Nate Silver Is Leaving the New York Times for ESPN

Nate Read Silver at arrivals for TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World Gala, Time Warner Center, New York, NY May 5, 2009. Photo By: Rob Rich/Everett Collection (Newscom TagID: evphotos231148.jpg) [Photo via Newscom]

The number-cruncher will be taking his talents to the Disney-owned sports network after his contract with the paper expires in August. In addition to writing and doing math for ESPN, Silver is expected to contribute to Keith Olbermann’s new late-night talk show there, as well as to the also Disney-owned ABC News during elections. As Times media reporter Brian Stelter notes, the loss of Silver and his FiveThirtyEight franchise will “most likely be interpreted as a blow” to his employer, which benefited greatly from his apparently unique ability to make polling data interesting and comforting (at least to Democrats) over the course of President Obama’s two campaigns.