Ryan Clark’s journey since being fired from ESPN should be studied. Sometimes when someone undervalues you, that loss becomes the opening for the world to value you beyond expectation.
That lesson just got a very tangible proof point. Howard Schultz, the billionaire entrepreneur and former Starbucks chairman and CEO, has joined Pivot25 Productions, the media company behind “The Pivot” podcast, as a strategic partner and investor.
The deal comes months after Clark’s departure from ESPN this past July, where he says he was let go after more than a decade with the network. Rather than step back, Clark leaned further into building Pivot25, the company he co-founded with 13-time Emmy-winning producer Alicia Zubikowski.
Clark described how the partnership came together during an appearance on Craig Melvin’s “Glass Half Full.” He said Schultz reached out shortly after his exit from ESPN with a lengthy text message, having done a deep dive into the situation. “He talks about this deep dive he’s done on me since he saw it happen,” Clark said, adding that Schultz expressed a desire “to not only be a part of my comeback, but he believes that I’m a brand. He believes in things that I stand for, which I hadn’t heard from somebody of his stature who didn’t look like me. I’m just being honest.”
Clark said he initially pitched Schultz on backing a single show, but Schultz pushed him to think bigger, arguing his brand could support far more than a one-off project.
“I have always believed that the most enduring businesses are built at the intersection of great ideas, authentic leadership and human connection,” Schultz said in a statement announcing the partnership. “That is what I see in Ryan Clark, Alicia Zubikowski and the entire Pivot25 team.” He pointed to a broader shift in media consumption as part of his rationale: “We are living through a profound transformation in media. Audiences are increasingly choosing people and platforms they trust over traditional institutions, and the barriers between sports, business, culture and entertainment are disappearing.” Schultz added that Pivot25 “is already much more than a successful sports media platform. It is playing at the level of culture.”
Clark framed the partnership as a natural extension of what Schultz built at Starbucks. “Howard has always understood that the strongest brands begin with a clear purpose and a genuine relationship with people,” he said. “That’s what he did with Starbucks. He built a company around human connection, belonging and an experience people wanted to make part of their lives.” He added that Schultz “sees possibilities for Pivot25 that extend far beyond where we are today,” and that his experience and relationships “will help us build the company with greater intention, discipline and ambition.”
Zubikowski echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the platform’s foundation of trust. “We have built Pivot25 from the ground up, and we know that the people, relationships and trust behind the platform are what make it special,” she said. “Howard understands that better than most. He knows what it means to build a global brand while staying grounded in purpose, people and connection.”
Beyond capital, Schultz’s role will include strategic counsel, commercial relationships, and access to his network as Pivot25 looks to expand into live experiences, brand licensing, corporate partnerships, and other multiplatform projects.
“The Pivot,” which Clark hosts alongside former NFL players Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor, has grown from a sports podcast into a space for candid conversations spanning mental health, fatherhood, relationships, and Black manhood. The show recently entered a multiyear agreement with Netflix bringing new video episodes to the streaming platform, and has built a substantial direct audience, north of 1.4 million YouTube subscribers and more than 480 million views. Pivot25 also recently launched a new weekly studio show, “The Pivot Sports with Ryan Clark,” produced in partnership with NFL Films.
Clark addressed the news himself on X: “New days and continued blessings. Building a relationship with Howard Schultz has taught me so much about business already. I’m excited to continue to learn & grow with him as a partner. As the saying goes, ‘Onward & Upward.'”
Clark, who won Super Bowl XLIII during an eight-season career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has remained largely measured in his public comments about ESPN since his firing, even as he’s detailed the circumstances surrounding his exit, which he’s tied to comments he made about the Kyren Lacy news. He’s previously said he remains under a non-compete with ESPN through the end of February, when his contract expires.