Sports biz reporter Rovell renews with ESPN

Darren Rovell

Sports business reporter Darren Rovell has renewed his contract with ESPN after holding talks with CNBC, where he worked from 2006 to 20012, reports Kyle Koster of The Big Lead.

Koster writes, “The sports business reporter’s role is expected to remain largely unchanged on the social media, digital and television sides. Rovell had been in talks to return to CNBC, where he worked from 2006-2012.

“Rovell returned to ESPN in 2012 after a previous stint from 2000-2006.

“Though the polarizing reporter operates in a different space than previous high-profile ESPN departures (Colin Cowherd, Skip Bayless, Bill Simmons, Mike Tirico), his social reach remains a valuable asset for management in Bristol.

“The new deal comes on the heels of Rovell’s public dustup with UFC president Dana White. White aggressively criticized Rovell’s May story that UFC had interest in selling the company to WME-IMG, a report that proved accurate when such a deal was completed in July.”

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Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.