We kick off the sports coverage by welcoming two of the biggest names in Bay Area sports media: Tim Kawakami and David Lombardi. Both come from The Standard after previously working at the New York Times-owned outlet The Athletic.

The reason we’re starting sports coverage is you, our readers. Everything we do at The Standard is driven by your input, and this was one of your most frequent requests. Because we have some of the best teams in the country, including the 49ers and the Warriors, we know how important sports are to the Bay Area. And now we’re excited to expand our site to bring you even more of what you love. Tim and David will be publishing smart analysis of games, teams, players and the companies behind them starting next week.

Tim is one of the masters of sports journalism on a local and national level, covering teams in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Philadelphia for 35 years. He helped launch The Athletic Bay Area in 2017 and served as a columnist and editor in chief while also hosting his podcast, “The TK Show.” He regularly invites some of the most powerful people in sports, from Warriors owner Joe Lacob and coach Steve Kerr to 49ers owner Jed York and quarterback Brock Purdy.

Tim was previously a sports columnist and news editor at the San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Times and Philadelphia Daily News. A Bay Area native, he was born in Oakland and grew up in San Francisco and Burlingame. He now lives in Mission Bay, a short walk from the home stadiums of the Warriors and Giants.

David comes to The Standard after seven years as a 49ers reporter at The Athletic, a tenure that coincided with 49ers general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan. His work includes in-depth analysis of players and investigations into team strategy (both on the field and salary cap-wise), as well as features on prominent figures associated with the 49ers. He has built a huge audience on social media, frequently publishes highly regarded reports on his YouTube channel, and has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers across his platforms.

David is a graduate of Stanford University and holds a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University. He previously worked as a football reporter for Scout.com and ESPN. David was born and raised in Visalia, California and now divides his time between Mission and Tennessee.