Photo via Indiewire
HBO Sports and Sports Illustrated have joined forces with Endgame Entertainment and Playground, to produce a new documentary series, SPORT IN AMERICA: Our Defining Stories. According to the press release,
The show is a multipart series scheduled to air in 2013. This groundbreaking show is about how our nation’s most compelling sports moments have affected the lives of the people who watched them, and in turn shaped America’s character. We will use interviews with real fans (that’s you!) along with celebrities, historians, politicians, etc. about their most meaningful sports memories and how they influenced their lives to weave a tapestry about the meaning of sports and the values that make our American society great.
If you’re thinking HBO Sports and Sports Illustrated are remixing ESPN’s very successful 30 for 30 docuseries by retelling transformative sports stories you’re right. But here’s why I believe tapping regular fans to recount these significant sports moments is a major differentiator. User-generated content continues to be “the next big thing”. The successes of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and other popular social media sites are extremely popular because of the unique content produced by millions of John and Jane Does. While everyone doesn’t have the ability or means to produce or direct a documentary, as Kanye suggested, you can at least grab a camera, shoot a viral. In other words, everyone has a story worth telling. A person’s experiences or point of view are valuable. Yet, most people incorrectly assume their voice will simply echo off hollow walls because of disinterest. But, with the support of Sports Illustrated and HBO Sports, you’re guaranteed to have an audience, if your content is compelling enough.
If you’ve ever dreamed of breaking into the sports industry, here’s your opportunity. Don’t hesitate, just do it!
And to help you get started, I’ll briefly share one of my own. While I have many memories that involve the NY Knicks, or college basketball, watching Mike Tyson lose to Buster Douglas tops the list. Witnessing a larger than life Mike Tyson plummet to the mat shattered my core and everything I believed at the time. As a preteen, I thought Tyson’s dominance was eternal. I recall watching the fight with my Dad and rewinding the 10-second count a million times because I refused to believe what we witnessed was real. Watching Mike Tyson earn the first loss of his career put things in perspective. Even the greatest champions are capable of defeat. That moment forever changed how I viewed boxing and sports, in general.
Damn.