SI's Rick Reilly Leaving Magazine To Join ESPN

Reilly Leaving SI To Join ESPN

Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly is leaving the company after 22 years to join ESPN, according to Richard Sandomir of the N.Y. TIMES. SI Group Editor Terry McDonell in a letter to SI staff wrote Reilly would leave the magazine "when his contract expires on November 30 to pursue television interests next spring." ESPN VP/Communications Mike Soltys and Reilly's agent, Janet Pawson, said that discussions were continuing. Soltys said, "There's nothing to announce" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/20). THEBIGLEAD.com reported that Reilly will start at ESPN in June. Reilly has a "non-compete clause" in his SI contract. A source indicated SI's top offer to Reilly was "in the neighborhood of $1.5[M] annually, while ESPN's was closer to $2[M]" (THEBIGLEAD.com, 10/19). Reilly in June in a Q&A with Gelf Magazine claimed that ESPN had stolen story ideas from him in the past (THE DAILY).