Zach Lowe out at ESPN

[amcoolio]

I don't know if the Ringer can afford him, but you know Bill Simmons wants him back so bad. Wasn't he the one that discovered Lowe?

[Chanel Bomber]

Ridiculous decision, one of the few members of their NBA coverage that brings value yet they keep a guy like Perkins who is a walking, talking prop essentially. Sad but unsurprising.

this world is not for deep thinkers or knowledgeables... it is a clown show, starring Steve A, Malika Andrews etc...
it makes too much sense

Malika Andrews is mostly a moderator and she's highly knowledgable about the game, and she does a good job in her role overall. She also had good chemistry with Zach Lowe. I'm not aiming this at you specifically but the anti-Malika Andrews vitriol has always made me uncomfortable and suspicious.

[Chanel Bomber]

This is CRAZY news. I'm shocked. For non-click bait, Zach Lowe is basically the most popular basketball journalist.

If he stays in the basketball journalism/analysis space, this could be exciting. A version of his podcast where he's no longer obligated to interview the same boring ESPN employees anymore (McNenamin is who I'm thinking of specifically). Overall, Lowe's content changed over time to become more suitable for ESPN, and the quality of his analysis was lessened by the requirement to meet ESPN pundits halfway, and talk about the Lakers no matter what.

Not sure who can pay him what ESPN was paying him though, so I'm sorry for him losing that bag. He can work basically wherever he wants, but I hope he goes somewhere where he can bring elevated content.

I agree with you on McMenamin. He's neither entertaining nor insightful, and I never heard him make an interesting point on basketball. He's exceptionally mediocre.

[cupcakesnake]

This is CRAZY news. I'm shocked. For non-click bait, Zach Lowe is basically the most popular basketball journalist.

If he stays in the basketball journalism/analysis space, this could be exciting. A version of his podcast where he's no longer obligated to interview the same boring ESPN employees anymore (McNenamin is who I'm thinking of specifically). Overall, Lowe's content changed over time to become more suitable for ESPN, and the quality of his analysis was lessened by the requirement to meet ESPN pundits halfway, and talk about the Lakers no matter what.

Not sure who can pay him what ESPN was paying him though, so I'm sorry for him losing that bag. He can work basically wherever he wants, but I hope he goes somewhere where he can bring elevated content.

I agree with you on McMenamin. He's neither entertaining nor insightful, and I never heard him make an interesting point on basketball. He's exceptionally mediocre.

He just feels like a random guy that has been assigned to be around the Lakers. He has some information about the Lakers because it's his job, and his job provides him with access to the Lakers. Lol. He seems to only have a basic comprehension of the sport, and almost sounds stressed whenever anyone it talking in depth about it because any depth is out of his depth. He also doesn't seem to know ANYTHING about non-Laker players/teams. I get his job is the Lakers, but you think just by accident you'd absorb some knowledge about the sport of the league by being around this long.

[cupcakesnake]

I don't know if the Ringer can afford him, but you know Bill Simmons wants him back so bad. Wasn't he the one that discovered Lowe?

Lowe worked at Sports Illustrated for a while before Grantland. Lowe became more of a household name through Grantland, but it's unclear how much credit Simmons does or doesn't deserve.

[Appostis]

Wow... **** ESPN

[Doctor MJ]

I don't know if the Ringer can afford him, but you know Bill Simmons wants him back so bad. Wasn't he the one that discovered Lowe?

Lowe worked at Sports Illustrated for a while before Grantland. Lowe became more of a household name through Grantland, but it's unclear how much credit Simmons does or doesn't deserve.

Yup, and before SI, Lowe got into sports blogging doing a Celtics blog for the TrueHoop network...which at the time was a part of ESPN. So you could say that ESPN discovered Lowe (really Henry Abbott, no longer at ESPN), let him go, then brought him back (really Bill Simmons, no longer at ESPN), and now has let him go again.

Tough industry that I'm glad I've never had to rely upon for my income, but I expect Lowe to have multiple suitors who will be eager for him to do higher quality work that what ESPN now wants.

[HotelVitale]

ESPN Wokecenter

Gotcha, Zach Lowe is not only not 'woke' but it so not woke that he was fired.

My guess is he has a no-compete clause but McShay works around that and goes on Russillo's pod every week. Wouldn't be shocked if Bill devotes one pod a week with Lowe during the NBA season.

Isn't Simmons' whole thing to kinda underpay his writers and also make them produce a lot of content? Feels like that's his business model, never get into any bidding wars etc.

Simmons runs The Ringer like a shrewd GM. He’s not overpaying for guys like KOC, Chris Vernon,’Ben Solak and Kevin Clark.

I'd just say he runs it like he runs it. He finds interesting younger writers/content creators and gives them a medium-sized paycheck and promise of a lot of exposure, while expecting a fair amount of content to be churned out by them. Some people outgrow the $, some people don't like that deal after a while and leave, some people end up being not great at it.

I don't know that it's particularly 'shrewd,' it just ends up being what it is. It's fairly successful because Simmons and his companies are an established brand with an established audience so people are listening/watching even if the content isn't amazing (it mostly isn't). I think Simmons just figured out he could keep overhead low and churn out a decent product--that's sometimes really good if you get a great young writer or combo of them--and end up making a really nice profit for himself. But it’s also kind of limited to that and won’t get bigger or better.

[GeorgeSears]

Lowe was the best ESPN had to offer. Was able to effortlessly blend analytics with surface level sports commentary making it palatable for regular viewers. I always looked forward to his "10 things I love and hate" articles.

ESPN basketball just got worse unless they end up replacing him with an equivalent analytical minded commentator.

[yosemiteben]

The ringer or Substack?

My guess is he has a no-compete clause but McShay works around that and goes on Russillo's pod every week. Wouldn't be shocked if Bill devotes one pod a week with Lowe during the NBA season.

I don’t think you can enforce a non-compete clause if you fire someone.

Very not true

[adubmac]

Lowe did it to himself. What did he think would happen without race bait takes and actually watching film?!? Love live King Perkins

[AleksandarN]

I wouldn’t be surprised if they force out Tim Legler next.

[NZB2323]

I think part of it is he only covers the NBA. How many people are listening to his podcast in September?

[floppymoose]

The ringer or Substack?

My guess is he has a no-compete clause but McShay works around that and goes on Russillo's pod every week. Wouldn't be shocked if Bill devotes one pod a week with Lowe during the NBA season.

He can refuse to sign non-compete. He wont get his severance if so.

In some states, non-compete is uneforcable.

[ThunderBolt]

I always found Lowe kind of boring. People don't watch ESPN yet somehow this has impact for them?

Lowe’s television presence has always been a poor representation of his work. His written work and podcasts were a lot less neutered.

[Scalabrine]

Hoping this works out for the best for Zach. ESPN is a clown show. Zach was being held back by their narrative. It always felt like he had no one to actually talk to. His podcast was a must listen for me though, so I'm hoping he bounces back somewhere else that will let him be him and let him flourish.

[cornchip]

Ridiculous decision, one of the few members of their NBA coverage that brings value yet they keep a guy like Perkins who is a walking, talking prop essentially. Sad but unsurprising.

this world is not for deep thinkers or knowledgeables... it is a clown show, starring Steve A, Malika Andrews etc...
it makes too much sense

Malika Andrews is mostly a moderator and she's highly knowledgable about the game, and she does a good job in her role overall. She also had good chemistry with Zach Lowe. I'm not aiming this at you specifically but the anti-Malika Andrews vitriol has always made me uncomfortable and suspicious.

I think she's kind of a victim of who came before her. Michelle Beadle, Sage Steele, Rachel Nichols, and to an extent Maria Taylor were so polarizing and Andrews doesn't quite have as much personality as Beadle, Steele, Nichols or the natural TV charisma of Taylor. So when she's pushed, it's a huge eyeroll.

As far as Lowe goes, he was getting paid well but he was doing ALOT. I can see him rebuffing ESPN wanting him to do more. Or even simply, they feel like they have someone ready to do everything Lowe was doing for cheaper. Before the NBA season is truly the best time to test that person out.

[SweaterBae]

Do people really care about the name at the top of the article they only read the first two sentences of?

[Crives]

Yikes. First thoughts.

1. Did WOJ “forcefully retire”?
2. Did Lowe get a big offer from Amazon/NBC for their NBA coverage and this is ESPN response after refusing to match?

[NZB2323]

My guess is he has a no-compete clause but McShay works around that and goes on Russillo's pod every week. Wouldn't be shocked if Bill devotes one pod a week with Lowe during the NBA season.

I don’t think you can enforce a non-compete clause if you fire someone.

I think what ESPN's done in the past is offered a big fat check for the talent they let go to not do anything for a year likely with the hope that they'll never be able to regain stature after such time out of the spotlight.

Were I Lowe, I wouldn't take that deal.

I don’t know, if someone paid me a big fat check to not work for a year and spend time with my family, that would be pretty tempting.