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Howard Schultz Invests in Ryan Clark’s Pivot25

Schultz will supply capital, strategic counsel, and corporate connections to help Pivot25 scale with NFL Films production plus a Netflix distribution deal.

Overview

  • Pivot25 Productions announced Tuesday that former Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz has joined as a strategic partner and investor, though the financial terms were not disclosed.
  • Clark’s flagship show, The Pivot Sports with Ryan Clark, is produced with NFL Films, has grown a large YouTube audience, and recently secured a multi‑year streaming arrangement with Netflix.
  • Ryan Clark says ESPN informed him of his departure while he was on air in July and has publicly called the move a firing rather than a layoff, a sequence he has described in recent interviews.
  • According to Pivot25’s release and Clark’s accounts, Schultz’s role will go beyond capital to include strategic advice, corporate relationships and access to networks to expand Pivot25 into multiplatform media.
  • The partnership accelerates a talent‑driven media play that could shift Clark’s career away from traditional networks, even as some outlets highlight controversial comments by Clark and others that could pose reputation risks.