Why does ESPN.com have a local Boston writer on their staff?

ESPN.com is a website intended for all sports fans. ESPN the Magazine is a national publication. Yet, why do they both have a local Boston writer on their staff? Bill Simmons is a diehard Boston fan. There's nothing wrong with that. And he actually understands some stuff about sports betting that is often refreshing compared to other media guys. The question I have is: why does ESPN have a guy writing soleley about his local teams, and using his personal perspective as a fan? Maybe that is not what they intended, but clearly Simmons voices everything from the Red Sox and Patriot fan's point of view.

His latest (see here) is just another one of the same. Again, I have no problem with his columns, but if I wanted to read columns like that, I'd pick up a local Boston newspaper or log in to one of their websites. Why do I, or other fans around the country, have to see Simmons' local slant all the time? I know I can choose not to read it, and often I don't because I know the tone of the message in the articles before I even click on them. I'll bet there are a lot of other guys that choose not to read his articles on ESPN.com either. That just means the product put out by ESPN.com and ESPN is diminished.

Tell me of another city that is represented the same way on ESPN. I don't see anyone else.