ESPN.com college football and basketball writer Pat Forde "is leaving ESPN for rival Yahoo Sports” when his current contract expires Nov. 1, according to sources cited by Jason McIntyre of THE BIG LEAD. Forde’s departure, which is “apparently amicable," has been rumored "for months.” Sources said that Forde “has long been unhappy with what he couldn’t report on or look into because of ESPN’s many conflicts of interest.” Sources added that he also “wasn’t thrilled with the way” former ESPN reporter Bruce Feldman’s “saga unfolded.” ESPN VP/Editorial, Digital & Print Media Rob King declined to comment (THEBIGLEAD.com, 10/13). In Louisville, Eric Crawford wrote the move should allow Forde "more freedom to do more of the investigative and reportorial work for which he’s so gifted." Crawford: "Forde, it seemed to me, was held in check at times by ESPN, kept from jumping into big stories for whatever reason the network had. There should be no such problem at Yahoo! ... It’s a big loss for ESPN, but a net gain for sports readers, who are likely to see Forde get to show off his range a bit more" (COURIER-JOURNAL, 10/13). SI.com’s Richard Deitsch wrote, “Landing Pat Forde is a bold, smart move for Y! Sports” (TWITTER.com, 10/13).
