Matt Barnes was a key role player in the NBA, but today, he is a major player in the sports media scene. And he's now a leader of his own sports media company.
Barnes and Brian Dailey, a former Showtime Sports programming executive, are launching a production company, All The Smoke Productions (ATSP), named after the popular podcast "All The Smoke" that Barnes popularized alongside another NBA vet, Stephen Jackson.
"All The Smoke" first launched in 2019 and has become a top sports podcast due to the unfiltered nature of the two former NBA players who tackle a litany of topics from sports to politics.
ATSP will also bring in more star talent with the pair as they will be be joined by a line-up of former NBA All-Stars in DeMarcus Cousins, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo.
ALL THE SMOKE PRODUCTIONS
They'll also be joined by host Rachel Nichols, who worked with Jackson and Barnes at Walt Disney Co.'s (DIS) ESPN before her controversial ouster. She's since revitalized her career with several gigs in sports media including with the two NBA veterans and her show with Cousins called "Bully Ball."
“All The Smoke Productions is the next iteration of athlete and artist-led content creation,” Barnes said in a press release. “This roster is unmatched in today’s media industry. We have found a lane that no one else is in, telling unique stories that only we can. ATSP has quickly become known as a place where talent can develop ideas and build their content playbook in an imaginative, creatively safe space.”
Related: Matt Barnes speaks candidly about Rachel Nichols and Maria Taylor's ESPN controversy
"All The Smoke" used to be housed under Paramount Global's (PARA) Showtime Sports, which shutdown at the end of 2023.
Part of the announcement includes the reiteration of its partnership with Dan Le Batard's Meadowlark Media. Barnes hopped on Le Batard's show last month as the two formally announced their partnership with "Le Batard & Friends" on the DraftKings (DKNG) Network.
The two groups will continue to produce and air their shows separately, but the expectation is that they can utilize the talents across their groups for guesting and cross-promotion. One example was earlier today when Le Batard guested Jackson in an episode of "South Beach Sessions."
“We are developing and growing our content offering with direct involvement from our roster — both individually and as a collective,” Dailey said in the press release. “Now, aligning with Meadowlark Media and tapping into their journalistic, storytelling expertise, we are well-positioned to lead the industry for years to come.”
Related: Rachel Nichols speaks candidly about aftermath of infamous ESPN ouster
The announcement of another independent media outlet by Barnes and Dailey is just another sign of the changing times of sports media. Barnes and Le Batard are both former ESPN talents who have moved away from the Disney brand to start their own sports media ventures, similar to many others like Bill Simmons with The Ringer.
ESPN seems to be recognizing this change and is now allowing many of its talents to start shows and build their brands away from the network — like Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe, who host their own shows.
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