ESPN has drastically evolved the freedom that it gives its on-air talent.
One prime example of this change is Pablo Torre, who has been with ESPN since 2012 but accepted a full-time job with Meadowlark Media last year.
Torre started the podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out in September for Meadowlark, the company founded by former ESPN host Dan Le Batard and former ESPN president John Skipper. He told TheStreet that he has a small ownership stake in the venture. He also appears once a week on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
But he’s still a semi-regular guest on ESPN shows like “Around The Horn” and “Pardon The Interruption.”
ESPN’s business relationship with Torre mirrors the company’s evolving strategy with its talent, allowing them to build their personal brand elsewhere while also being employed by the Disney (DIS) brand.
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ESPN’s strategy with Torre applies to many of its biggest names
Torre said on the podcast “SI Media with Jimmy Traina” on Thursday, June 27, that when he spoke with ESPN about his decision to go to Meadowlark Media, he proposed an agreement where he could still work with the network. Torre valued television time, which was going to be limited with Meadowlark Media because his show would be on digital airwaves.
He said ESPN was “shockingly diplomatic” about the proposal.
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“What was very important to them was that I not appear on air for like a direct linear sports television competitor,” Torre said. “Like don’t go to a Fox Sports 1, don’t go to Peacock or NBC Sports.”
Torre commended ESPN’s ability to be adaptable to its talents in a way that perhaps the rest of media at large has been unable to do given the rise of the internet.
“I will tell you that a thing that has still not caught up with reality is how media companies see the internet, which is remarkable to me,” Torre said. “So I am grateful for the difference of priorities and incentives, let’s say. [ESPN’s] still a television company, that shows matter the most to them. But to me, it was, ‘Can I do both?’ And it was, ‘Yeah, can you prove your worth on TV such that we don’t have to worry about the stuff you’re saying?'”
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Torre also mentioned Stephen A. Smith, the face of ESPN’s daytime product, as an example for the network’s ability to allow its employees to build followings outside of the network’s umbrella.
“I will point to Stephen A. Smith’s podcast, and just see what he’s doing over there, and you will get a sense of the greater freedom now that’s available certainly to the biggest stars that sort of trickles down as you get through the talent hierarchy,” Torre said.
Smith and Torre are definitely not the only people moonlighting outside of the ESPN umbrella. Shannon Sharpe has his own podcast as well, Pat McAfee is the commentator for WWE Raw among other things, and Mina Kimes is a constant on Meadowlark Media programming.
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