ESPN the Mag bets on Chad Millman

News out of Bristol today has Chad Millman taking over as editor in chief of ESPN the Magazine this coming June. It's a great opportunity for Millman, who started with the publication in 1998, and whose work I've always enjoyed. I wrote about Millman -- who does espn.com's outstanding "Behind the Bets" column -- and ESPN's attitude toward its reporters gambling on sports they cover in February (see "Sucker Bet." By the way: If the mainstream media has any problem with ESPN's gambling writer taking the helm of its biggest print outlet, nobody's saying so publicly.) Thus, I wondered if Millman would still be writing about sports betting in his new gig. According to a press release from the Worldwide Leader, he will be. I'll be curious to see if, along with its new focus on style and fashion, the Mag will also be including more gambling content down the road. Stay tuned.

Press release:

April 12, 2011

ESPN The Magazine Announces Transition Plan for New Editor-in-Chief

Chad Millman to become new EIC beginning June 15; Gary Belsky to assist with transition and remain with the magazine as editor-at-large through January 2012

ESPN Publishing General Manager and Editorial Director Gary Hoenig announced today that Chad Millman, currently a senior deputy editor for ESPN The Magazine, will become the magazine’s new editor-in-chief effective June 15, in conjunction with the impending relocation of the magazine’s editorial operations from New York City to the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn. this summer.

Gary Belsky, the magazine’s editor-in-chief for the past four years, will remain with the magazine as editor-at-large through January 2012, and will assist Millman during the transition period.

“Gary has been a tremendous steward for the magazine,” said Hoenig. “He has expertly managed the magazine’s transformation to single-topic, deep-dive editorial for each issue, and has successfully challenged the staff to continually raise the level of journalistic excellence not only in the feature well, but in every section of the book, as evidenced by our three National Magazine Award nominations in the past two years.

“As we prepare for our move to Bristol, Gary’s preference was to remain primarily in New York, which we understand and appreciate. We’re fortunate to have a wonderfully talented successor already on our roster with Chad Millman, whose unique editorial vision and unparalleled knowledge of the sporting landscape we’re confident will give us a new energy and continue to make the magazine a must-read for sports fans. We appreciate their desire to work together in making this transition as seamless as possible.”

Millman, 40, began with ESPN The Magazine as an associate editor during its inaugural year in 1998. In addition to his work with the magazine, he has also written or co-authored seven books, including two New York Times bestsellers (Iceman: My Fighting Life with Chuck Lidell, and They Call Me Baba Booey) as well as two national best-sellers (The Odds, as well as The Ones Who Hit The Hardest, with Shawn Coyne). He also created the gambling beat for ESPN and will continue his weekly podcasts and columns and to make regular TV appearances about the culture of sports betting.

“I’ve been lucky to spend most of my professional career at The Magazine, learning from fantastic editors in John Papanek, Gary Hoenig and Gary Belsky,” said Millman. “They established a legacy of excellence that I’m hoping not to screw up.

“What I’ve loved most about being at ESPN is the abundance of opportunity that comes from working here. Any story we dream up in The Mag lives beyond our pages, and the move to Bristol will only strengthen the relationships we’ve built with our content partners throughout the Worldwide Leader.”

A native of Highland Park, Ill, he is a 1993 graduate of Indiana University.