FOX Sports Films has announced that it has closed a multi-year deal with Religion of Sports to produce content accentuating iconic moments in sports history. The collaboration will implement historical footage, interviews and varying perspectives on the most memorable and enduring occasions spanning various leagues. The first film under the new deal will debut tonight at 11 p.m. EST/8 p.m. PST on FOX Sports 1, and is titled Baseball’s Greatest Moments with The Kid Mero: the MLB All-Star Game.
Joel Armogasto Martinez (“The Kid Mero”), who was a co-host of Desus & Mero across various different networks, will take viewers on a journey through 10 memorable moments that took place over the years at the MLB All-Star Game. FOX Sports will present the Midsummer Classic for the 24th time in network history on Tuesday night from Seattle, Wash., with coverage beginning at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST.
The two entities have worked together on various standalone projects in the past, most recently Searching for Shohei: An Interview Special. This hour-long special features an exclusive longform sit-down interview with Los Angeles Angels superstar two-way player Shohei Ohtani, conducted by Flippin’ Bats host Ben Verlander. Additionally, The Great Brady Heist documentary spotlighted the thievery and subsequent recovery of Tom Brady’s Super Bowl LI jersey by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“FOX Sports is excited about collaborating with Religion of Sports to spotlight captivating sports stories that are deeply ingrained in the heart of America’s culture,” Barry Nugent, FOX Sports vice president of development and original programming, said in a statement. “These new films will feature the renowned legends and intense rivalries that have thrilled fans for generations.”
The program will utilize archival footage and enticing commentary as Religion of Sports’ premium content engine enhanced FOX Sports library of content. Eric Shanks, chief executive officer of FOX Sports, served as an executive producer on the project. Mark Silverman, Charlie Dixon and Barry Nugent comprised the executive production team from FOX Sports and were joined by Religion of Sports CEO Ameeth Sankaran, along with founder Gotham Chopra and Victor Buhler.
The film is directed by Bradley Jackson, and is the first of many forthcoming projects under the partnership. Religion of Sports has produced various sports-related podcasts and documentaries, including Man in the Arena on ESPN+. Earlier this year though, the company eliminated its entire podcast division, causing 12 producers to lose their jobs.
The media entity, founded in 2016 by Tom Brady, Michael Strahan and Chopra, also completed a $50 million Series B funding round last year while winning a fifth Sports Emmy Award. The company has now funded $66 million across three rounds of funding, precipitating its growth in the saturated content marketplace. Last summer, it was reported that the venture had 17 unscripted projects in development, and now figures to have many of those on FOX-based platforms.
“Religion of Sports has built a foundation around storytelling and this deal marks new and exciting territory for the company,” Sankaran said in a statement. “We are thrilled to be able to partner with FOX Sports.”
