The Rise and Fall of Grantland

Author:

Van Scyoc, Roger Kyung

Graduate Program:

Media Studies

Degree:

Master of Arts

Document Type:

Master Thesis

Date of Defense:

March 21, 2018

Committee Members:

Russell Frank, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor

Keywords:

Grantland
ESPN
Bill Simmons
Journalism
Sports Journalism
Media Economics
Media Studies

Abstract:

The day before Halloween 2015, ESPN pulled the plug on Grantland. Spooked by slumping revenues and the ghost of its ousted leader Bill Simmons, the multimedia giant axed the sports and pop culture website that helped usher in a new era of digital media. The website, named for sports writing godfather Grantland Rice, channeled the prestige of a bygone era while crystallizing the nature of its own time. Grantland’s writers infused their pieces with spry commentary, unabashed passion and droll humor. Most importantly, they knew what they were writing about. From its birth in June 2011, Grantland quickly became a hub for educated sports consumption. Grantland’s pieces entertained and edified. Often vaulting over 1,000 words, they also skewed toward a more affluent and more educated audience. The internet promoted shifts and schisms by its very nature. Popular with millennials, Grantland filled a certain niche. It depicted sports and pop culture as synonymous, and did it with a distinctive voice. Grantland’s rise and fall illustrates the changing dynamic of journalism online, and offers clues as to how the profession will sustain itself in the coming years. New models may have augured better returns for Grantland and promoted its continued growth. For the next Grantland, availing itself of more tailored business models will prove wise in the digital era. Using Grantland as a case study, this thesis seeks to provide a historical account of the site and explore the fit between content and consumer.