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Fantasy football analyst Matthew Berry is leaving ESPN after 15 years at the forefront of the company’s fantasy football coverage, he announced on social media Monday.
“When I came to the company in 2007, fantasy football was a niche of a niche, and ESPN was way behind the market leader. And now, many years later, I am so incredibly proud of all the work we have done together to bring fantasy football into the mainstream and, specifically, make ESPN the leading game and content destination for fantasy players everywhere,” Berry wrote in a statement.
“I feel truly blessed to have worked alongside countless talented, dedicated and passionate colleagues supported by management who understood what fantasy sports meant to our fans.”
Berry was hired by ESPN in February 2007 and he quickly revolutionized the company’s fantasy football coverage. He contributed frequent written work to ESPN.com, highlighted by his weekly “Love/Hate” columns during the NFL season, and made regular appearances across the network’s television and radio platforms.
Berry also co-hosted the Fantasy Focus Football podcast, along with partners Field Yates and Stephania Bell.
“Matthew Berry expressed a desire to explore new opportunities beyond ESPN. After discussing it with him, we agreed to support it,” ESPN said in a statement. “Since joining 15 years ago, Matthew has provided a distinctive and creative voice and been a catalyst in the proliferation of fantasy sports. He is dedicated and talented, and we wish him the best in his next endeavor.”
Now set to depart the company at the end of the week, Berry did not reveal what he plans to do in the future. Instead, his announcement kept the focus on his remarkable run at ESPN.
“On a professional level, ESPN gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to write and talk fantasy sports on every possible ESPN platform,” he wrote. “On a personal level, ESPN is where I made lifelong friends, met my wife, and started my family. I am forever indebted to ESPN.
