History of Bleacher Report in Timeline

Bleacher Report is a sports website focusing on sports culture, with headquarters in San Francisco and additional offices. Acquired by Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting System in 2012, Bleacher Report previously launched B/R Live, a streaming service featuring live sports which was later discontinued. Bleacher Report owns House of Highlights. Its branding was used for Max's sports coverage.

2005: Bleacher Report Founded

In 2005, Bleacher Report was founded by Sam Erez, Harry Ryan, Bryan Goldberg, and Dave Nemetz, four friends and sports fans who wanted to write about sports.

2007: Bleacher Report Takes Up Residence in Menlo Park Office

In the spring of 2007, Bleacher Report took up residence in a Menlo Park office space, marking an early stage in the company's development.

February 2008: Series A Funding Completion and Public Launch

In February 2008, Bleacher Report announced the completion of a Series A funding round on the occasion of its public launch, marking a significant step in its growth.

October 2008: Bleacher Report Secures Series B Funding

In October 2008, Bleacher Report secured $3.5 million in Series B funding, indicating continued investor confidence in the company's potential.

2009: Freund Leaves Bleacher Report

In 2009, Freund left Bleacher Report, marking a change in the company's leadership structure.

December 2010: Series C Funding Round

In December 2010, Bleacher Report secured an additional $10.5 million in a Series C funding round led by Crosslink Capital, furthering the company's expansion.

2010: Editorial and Personnel Reforms

In 2010, Bleacher Report attempted to address early criticisms by implementing substantive reforms to its editorial and personnel policies, aimed at enhancing quality and credibility.

2010: Brian Grey Named CEO of Bleacher Report

In 2010, Brian Grey was named the chief executive officer of Bleacher Report, bringing leadership experience from Fox Sports Interactive and Yahoo! Sports.

2010: Criticism for Exploitation of Unpaid Contributors

Since abandoning the content farm model in 2010, Bleacher Report faced criticism for its exploitation of unpaid contributors, its policy prohibiting writers from breaking their own news, and its production of low-quality slideshow content.

May 2011: Rich Calacci Joins as Chief Revenue Officer

In May 2011, Rich Calacci joined Bleacher Report as chief revenue officer, marking an addition to the company's executive team.

August 2011: $22 Million Growth Round

In August 2011, Bleacher Report announced a $22 million growth round led by Oak Investment Partners, indicating strong investor confidence in the company's ability to capitalize on real-time fan interest across social media.

August 2011: Forbes.com Calls Bleacher Report "One of the Leaders"

In August 2011, Forbes.com called Bleacher Report "one of the leaders" among sports startups, noting its success in providing publishing tools to knowledgeable sports fans.

2011: Continued Reforms to Writer Program

In 2011, Bleacher Report continued its reforms to its Writer Program, with an emphasis on enhancing quality and credibility, aiming to address ongoing concerns from critics.

August 6, 2012: Announcement of Sale to Time Warner

On August 6, 2012, the sale of Bleacher Report to Time Warner (via Turner Sports) was announced, with key executives assuming official Turner Sports titles while retaining responsibilities at Bleacher Report.

August 2012: Bleacher Report Acquired by Turner Broadcasting System

In August 2012, Bleacher Report was acquired by Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting System for $175 million, marking a significant milestone in the company's history.

October 2012: Published Rebuttal Disputing SF Weekly Article

Apart from a published rebuttal disputing the objectivity and accuracy of the October 2012 SF Weekly article, Bleacher Report has not mounted a substantive response to ongoing criticism of its contributor compensation structure, news-breaking policy and search-optimization strategies.

October 2012: SF Weekly Article Accuses Bleacher Report of "dumbing down of the web"

In October 2012, an SF Weekly article quoted Vivek Wadhwa accusing Bleacher Report of "dumbing down of the web" with "custom-manufactured garbage," highlighting ongoing criticism of the site's content quality.

December 2012: The Onion Lampoons Bleacher Report

In December 2012, a lampoon article in The Onion played on themes of low-quality content and exploitative practices at Bleacher Report, indicating public perception of these issues.

February 2013: Atherton's CFO Responsibilities Assumed by Turner Corporate

In February 2013, as part of the integration process, Atherton's CFO responsibilities were assumed by Turner corporate, marking a change in the company's financial management.

October 2013: Grey Steps Down as CEO

In October 2013, Brian Grey stepped down from the CEO position at Bleacher Report, leading to a shift in the company's leadership.

2013: Hiring of Prominent Columnists and Reporters

In 2013, Bleacher Report hired Mike Freeman as a columnist from CBSSports.com, and Howard Beck from The New York Times along with other NBA reporters to transform the website's content and credibility.

May 2014: Launch of Game of Zones

In May 2014, Bleacher Report launched Game of Zones, a parody of HBO's Game of Thrones featuring animated NBA figures, marking an expansion into animated content.

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July 2014: Deadspin Publishes Narrative by Former Bleacher Report Columnist

In July 2014, Deadspin published a narrative by Tom Schreier, a former Bleacher Report columnist, detailing his experience of writing over 500 articles and receiving minimal compensation, highlighting concerns about contributor compensation.

September 2014: Dorth Raphaely Named General Manager

In September 2014, Dorth Raphaely was named General Manager of Bleacher Report, taking over for Finocchio, following his departure as CEO.

September 2014: Finocchio Departs as CEO

In September 2014, Finocchio departed as CEO of Bleacher Report, marking another transition in the company's leadership.

2014: Mainstream Sports Outlets Cover Professional Wrestling

Following WWE and ESPN beginning to collaborate on projects on a regular basis in 2014, other mainstream sports outlets now cover professional wrestling, indicating a shift in perception of the genre.

2015: Bleacher Report Acquires House of Highlights

In 2015, Bleacher Report acquired the popular sports-themed Instagram page House of Highlights, expanding its social media presence.

January 2016: Finocchio Returns as CEO

In January 2016, Finocchio returned to Bleacher Report as CEO, marking a return to leadership for the company.

October 2016: Launch of Gridiron Heights

In October 2016, Bleacher Report launched Gridiron Heights, a cartoon web series featuring satirical portrayals of NFL stars and executives, further expanding its content offerings.

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February 2017: Bleacher Report Lays Off Employees

In February 2017, Bleacher Report announced that it was laying off over 50 employees as the site stepped away from its open content model, indicating a strategic shift.

July 2017: Howard Mittman Named Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Marketing Officer

In July 2017, Bleacher Report announced that it named Howard Mittman as chief revenue officer and chief marketing officer, adding to its executive leadership.

2017: Named "Hottest in Sports" by Adweek

In 2017, Bleacher Report was named "Hottest in Sports" in Adweek's Annual Hot List, recognizing its success in the sports media industry.

March 2018: Launch of B/R Live

In March 2018, Bleacher Report and Turner Sports launched B/R Live, a subscription video streaming service offering live broadcasts of various major sports events.

March 2018: Bleacher Report Announces B/R Live Internet Television Service

In March 2018, Bleacher Report announced a new internet television service known as B/R Live, featuring original programming and live event coverage from Turner properties and other sources.

September 2018: Launch of The Champions Animated Show

In September 2018, Bleacher Report launched the first episode of The Champions, an animated show involving the current Champions League members of that season, marking further expansion into animated content.

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November 23, 2018: B/R Live Streams The Match: Tiger vs. Phil for Free

On November 23, 2018, B/R Live streamed The Match: Tiger vs. Phil, a match play golf event, for free due to pay-per-view system issues, prompting refunds to buyers.

2018: Game of Zones Receives Sports Emmy Award Nomination

In 2018, Game of Zones received a Sports Emmy Award nomination, recognizing its quality and innovation in sports-related content.

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February 2019: Deal with Caesars Entertainment Corporation

In February 2019, Turner announced a deal with casino operator Caesars Entertainment Corporation to open a Bleacher Report studio at the Caesars Palace sportsbook to produce sports betting-oriented content.

June 2020: Howard Mittman Resigns as CEO

In June 2020, Howard Mittman resigned as CEO of Bleacher Report, following staff concerns regarding a lack of diversity at the company, and Lenny Daniels took over as CEO.

2020: Hero Ball Replaces Game of Zones

After Game of Zones ended in 2020, it was replaced with another NBA-centric series called Hero Ball, which parodies several anime shows and tropes.

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June 2021: B/R Live Shuts Down

In June 2021, B/R Live was shut down and merged into the Bleacher Report app, consolidating its streaming services.

2021: Launch of B/R Open Ice

In 2021, Bleacher Report launched a new ice hockey vertical known as B/R Open Ice, in conjunction with the NHL on TNT, indicating an expansion into specific sports coverage.

2021: Discontinuation of B/R Live

In 2021, the B/R Live subscription video streaming service was discontinued and merged with the company's mobile app.

October 2023: Launch of Bleacher Report-Branded Streaming Hub on Max

In October 2023, TNT Sports launched a Bleacher Report-branded streaming hub on Max, serving as a spiritual successor to B/R Live.

January 2025: Agreement with the National Football League

In January 2025, the National Football League announced an agreement with Bleacher Report allowing it to distribute video highlights and game recaps and receive expanded access to league events and personnel.