of sports writing ever came from @jazayerli via Grantland. Still a great read. https://t.co/Kwi3eimW3A
— Matthew Leimkuehler (@mattleimkuehler) October 30, 2015
Still my favorite Grantland piece: https://t.co/0WoXfTzR7H
— Todd! (@WordOfTodd) October 30, 2015
.@espn suspends @Grantland33. Surely the best sports literature on the web. This piece remains an all-time favorite.https://t.co/huDPlkriPx
— Dattaraj Thaly (@grindergoa) October 30, 2015
Such a shame about Grantland @ZachLowe_NBA wrote one of my favorite pieces https://t.co/Wb1G5kDK88
— Michael Duffy (@mduffy8901) October 30, 2015
No one told an oral history like @Grantland33. The #FridayNightLights one is a personal favorite https://t.co/vzagyQp56H
— Emily Orley Jacob (@emilyorley) October 30, 2015
One of my favorite pieces ever: Grantland let @katiebakes go to Russia to catch up with Iron Mike Keenan. https://t.co/Pxe1s9raC0
— andyedelson (@andyedelson) October 30, 2015
One of my favorite Grantland stories, from @Jpdabrams — oral history of the malice at the palace https://t.co/mcST5HkrhO
— Matt Berman (@Mr_Berman) October 30, 2015
A lot of great reads on Grantland but this could possibly be my favorite one. https://t.co/XARgS1KHtB
— Jayson Buford (@jaysonbuford) October 30, 2015