William John Simmons III, born September 25, 1969, in Marlborough, Massachusetts, is a prominent American sports columnist, podcaster, writer, and media entrepreneur. He first gained prominence in the late 1990s through his website 'The Boston Sports Guy,' offering irreverent commentary on Boston sports teams and pop culture. Recruited by ESPN in 2001, Simmons became a key figure there, writing columns for ESPN.com, hosting the podcast 'The B.S. Report,' and serving as an analyst on NBA Countdown. He launched Grantland in 2011 under ESPN, which operated until 2015 when he departed amid a controversy over a freelance writer's controversial article. In 2016, Simmons founded The Ringer, a sports and pop culture website and podcast network, serving as its CEO. He co-created ESPN's acclaimed '30 for 30' documentary series and later developed HBO's 'Music Box' series. In March 2020, Spotify acquired The Ringer for an initial payout of $155 million, with Simmons becoming Head of Talk for Spotify. His career has made him one of the most influential voices in sports media, pioneering the sports podcast format.