LeBron James and his SpringHill Company, alongside Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions and Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Production, are teaming up for a NBA docuseries. The series, which will focus on professional basketball players, will follow the blueprint of Omaha’s NFL documentary, “Quarterback.”
The NBA is expected to be closely involved in the show, much like NFL Films partnered with “Quarterback.” The Wall Street Journal was the first to report this development, indicating that the series is likely to find its home on Netflix, where Higher Ground has a first-look deal. “Quarterback” on Netflix earlier this year proved to be a successful addition to the sports docuseries genre.
While the specific players to be featured in the series remain undisclosed, it’s common for such productions to follow a mix of superstar athletes and lesser-known players.
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LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill Company, valued at $725 million in 2021, secured investments from RedBird, Nike, and Epic Games. They have also signed first-look deals with Disney and Universal for scripted TV and films. In addition to being behind the Space Jam reboot, SpringHill has supported other athletes in their media endeavors, including tennis star Naomi Osaka.
Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions is known for its work on the ESPN Manningcast Monday Night Football alternate telecast and “Peyton’s Places,” in addition to “Quarterback.” Higher Ground has established a film and TV deal with Netflix and a podcast deal with Audible. And its recent acquisition of “American Symphony,” is considered an Oscars contender.
The resurgence of sports docuseries, driven in part by Netflix, has led to the creation of series following Formula 1 drivers, PGA Tour golfers, and stars like Patrick Mahomes and David Beckham, all of which have risen to the top of streaming charts.