or


[10/04/16 - 07:02 AM]
ESPN Films Announces Next Three Documentaries in "30 for 30" Series
Currently in the midst of its third volume, the series is fresh off a summer which featured the popular and critically acclaimed premieres of both "O.J.: Made in America" and "Doc & Darryl."

[via press release from ESPN]

ESPN Films Announces Next Three Documentaries in 30 for 30 Series

"Phi Slama Jama" Premieres October 18; "Hit it Hard" Premieres November 1; "Catholics vs. Convicts" Premieres December 10

ESPN Films' Peabody and Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 series continues this fall with three new documentaries that will air in October, November and December. Currently in the midst of its third volume, the series is fresh off a summer which featured the popular and critically acclaimed premieres of both "O.J.: Made in America" and "Doc & Darryl."

Providing the tip-off for the fall offerings on Tuesday, October 18, will be "Phi Slama Jama," a brief yet captivating era at the University of Houston and a story ultimately captured for all it was and what might have been in the famous 1983 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game. Two weeks later, another intriguing narrative is revealed in "Hit It Hard," a look back at the rags-to-riches-to-rags saga of golfer John Daly. Then, following the Heisman Trophy presentation on Saturday, December 10, ESPN will debut "Catholics vs. Convicts," a return to the unforgettable 1988 football game between Notre Dame and the University of Miami that sparked far more than just a t-shirt.

"With each of our 30 for 30 films this fall, there's a level of rebelliousness, controversy and intrigue in the main characters," says ESPN Films Vice President and Executive Producer John Dahl. "That desire to do it their own way brought along a fair share of criticism, but also helped fuel the pursuit of their goals."

30 for 30 Film Summaries and Dates:

"Phi Slama Jama" directed by Chip Rives

Tuesday, October 18, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN

They were the most popular fraternity on the campus of college basketball in the early 1980s. Led by a Nigerian soccer player named Hakeem Olajuwon and a lightly recruited hometown kid named Clyde Drexler, the University of Houston Cougars not only electrified the NCAA Final Four with three straight appearances (1982-84), but they also helped transform the game itself. In this 30 for 30 film, director Chip Rives brings back the high-flying circus act under ringmaster Guy V. Lewis and spins a tale of true greatness and crushing heartbreak. But while exploring that larger narrative, Rives also focuses on the disappearance of enigmatic role player Benny Anders and the lasting brotherhood that compels teammates and 1981-82 co-captains Eric Davis and Lynden Rose to try and find him after more than two decades of mystery. Trailer: http://es.pn/2dBdDVi

"Hit It Hard" directed by David Terry Fine and Gabe Spitzer

Tuesday, November 1, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN

If professional golf were put to country music, then the song would be about John Daly. Ever since he shocked the sports world by winning the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick 25 years ago, the blond bomber from Dardanelle, Arkansas, has been one of the most popular - and polarizing - figures in a sport that cherishes its traditions and minds its manners. In this revealing and rollicking 30 for 30 film, directors Gabe Spitzer and David Fine cover Daly's rise and fall, his redemption at the British Open in St. Andrews in 1995, and his struggles with booze, food, gambling, women and depression. They also uncover a person whose story runs much deeper than his motto of "Sip It, Grip It, Rip It." Trailer: http://es.pn/2d0bLnN

"Catholics vs. Convicts" directed by Patrick Creadon

Saturday, December 10, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN

On October 15, 1988, Notre Dame hosted the University of Miami in what would become one of the greatest games in college football history. It was tradition vs. swagger, the No. 4-ranked Fighting Irish versus the No. 1-ranked Hurricanes, one coaching star, Lou Holtz, versus another, Jimmy Johnson. But the name still attached to the contest came from a t-shirt manufactured by a few Notre Dame students: "Catholics vs. Convicts." In this 30 for 30 documentary, director and narrator Patrick Creadon (Wordplay, I.O.U.S.A.) doesn't just look back on the epic game. He explores the deeper narrative as a Notre Dame senior at the time, a close friend to the young men in the middle of the "Catholics vs. Convicts" controversy (Joe Fredrick and Pat Walsh) and a fellow classmate of the player behind center for the Fighting Irish (quarterback Tony Rice). The coaches and players open up about the fight that started the game, the highly debatable calls that are still being talked about and the insensitive aspects of the irresistibly popular t-shirt. As compelling as the tale of Notre Dame's dramatic victory is - even losing quarterback Steve Walsh calls it "a helluva ballgame" - the backstory is just as riveting. Trailer: http://es.pn/2d0amh6

About ESPN Films

ESPN Films has been an industry leader in documentary filmmaking since its inception in March 2008, producing more than 100 documentaries that have showcased some of the most compelling stories in sports. The high quality of storytelling, highlighted by the Peabody and Emmy-Award winning 30 for 30 series and the documentary event "O.J.: Made in America," has led to record viewership as well as multiple honors and film festival appearances. Additional projects from ESPN Films over the years have included 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX and the SEC Storied series.





  [october 2016]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· 30 FOR 30 (ESPN)





[10/08/25 - 12:00 PM]
FOX Entertainment Studios and HarperCollins Publishers Form Strategic Reciprocal First-Look Development Deal
Together, the companies will create a powerful, ongoing content pipeline that flows seamlessly between book and screen.

[10/08/25 - 11:44 AM]
Paramount+ Greenlights Season Two of Showtime Original Series "Dexter: Resurrection"
The series has been greenlit for season two with the writers' room now open.

[10/08/25 - 11:00 AM]
ESPN Reveals Slam Dunk 2025-26 SEC Women's Basketball Schedule
As the women's basketball season draws near, ESPN and the SEC have announced the 2025-26 network designations, with more than 100 linear games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and the all new ESPN app.

[10/08/25 - 10:47 AM]
"The Girlfriend" Has Been Watched by Over 25 Million Viewers Worldwide
Amazon MGM Studios touted the news on social media this morning.

[10/08/25 - 10:12 AM]
Video: Two-Time Emmy Nominated "Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr." Celebrates Upcoming Season 12 with Series Trailer
20 new celebrity guests will sit down with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to learn about their genealogical history and the journeys of their ancestors dating back hundreds of years when the series returns January 6 on PBS.

[10/08/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "I Love LA" - Official Trailer - HBO Max
Rachel Sennott's new HBO original series streams November 2 on HBO Max.

[10/08/25 - 09:31 AM]
HBO Documentary Films Joins Production of Earth, Wind & Fire Project Directed by Academy Award and Grammy Winner Questlove
The film examines the iconic group's lasting legacy, cultural impact, and enduring body of work, and features exclusive access to the band's archives of visual, audio, and written material.

[10/08/25 - 09:28 AM]
Paramount+ Officially Greenlights and Announces 2026 Start of Production for "9/12," A Six-Part Limited Series with Emmy and Tony Award Winner and Oscar Nominee Jeremy Strong Set to Star and Executive Produce
Produced by Paramount Television Studios and SISTER, production is set to begin in the summer of 2026 and the series will launch globally on Paramount+ in 2027.

[10/08/25 - 09:05 AM]
Food Network Will Deliver More Than 50 Hours Of Holiday Programming This Year Including New Seasonal Spin-off "Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas," and "Sweet Empire"
The holidays begin with the return of "Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking" on Sunday, November 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

[10/08/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "The Bad Guys: Breaking In" New Series Trailer - Netflix Family
How did the Bad Guys break into the bad guy business in the first place? Find out in this hilarious prequel series set before the hit films.

[10/08/25 - 09:00 AM]
Danny Trejo Returns for Season 2 of "Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo" Premiering Nov. 11 on The History Channel
Mysteries can be buried anywhere - under the earth, beneath the sea, or even right under our own feet.

[10/08/25 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases the Official Trailer and Key Art for "Allen Iv3rson"
Directed by One9, the documentary will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on October 23 in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide and is the latest addition to the Prime membership.

[10/08/25 - 08:39 AM]
Video: "40 Acres" - Trailer - Hulu
After a series of plagues and wars leaves society in ruins, the Freemans are surviving - even thriving - on a farm in the middle of nowhere... so long as they repel the occasional raiding party.

[10/08/25 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "Train Dreams" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Based on the novella of the same name, "Train Dreams" is the portrait of Robert Grainier, a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly changing America of the early 20th Century.

[10/08/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Date, Key Art, Trailer Debut - Hulu Original Series "All's Fair" (Premieres November 4th)
The series stars Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka with Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close.