Steve “Dangle” Glynn, a popular Canadian hockey personality, is leaving Sportsnet once the Stanley Cup playoffs come to a close later this month. The move comes as he and his business partners at SDPN Inc., an independent digital content creation company that he helped launch, focus their full attention on the future of the company. Glynn, along with co-founders Adam Wylde and Jesse Blake, has seen the company grow from an idea to a fully operational content machine with three studios and more than a dozen digital sports programs.
Glynn’s departure from Sportsnet after nine seasons is a significant moment in his career, one that was chronicled in his 2019 memoir, “This Team Is Ruining My Life (But I Love Them).” In it, he writes about the long road he took to land work in Canadian sports television, starting as an intern for Sportsnet 590 The Fan, where he worked as a guide for guests starting from the lobby. It was there he began to grow his own audience, gaining notoriety for his animated reactions to the Maple Leafs, the team he accused of ruining his life.
As digital media has grown and evolved, more independent content creators like Glynn, Wylde, and Blake have emerged. They’ve been able to create businesses from scratch, hiring people through websites that require no capital investment. SDPN, wholly owned by its three co-founders, has achieved this, with four full-time employees and 20 contractors who help create content for the company’s many programs.
Once the playoffs end, Glynn’s official announcement will be made by way of a YouTube video, a chosen platform he knows all too well. He is excited to continue to build SDPN, and although leaving Sportsnet marks the end of an era, it is also a thrilling new chapter in his career.
Wylde, son of Canadian television host Marilyn Denis, is also leaving his full-time job as co-host of the morning show at 99.9 Virgin Radio to focus solely on SDPN. The digital era has provided them with unlimited opportunities, with no need for outside investors and plenty of room to expand beyond sports content.
They eventually hope to expand their menu of offerings to include broad topics such as science, but for now, they are focusing on sports-related shows. Their business model relies heavily on digital platforms, with their YouTube channel accounting for a large portion of their business.
Both Glynn and Wylde plan to fill different roles within the company to ensure that it runs smoothly. Glynn will mainly focus on content creation, while Wylde will handle the business side of the operations, filling in where necessary, “hiring people that do know,” and reading self-help books to ensure their success.
Overall, more independent digital sports media companies like SDPN are beginning to take root, challenging established brands like TSN and Sportsnet. The digital era has provided a wealth of opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to create content without requiring a large initial investment. With the right content and business strategies, success is well within their reach.
