# The Ringer: Bill Simmons

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2023-02-13
- Length: 1h 21m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-13-the-ringer-bill-simmons

## Summary

Bill Simmons, founder of The Ringer, recounts his journey from a Boston sports writer to launching a $250 million media company after a bitter exit from ESPN. He details the creation of Grantland, the pivot to podcasting with The B.S. Report, and the operational challenges of building The Ringer from scratch with a small team. Simmons discusses the strategic decision to sell to Spotify, the difficulties of transitioning from creative to CEO, and his philosophy on hard work versus luck.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-13-the-ringer-bill-simmons#t=0) Introduction: Bill Simmons and The Ringer
- [3:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-13-the-ringer-bill-simmons#t=206) Early Life and Sports Writing Origins
- [15:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-13-the-ringer-bill-simmons#t=958) The Digital City Column and ESPN Hire
- [46:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-13-the-ringer-bill-simmons#t=2781) Grantland: Building a Digital Empire at ESPN
- [54:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-13-the-ringer-bill-simmons#t=3259) The ESPN Suspension and Departure
- [1:01:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-13-the-ringer-bill-simmons#t=3684) Founding The Ringer and Early Operations
- [1:12:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-13-the-ringer-bill-simmons#t=4347) Selling to Spotify and Future Outlook

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- The Ringer (product)
- ESPN (company)
- Grantland (product)
- The B.S. Report (product)
- 30 for 30 (product)
- Spotify (company)
- HBO (company)
- Midroll (company)
- Vox (company)
- Benchmark (company)

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- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 1 - Rich Brilliant Willing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-08-19-afterschool-podcast-episode-1-rich-brilliant-willing) (Core77 Podcast)
- [A Baseball Startup with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)
- [#115 Pure Gold Series: Lessons on Iterating from Seth Goldman + Updates on Eat the Change & Just Ice Tea](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-11-21-115-pure-gold-series-lessons-on-iterating-from-seth-goldman-updates-on-eat-the-c) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Episode 182: Been trying to sell out for years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2018-09-07-episode-182-been-trying-to-sell-out-for-years) (Making It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-13-the-ringer-bill-simmons. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.