Tennis Channel Names New Leader After Solomon Dismissal

Tennis Channel has turned to a familiar face as its new leader.

Bill Simon has been named TC Interim President, Tennis Channel announced today.

Simon joined the network as CFO in 2005 and has served a variety of executive Tennis Channel roles in recent years.

Here is Tennis Channel’s announcement:

Sinclair, Inc. has named Tennis Channel’s Bill Simon as the network’s interim president. Simon has been in a top leadership role since joining the channel as CFO in 2005, in recent years serving as EVP, COO and CFO. He has been directly involved in the key decisions that have guided the network during the past two decades and will oversee all aspects of its business.

Simon takes over about three weeks after TC’s parent company, Sinclair Broadcast Group, axed long-time CEO Ken Solomon.

Sinclair ousted Solomon over his role as an advisory board member for Dr. Phil McGraw’s Merit Street Media company, according to a Wall Street Journal report earlier this month.

The Journal reported Sinclair execs saw Solomon’s work with Dr. Phil’s new media company as “a growing distraction.” 

Meanwhile, sources close to Solomon claim he served similar roles as advisory board members throughout his TC tenure and it was not an issue until Sinclair began looking for a cause to make a move.

Tennis Channel grew its audience during Solomon’s tenure, though it has not been profitable since its inception under founder Steve Bellamy.

Reports say media giant Sinclair has been trying to unload Tennis Channel and ousting Solomon may well have been part of its streamlining process in preparation for a sale.