ESPN has made (at least) two major missteps this calendar year. First, they pushed the DeflateGate nonsense without any proof. Second, they decided to cut ties with Bill Simmons.
Simmons is a Boston boy living in Los Angeles, and he's responsible for three of the most transcendent venues of sports discussion. He's helped construct the 30 for 30 series, which takes an in depth documentary-style look at important sports events. He's pushed the use of podcasts, essentially a form of on-demand radio, to promote discussions and topics at the listener's choosing. He's also established Grantland, one of the more entertaining outlets for the intersection of sports and pop culture.