Ryen Russillo’s time with The Ringer is coming to an end.
Russillo, one of the best-regarded sports-talk hosts in the business, is poised to launch a new digital production company when his deal expires, sources told Front Office Sports. Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports are expected to invest in the company, which will host his new show.
The sides are closing in on a commercial deal for a strategic multi-year partnership with Barstool for distribution, monetization, merch, and other infrastructure in Russillo’s new company. Sources said the deal is “inside the five-yard line” but has not been finalized.
Representatives for Russillo and Portnoy could not immediately be reached for comment.
Russillo has said on The Ryen Russillo Podcast recently that he is a looming free agent, with his contract at The Ringer expiring soon. The exact date of the end of his deal was not immediately known.
Russillo joined The Ringer, which was founded by Bill Simmons and is owned by Spotify, after leaving ESPN in 2019. In that time, his show has consistently been one of the top-ranked sports podcasts on Apple and Spotify.
