Pete Thamel is Leaving the New York Times for Sports Illustrated

All, Media Gossip/Musings Jason McIntyre July 31st. 2012, 11:27am

Pete Thamel, the New York Times college sports reporter, is leaving for Sports Illustrated, the paper announced internally Monday night. A text message to Thamel went unreturned.

Thamel, who is one of the most dogged reporters in college sports, will join Stewart Mandel and Andy Staples covering college football, and Luke Winn, Seth Davis and Andy Glockner covering college basketball. Kentucky basketball fans will surely be thrilled with this move.

Sports Illustrated recently made some cuts, but the addition of Thamel should put SI in a position to challenge CBS Sports for supremacy on the college sports front. ESPN recently stole Brett McMurphy from CBS in an effort to bolster its college sports lineup. In recent years, college football has surpassed the MLB and NBA as the 2nd most popular sport in the country, and clearly, the media is adjusting to cater to readers.

[H/T: Brendan]

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41 Responses to “Pete Thamel is Leaving the New York Times for Sports Illustrated”

1
Babar 2.0 Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:29 AM
My least favorite 1/3
2
cursedcleveland.com Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Binghamton has never recovered from the wrath of Thamel. Props to a fellow Syracuse guy for a big gig!
3
Liquor Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:40 AM
As far as sportswriters who hate sports goes, he’s one of the tolerable ones.
4
RexKramerDangerSeeker Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:41 AM
It’s really too bad Kornheiser is on Summer hiatus. Would love to hear his rant on this one.
5
The Wayne Fontes Safari Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:43 AM
In recent years, college football has surpassed the MLB and NBA as the 2nd most popular sport in the country
As it should.
6
ms621 Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:43 AM
My least favorite 1/3
Really? I kind of enjoy the fact that old media musings is back.
7
AssaultWithAConcreteDildo Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:44 AM
I’d be miserable if I hated my work as much as Thamel hates the subjects he covers.
8
Der Kaiser Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:45 AM
College football is the most popular sport down in here in hicksville, USA. But what about you northerners. Are people really that into college football in big cities like New York, Boston, Chicago etc?
9
VladimirCrouton Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Hey Pete
Go after the SEC.
10
phillymantis915 Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Are people really that into college football in big cities like New York, Boston, Chicago etc?
No to all three (include Philly as well). Pro football and baseball rule the cities in the Northeast & Chicago (SC will have to back me up on this).
11
johndewar Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:51 AM
In recent years, college football has surpassed the MLB and NBA as the 2nd most popular sport in the country
Any facts to support this conclusion?
12
ButtersBC Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:52 AM
College football is the most popular sport down in here in hicksville, USA
That’s because their NFL teams have been historically bad and people like rooting for teams that can compete
13
Walking Underwear Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:52 AM
college football is not big in chicago
and really, why is it such a big deal when talent switches networks? even if they are the best at their job, where does that make a difference? scoops might be owned for a minute, so the quality of writing/broadcasting?
14
cursedcleveland.com Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Disagree with Chicago not being a good college football town. Their television ratings are actually very solid…and the bars are PACKED on Saturday’s for games. Plenty Big Ten love up there.
Cleveland and Detroit also have huge college football support (as does Milwaukee as well with all the Badger fans there)
15
AssaultWithAConcreteDildo Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Any rural is more likely to care about college sports. It’s the Atlanta Falcons, but the Georgia Bulldogs. This is not surprising.
16
Watsonian Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:56 AM
I don’t know what Vez is talking about. College football is huge in this city. Almost every bar has a college affiliation and makes a big deal out of saturdays in the fall. And it’s not just Big 10 football either. There are a lot of bars affiliated with Big 12, SEC, and ACC universities. Oh, and a ton of ND bars.
17
Der Kaiser Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:57 AM
That’s because their NFL teams have been historically bad and people like rooting for teams that can compete
No. You guys have had pro teams for 100 years now. Down south, most pro franchises only showed up 30 years ago. I’m strictly in pro>college camp. But that might have something to do with my hatred of rednecks. I think it’s against the law down here to be a redneck and also not be a mouth breathing college football fan. It’s in their DNA. Mind you, most of them have never stepped foot on campus they so passionately support.
18
Watsonian Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Mind you, most of them have never stepped foot on campus they so passionately support.
Just like a vast majority of Wolverine fans.
19
Walking Underwear Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:00 PM
what i meant was no one cares about the local teams. of course big cities have lots of alumni who care and watch.
20
cracker jack Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:01 PM
In recent years, college football has surpassed the MLB and NBA as the 2nd most popular sport in the country
Haha. Hahaha. It’s like you think that continuing to repeat this makes it true.
21
AssaultWithAConcreteDildo Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Listening to Der Kaiser, you’d think fans of the Eagles or Jets stop by the opera on the way back from the game.
We’re talking about *sports* fans. The only pretentious ones follow soccer (and that’s part of the reason some soccer fans follow it).
22
ButtersBC Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Haha. Hahaha. It’s like you think that continuing to repeat this makes it true
Well it probably is, I mean stuff like CBS’ game of the week gets more eyeballs than FOX Saturday Baseball but then you’re dealing in matters of supply and demand with number of games and if those metrics are even fair
23
Der Kaiser Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Didn’t realize that’s such a controversial stance. Being in Atlanta, maybe my views are skewed, but I see 10 times the passion for college football as compared to NBA or ugh MLB. The marquee bowl games and good match-ups during the season gets massive ratings throughout the country.
24
vajayjay redick Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Boston’s weird b/c there’s like 30-40 colleges but only 1 that plays D1 football. There’s no interest in Boston for LOCAL college football unless BC is playing Notre Dame, but I went to the local LSU alumni bar for both Bama games and the place was like the Cajun embassy.
25
cracker jack Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:05 PM
but then you’re dealing in matters of supply and demand with number of games and if those metrics are even fair
Damn, you included my retort in your reply so I guess… I… agree?
26
Der Kaiser Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Listening to Der Kaiser, you’d think fans of the Eagles or Jets stop by the opera on the way back from the game.
We’re talking about *sports* fans. The only pretentious ones follow soccer (and that’s part of the reason some soccer fans follow it).
Yeah, sure dickhead. That’s EXACTLY what I mean. I’m fully aware of fan behavior, dickhead. But to me, obnoxious, loud northerners>racist mouth breathing rednecks. Dickhead.
27
scripty Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:08 PM
I’d agree that college football is #2 in the USA. You have 100 schools and in some ways, entire states that follow a team. This overlaps and includes the NFL fanbases. I’m suprised people doubt this.
28
AssaultWithAConcreteDildo Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Atlanta is a weird city. Way more Brave fans as a % of the population in the country than the city. Atlanta is actually a shitty sports town outside of the college fandom that people bring with them when they move there.
29
Scouser Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:09 PM
The only pretentious ones follow soccer (and that’s part of the reason some soccer fans follow it).
B-R-O-A-D B-R-U-S-H.
How are soccer fans pretentious? Look at William Tyberius Q. Duffy’s musings on CFB, and tell me he doesn’t know just a little bit about the sport.
If you read the comments here enough, you’ll realize that some of us soccer fans do know and like other sports quite a bit.
30
ButtersBC Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Damn, you included my retort in your reply so I guess… I… agree?
I really fell off the rails at the end there with that stream of consciousness…it’s tough to measure popularity since while I watch and enjoy both I care a whole lot more about a White Sox result than whatever the Badgers are doing
The shadiness of college sports as a whole has me down on them, just read a piece today about some rally at Penn State where the organizer said “There’s no better representatives of our university than the football team”…that thinking was the whole fucking problem to begin with there, people never learn
31
Der Kaiser Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:11 PM
B-R-O-A-D B-R-U-S-H.
How are soccer fans pretentious? Look at William Tyberius Q. Duffy’s musings on CFB, and tell me he doesn’t know just a little bit about the sport.
If you read the comments here enough, you’ll realize that some of us soccer fans do know and like other sports quite a bit.
Tally ho! Good chap! Let’s drink some tea and crumpet and discuss Shakespeare. And then have a jolly ol’ game of football!
/might as well play into the stereotype
32
AssaultWithAConcreteDildo Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:12 PM
I’m confused, is Dickhead the name of an opera? Don’t remember that one at the Met last year, but then it sounds too modern to be in the standard repertoire.
33
johndewar Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:13 PM
This overlaps and includes the NFL fanbases. I’m suprised people doubt this.
I don’t doubt the raw eyeballs watching college football is high (football is king, in general, I get it), but I think throwing out a conclusion like that warrants “showing your work” on how you got there, IMO.
Also, don’t underestimate the power of degenerate gamblers who watch college ball simply because they have action on the game (and not because of fan interest, per se).
/is friends with many degenerate gamblers
34
Der Kaiser Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:14 PM
I’m confused, is Dickhead the name of an opera? Don’t remember that one at the Met last year, but then it sounds too modern to be in the standard repertoire.
It’s a play I’m writing. One dickhead’s journey toward sports blog annoyance. Starring AssaultWITHAConcreteDildo.
35
AssaultWithAConcreteDildo Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Read what I said. Not saying soccer fans can’t follow other sports, or that all soccer fans are pretentious. I only said the pretentious sort of fans invariably follow soccer. Because there’s someone out there who thinks that because he follows Wolverhampton he is somehow more aware of the world out there. But don’t ask him who the President of France is because he might not know.
36
ButtersBC Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:19 PM
I only said the pretentious sort of fans invariably follow soccer
You obviously haven’t been around here during a CFB playoff thread where the superfans break out the “You just don’t understand what makes the sport special” argument…helped sway me to the other side, bring on 8-teams next
37
AssaultWithAConcreteDildo Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:19 PM
If it is like most operas then I probably get TB and die at the end.
38
ms621 Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:21 PM
It’s hard to talk about the President of France when you can’t write the word $ocial…t. But his first and last name are also the names of countries.
39
QueeferSutherland Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Is there a sports media trade deadline today too? Gottlieb now Thamel?
40
Historys Greatest Monster Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 1:04 PM
Hey German, go back to Germania.
41
Nada Says:
July 31st, 2012 at 1:28 PM
there’s someone out there who thinks that because he follows Wolverhampton he is somehow more aware of the world out there
That doesn’t make him any less of a raycess hooligan.