Ariel Helwani is leaving ESPN per the MMA reporter in a social media post. Helwani will be leaving the network on June 15th after three years with the company where he was an MMA reporter and branched out to NBA sideline reporter.
The NY Post indicated that a deal was in place with the Action Network but that was a premature conclusion. Helwani indicated that he was excited about his future although did not disclose what was next.
Helwani boasts over 1 million followers on Instagram and Twitter and one of the most popular (or polarizing) individuals in MMA.
A few months ago, Helwani parted ways with his representatives as his contract neared its end. It was not known at the time whether he had found new representatives or attempted to negotiate a deal with ESPN himself.
Payout Perspective:
It’s clear that Helwani will land on his feet wherever he lands. It would seem that he would not leave ESPN unless there were options for him. He has done much more than MMA since joining ESPN and has appeared in ESPN 30 for 30s and A&E documentaries. If he has representation, one would imagine he’s looking to expand into other projects with more autonomy on what he does in media. Amassing a social media following has become one of the assets of a media reporter as the move from job to job.
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