ESPN Films Expanding

Monday, March 03, 2008


Over the past few years ESPN's been trying to branch out into Sports Films with honestly little success. Their made for TV movies haven't gone over too well and their trip to Tribeca earned good reviews, but the movies were/are hard to find.

Well now expect even more movies to hit the channel in the near future....
ESPN dominates sports on television. Now, the cable heavyweight is making a run at the big screen.

ESPN said it would collaborate with Creative Artists Agency and Walt Disney Studios to produce and distribute theatrical films with sports themes. As part of the network’s expansion in filmed entertainment, ESPN is also hiring 30 filmmakers to produce one-hour mini-movies to appear on the channel starting in September 2009.

Movies will be financed by Walt Disney, which owns ESPN; outside investors; or a combination thereof. ESPN executives declined to comment on financial elements, except to say budgets would vary by project.
I guess it's only natural that this move would take place, but you have to wonder why it hadn't happened sooner. Anyway, expect a lot more documentaries and short films to hit the network in September. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. This very well could be yet another sign that the "Leader" is changing their style or substance policy of the last few years.

With Partners, ESPN Is Expanding in Filmmaking (NY Times)

Posted by Awful Announcing- at 9:11 AM

10 Comments:

Sports films to me are a lot like Christmas films. Hollywood ruined them both. It was memorable when you had one every few years. Now you have like 5 nondescript ones every season, and none of them will be "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Raging Bull"

Anonymous said...
Mar 3, 2008, 9:46:00 AM  

maybe it's just me, but nick nolte should have won an oscar for blue chips

Anonymous said...
Mar 3, 2008, 9:59:00 AM  

Anon #1- Perfect comparison.

Anon #2- I agree....that speech at the end still gives me chills.

Mar 3, 2008, 10:13:00 AM  

Somewhere, The Rock and Barry Pepper are very excited about this news.

GMoney said...
Mar 3, 2008, 10:44:00 AM  

I'm guessing Matthew McConaughey too.

J.J. said...
Mar 3, 2008, 11:14:00 AM  

Lawrence Taylor as well.

Jamie Foxx too.

And this is a great opportunity for Mike Greenberg.

Think they'll tackle the Orenthal James story?

E Buzz said...
Mar 3, 2008, 11:29:00 AM  

I bet there first movie is about the 2004 Red Sox championship. I'm not being sarcastic, sadly.

Anonymous said...
Mar 3, 2008, 11:54:00 AM  

I could see this being a good idea if they made more documentaries. ESPN Classic rarely shows that type of stuff, and Beyond the Glory hasn't been on in ages(at least not in Chicago). They're oozing with on-air personalities, you're telling me they couldn't slap together a documentary or film about practically any sport?

dickey simpkins said...
Mar 3, 2008, 1:02:00 PM  

I am willing to bet that ESPN also does a film about the Yankees of the late 90's. My big fear is that ESPN will turn into MTV (Sort of already is) and quit covering sports completely except for a three or four hour period.

Anonymous said...
Mar 3, 2008, 1:45:00 PM  

Their first movie will be "The Joe Torre Story"

Anonymous said...
Mar 3, 2008, 6:48:00 PM  

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