ESPN’s latest sport has no rules, a flexible season and no championship game. Its only stars are the ones working behind the scenes.
The Disney-owned sports-media juggernaut finds itself in an impossible situation. The outlet spends millions to secure the rights to air hours and hours of live basketball, football, baseball, racing, boxing and mixed martial arts. In normal times, that’s a very successful business model. In a moment when the entire nation has been essentially sidelined, so too have the sports that ESPN depends upon so heavily. ESPN’s new game is to get people to keep watching even when the main thing they want to watch is not available.
“There are so many creative things we can do, similar to some of the initiatives we’ve done in the past for special event anniversaries, ‘The Ocho’ day and more,” says Burke Magnus, ESPN’s executive vice president,...
The Disney-owned sports-media juggernaut finds itself in an impossible situation. The outlet spends millions to secure the rights to air hours and hours of live basketball, football, baseball, racing, boxing and mixed martial arts. In normal times, that’s a very successful business model. In a moment when the entire nation has been essentially sidelined, so too have the sports that ESPN depends upon so heavily. ESPN’s new game is to get people to keep watching even when the main thing they want to watch is not available.
“There are so many creative things we can do, similar to some of the initiatives we’ve done in the past for special event anniversaries, ‘The Ocho’ day and more,” says Burke Magnus, ESPN’s executive vice president,...
- 3/17/2020
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
The e-mail that the National Football League had been awaiting for years finally arrived a few days after 2008’s Super Bowl Xlii. On his train commute home, Charles Coplin, then the NFL’s head of programming, saw a notification pop up on his BlackBerry — a message from Jon Landau, Bruce Springsteen’s manager.
As Coplin read, stunned and thrilled, Landau complimented Coplin and his colleagues on the halftime show, which featured Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and expressed interest in Springsteen doing one himself. “When I got the note, it was,...
As Coplin read, stunned and thrilled, Landau complimented Coplin and his colleagues on the halftime show, which featured Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and expressed interest in Springsteen doing one himself. “When I got the note, it was,...
- 2/1/2019
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
New York -- The NFL is taking Vince Lombardi to Broadway.For the first time, the league will help produce a Broadway play, its first venture into live theater. The league will serve as a special producing partner of "Lombardi," which will star Dan Lauria, a regular on the TV show "The Wonder Years" and former college football player and high school coach."Lombardi" is scheduled to open Oct. 21 at the Circle in the Square Theatre. It will be directed by Tony Award nominee Thomas Kail."Football and Broadway are both iconic American forms of entertainment, and the NFL is proud to bring these two unique and passionate audiences together under one roof," said Tracy Perlman, NFL vice president of entertainment marketing and promotions. "Lombardi's charisma and coaching style were legendary - and intensely theatrical. Football fans will learn more about the dramatic private life of the sports hero...
- 4/15/2010
- backstage.com
Hollywood legend Robert De Niro is set to play distinguished football coach Vince Lombardi in a new feature film by Espn Films, Andell Entertainment, and the NFL. "Lombardi" will chronicle the Green Bay Packers coach's career as he led the transformation of the worst team of the NFL into a five-time champion.
The story, written by "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" screenwriter Eric Roth, will begin from 1958 when Lombardi first became an NFL head coach and took over the Packers. It will also highlight the long-standing rivalry between the titular character and the Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry.
NFL VP of programming, Charles Coplin, said, "There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi. We're thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team."
De Niro and Tribeca Productions partner Jane Rosenthal will produce alongside Chris Olsen. The film is slated for a 2012 release date.
The story, written by "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" screenwriter Eric Roth, will begin from 1958 when Lombardi first became an NFL head coach and took over the Packers. It will also highlight the long-standing rivalry between the titular character and the Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry.
NFL VP of programming, Charles Coplin, said, "There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi. We're thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team."
De Niro and Tribeca Productions partner Jane Rosenthal will produce alongside Chris Olsen. The film is slated for a 2012 release date.
- 3/11/2010
- icelebz.com
London, March 10 – Actor Robert De Niro has been roped in to play football legend Vince Lombardi in a movie, and the makers feel he has the potential to portray the “passion” of the football star.
The biopic is being developed by Espn Films and the National Football League. Oscar-winning screenwriter Eric Roth has been signed to write the script, reports contactmusic.com.
“There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team,” said Charles Coplin, the NFL vice-president of programming.
Lombardi is considered one of the sport’s greatest after turning the fortunes of the Green Bay Packers.
The biopic is being developed by Espn Films and the National Football League. Oscar-winning screenwriter Eric Roth has been signed to write the script, reports contactmusic.com.
“There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team,” said Charles Coplin, the NFL vice-president of programming.
Lombardi is considered one of the sport’s greatest after turning the fortunes of the Green Bay Packers.
- 3/10/2010
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
Robert De Niro will become a cheese-head for 'Lombardi,' Espn announced Tuesday. The biopic will focus on the years Vince Lombardi led the Green Bay Packers from the bottom of the pack in the NFL to winning the league championships. "Having an icon portray an icon on film is amazing…The results could be magical for NFL fans," said Ron Semiao, senior vice president, Espn Films - Motion Pictures. Lombardi coached the Packers from 1959-1967, helping them to secure the Super Bowl I and II titles. Following his 1970 death at age 57, he was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971. "There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team," Charles Coplin, the NFL's vice president of programming, told Espn. According to Espn, the movie is aiming to...
- 3/10/2010
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
Attention all De Niro and sports fans alike, The Hollywood Reporter announced today (Tuesday, March 9) that Robert de Niro has been chosen to play the sports legend and Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi in a movie set to start production soon by the NFL and Espn Films. From mobster flicks to hilarious comedies, de Niro will now be playing the role of NFL coach, Lombardi, in which he might say, “Winning is not everything — but making the effort to win is.”
The movie, which is simply titled “Lombardi,” will be focus on capturing the years Lombardi spent rebuilding Green Bay into Super Bowl champions. The vice president of NFL programming, Charles Coplin, told the trade publication, “There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team.” NFL Films is planning to release...
The movie, which is simply titled “Lombardi,” will be focus on capturing the years Lombardi spent rebuilding Green Bay into Super Bowl champions. The vice president of NFL programming, Charles Coplin, told the trade publication, “There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team.” NFL Films is planning to release...
- 3/10/2010
- by PopCult Staff
- PopCultNews
Robert De Niro is the frontrunner to portray American football great Vince Lombardi in a new sports movie. The actor has been tapped to play the legendary football coach in a biopic being developed by Espn Films and the National Football League, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Revered screenwriter Eric Roth is working on the script for Lombardi. The coach is considered one of the sport's greatest after turning the fortunes of the Green Bay Packers around in the 1960s and winning five championships in nine years.
Lombardi died in 1970. Charles Coplin, the NFL's vice-president of programming, tells the publication, "There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we're thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team."...
Revered screenwriter Eric Roth is working on the script for Lombardi. The coach is considered one of the sport's greatest after turning the fortunes of the Green Bay Packers around in the 1960s and winning five championships in nine years.
Lombardi died in 1970. Charles Coplin, the NFL's vice-president of programming, tells the publication, "There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we're thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team."...
- 3/10/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
The Risky Business Blog over at THR, is reporting that Robert De Niro has signed onto play legendary Green Bay Packers coach and forefather to modern football, Vince Lombardi, in a new biopic simply titled Lombardi.
Eric Roth, screenwriter to Forrest Gump, is writing the script for the film, which is being developed by Espn Films, Andell Entertainment and the NFL itself. It is said that De Niro will also produce the film along with his Tribeca Productions partner Jane Rosenthal. The film will focus on the years that Lombardi took over the Green Bay Packers and turned them into NFL champions.
“There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team,” said Charles Coplin, the NFL’s vice president programming. “With the addition of De Niro, Eric and Tribeca Prods., we have...
Eric Roth, screenwriter to Forrest Gump, is writing the script for the film, which is being developed by Espn Films, Andell Entertainment and the NFL itself. It is said that De Niro will also produce the film along with his Tribeca Productions partner Jane Rosenthal. The film will focus on the years that Lombardi took over the Green Bay Packers and turned them into NFL champions.
“There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team,” said Charles Coplin, the NFL’s vice president programming. “With the addition of De Niro, Eric and Tribeca Prods., we have...
- 3/10/2010
- by Kevin Coll
- FusedFilm
Robert De Niro is the frontrunner to portray American football great Vince Lombardi in a new sports movie.
The actor has been tapped to play the legendary football coach in a biopic being developed by Espn Films and the National Football League, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Revered screenwriter Eric Roth is working on the script for Lombardi.
The coach is considered one of the sport's greatest after turning the fortunes of the Green Bay Packers around in the 1960s and winning five championships in nine years.
Lombardi died in 1970.
Charles Coplin, the NFL's vice-president of programming, tells the publication, "There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team."...
The actor has been tapped to play the legendary football coach in a biopic being developed by Espn Films and the National Football League, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Revered screenwriter Eric Roth is working on the script for Lombardi.
The coach is considered one of the sport's greatest after turning the fortunes of the Green Bay Packers around in the 1960s and winning five championships in nine years.
Lombardi died in 1970.
Charles Coplin, the NFL's vice-president of programming, tells the publication, "There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team."...
- 3/10/2010
- WENN
The name Vince Lombardi might not exactly be a cultural touchstone over here, but the name Robert De Niro certainly is. The actor has just got himself attached to a biopic of Lombardi – a legendary coach in the sport of American Football. Or, as we like to call it, Rugby With Lots Of Extra Pauses And Wimpy Body-Armour.Benjamin Button writer Eric Roth has penned a script that will focus on Lombardi’s time with one NFL team in particular – the Green Bay Packers, which he reworked into a trophy-grabbing team of champions. Espn films and the NFL itself are behind this one, snatching up the man’s life rights as well as former Packers player Jerry Kramer’s book about the period, Instant Replay.“There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team,...
- 3/9/2010
- EmpireOnline
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