More good news for sports commentator Ryan Clark as he continues building his next chapter after ESPN.
Former Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz has officially joined Clark’s media company, Pivot25 Productions, as a strategic partner and investor.
Pivot25 was co-founded by Clark and Emmy-winning producer Alicia Zubikowski and is home to The Pivot, Clark’s popular podcast with former NFL players Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor.
Schultz said he sees an opportunity to help transform Pivot25 from a successful sports media platform into a larger, long-lasting media company covering sports, business, leadership and entertainment.
The investment comes just months after Clark’s departure from ESPN. Clark was informed during an episode of NFL Live in July that he was among the employees being let go by the network.
Instead of slowing down, Clark has continued expanding.
The Pivot has built an audience of more than 1.4 million YouTube subscribers and generated more than 480 million views. The team has also landed a multi-year partnership with Netflix and launched The Pivot Sports with Ryan Clark in partnership with NFL Films.
Schultz said he was impressed by the authenticity and leadership behind the company and believes there is potential for Pivot25 to become much bigger than a single podcast.
Sometimes getting fired really can lead to something even bigger.
Congratulations to Ryan Clark and the entire Pivot team!