Todd McShay built a successful career as a leading NFL Draft analyst during his 17-year tenure at ESPN before being laid off in 2023. After a brief hiatus, he resurfaced at The Ringer, launching The McShay Show podcast. While McShay remained active in audio content, he hadn’t contributed to any written analysis on The Ringer’s website, leaving many wondering where he’ll be publishing his digital content, if anywhere at all.
This week however, McShay launched The McShay Report, a subscription-based newsletter on Beehiiv, where he’ll deliver his signature draft coverage directly to readers. His first mock draft of the season marked the launch of this new venture, aligning him with a growing movement of sports media personalities betting on independent platforms.
Todd McShay’s Newsletter Signals a Growing Shift in Sports Media
McShay’s move into subscription-based media follows a clear trend: more top-tier sports journalists are choosing to monetize their expertise directly rather than rely on traditional networks. Other former prominent ESPN personalities like Ethan Strauss and Marc Stein successfully transitioned to Substack, proving that a loyal audience can sustain independent coverage.
The shift comes as major sports media outlets, particularly ESPN, continue to downsize, pushing established voices to explore new business models. Direct-to-consumer content offers analysts more creative control, financial upside, and stability in an industry that’s becoming increasingly volatile.
For McShay, launching a newsletter alongside his work at The Ringer suggests that a hybrid model—maintaining a presence with a media brand while owning independent content—is an emerging strategy for sports media personalities.
One of the biggest names potentially following this path is Zach Lowe, who was recently laid off by ESPN. Widely respected for his in-depth NBA analysis, Lowe built a strong personal brand during his time at the network and dating back at Grantland. His writing style, known for blending deep insights with storytelling, makes him a prime candidate to launch his own newsletter.
If Lowe goes independent, he could follow a similar path to McShay where he owns his own newsletter to deliver his written content, while re-launching the popular “Lowe Post Podcast” at The Ringer given his history with Bill Simmons.
Another possibility instead of podcasting? With Amazon and NBC poised to become NBA broadcast partners next year, Lowe could take his talents to TV, joining one of the new networks looking to bolster their NBA coverage.
Regardless of his decision, Lowe represents the next test case in a rapidly changing sports media landscape. With McShay now launching his newsletter and the continued success of independent sports content creators, the shift away from legacy outlets is only accelerating.
