ESPN President John Skipper has asked ESPN columnist and on-air contributor Howard Bryant to "help lead the relaunch" of the company's black sports and culture site The Undefeated, according to Greg Howard of DEADSPIN. Skipper and Bryant "are still early in talks, so for now, the role is being described as 'editor-at-large.'" Bryant still has his ESPN The Magazine column and Leon Carter is "still the head" of the The Undefeated, but there is "no word on what this means for the interim EIC down the road, or for the rest of the staff" hired by Jason Whitlock, who previously was head of The Undefeated. Sources said that there is "real excitement among ESPN minorities" (DEADSPIN.com, 7/23). SI.com's Richard Deitsch noted a change in the site's "front-facing management was likely to bring talent back in the fold who refused to work for previous management." Bryant on Saturday tweeted that ESPN's L.Z. Granderson, Jemele Hill, Bomani Jones and Michael Smith "would be contributing to the site." Skipper has "repeatedly said the project is of considerable importance to the company." Deitsch wrote it is "also important to sports journalism as a whole." ESPN has "more resources than any other sports media outlet to provide young writers of color the opportunity (and a healthy wage) to pursue interesting and thought-provoking pieces on the intersection of race and sports." Deitsch: "Here’s hoping they make it work" (SI.com, 7/26).
