Ryan Clark secures Pivot25 investment
Ryan Clark and Pivot25 Productions announced Howard Schultz as a strategic partner and investor on September 22, 2026. The new partnership also includes co-founder Alicia Zubikowski in company expansion efforts.
Financial terms were not disclosed. The partnership adds business guidance, commercial connections, networking support, and access to capital as Pivot25 pursues new opportunities across content, distribution, live experiences, and licensing.
Ryan Clark builds Pivot25 with Zubikowski
Ryan Clark co-founded Pivot25 Productions with producer Alicia Zubikowski in 2025. The company oversees The Pivot and has expanded into sports and culture programming through partnerships with Netflix and NFL Films.
Zubikowski is an Emmy-winning producer, while Clark serves as a co-founder, host, and on-air voice. Pivot25 operates beyond a single podcast through streaming distribution, weekly programming, and partnerships in additional media businesses.
Howard Schultz adds business experience
Howard Schultz joins Pivot25 after decades of experience building Starbucks into a global consumer brand. His role brings executive knowledge from scaling a company, developing partnerships, and managing commercial relationships.
Schultz described Pivot25 as broader than a sports media platform, connecting athletics, leadership, business, and entertainment. He will work with Ryan Clark and Alicia Zubikowski as the company expands further.
Ryan Clark leaves ESPN after long run
Ryan Clark left ESPN in July 2026 after more than a decade with the network. His departure came during a round of layoffs affecting talent and employees across several divisions.
Clark appeared regularly on NFL Live, First Take, Get Up, and Monday Night Countdown. His exit shifted attention toward independent media projects he had already developed outside ESPN before July.
Ryan Clark launches new football show
The Pivot Sports with Ryan Clark launched on September 14, 2026, less than two months after Clark left ESPN. The studio program is produced in partnership with NFL Films and streams on Mondays on YouTube.
Former professional football players Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor join Clark to break down games and discuss league storylines. The program also uses interviews and NFL Films material for football analysis.
The Pivot expands onto Netflix
The Pivot entered a multiyear agreement with Netflix beginning September 8, 2026. New video installments stream every Tuesday and Friday, while library episodes remain available on YouTube and the service.
The agreement gives Netflix first negotiation rights on new Pivot25 programming and includes bonus episodes produced for the service. The arrangement broadens streaming distribution while keeping the podcast’s archive available.
The Pivot passes 1.5 million subscribers
The Pivot Podcast reached 1.58 million YouTube subscribers by September 23, 2026, with nearly 490 million views. The channel was created in December 2021, before the podcast launched in 2022.
The channel gained more than 100,000 subscribers during September. That growth gives Pivot25 a large direct audience while its newer partnerships create additional paths for programming, distribution, and business development.
Ryan Clark keeps The Pivot trio together
Ryan Clark hosts The Pivot with Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor, placing three former NFL players at the program’s center. The show features sports discussion and broader interviews.
The trio launched the podcast in 2022 and built its audience through long-form conversations with athletes, executives, entertainers, and guests. Extended interviews give participants more space than studio debate segments.
Pivot25 plans expansion beyond podcasts
Pivot25 plans future opportunities across content, distribution, brand partnerships, live experiences, licensing, and other platform extensions. Howard Schultz’s involvement adds an experienced business partner as the company develops those areas.
The announced strategy moves Pivot25 beyond podcast production alone. Its expansion plan includes commercial partnerships and audience experiences alongside programming, creating several business lines within a single media operation.
Howard Schultz has sports ownership history
Howard Schultz previously owned the Seattle SuperSonics before selling the NBA franchise in 2006. Clay Bennett’s group purchased the team, which later moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder.
That history gives Schultz prior experience with sports ownership, although his Pivot25 role differs. He joins the media company as an investor and strategic partner rather than a franchise owner.
Fun fact: The Pivot once became Fanatics’ first major direct digital media sponsorship before the two sides later ended that partnership, and the show returned independently.
Ryan Clark makes three major media moves
Ryan Clark’s post-ESPN expansion includes three developments within two months. He launched a football show, brought The Pivot to Netflix, and added Howard Schultz as an investor and strategic partner.
Those moves give Pivot25 new programming, wider distribution, and business support while maintaining its YouTube presence. Clark remains involved with the company as a co-founder and host of principal programs.
Pivot25 keeps YouTube in its mix
Pivot25 continues to use YouTube alongside its external partnerships. Earlier Pivot episodes remain available on the platform, The Pivot Sports streams on the podcast’s channel, and Netflix carries new podcast video episodes.
These arrangements give Pivot25 several outlets. YouTube hosts its existing library and football show, Netflix carries new Pivot episodes, and NFL Films partners on the production of The Pivot Sports.
“This is for you,” Ryan Clark announces, his first major move since ESPN, showing how his independent media strategy is taking shape while contractual limits delay any immediate return to a rival television network.
Ryan Clark builds a broader media company
Ryan Clark is building Pivot25 beyond a single program. Howard Schultz has joined as an investor and strategic partner, while Netflix carries The Pivot and NFL Films partners on the production of The Pivot Sports.
Pivot25 has described opportunities across sports, business, culture, and entertainment. Its existing programs, streaming agreement, and YouTube audience give the company a base from which to pursue those plans.
Ryan Clark reveals that the ESPN clause barring him from rival networks adds context to the limits still shaping his options after leaving ESPN.
Do you think Ryan Clark’s move from ESPN to building Pivot25 will give him more control over his media career? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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