Since leaving ESPN in 2015, sports media pioneer Bill Simmons has notched a series of wins: He started The Ringer, a digital media company with a popular website and a network of about 30 podcasts, and sold it to Spotify this year for nearly $200 million.
But this month, an episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” one of The Ringer’s most popular shows, provoked a backlash from staff members.
The June 1 episode, titled “A Truly Sad Week in America,” was recorded as protests against racism and police violence were growing worldwide. Simmons talked about the movement with a frequent guest, Ringer podcaster Ryen Russillo.