The NFL lockout may have finally come to an end, but HBO’s “Hard Knocks” has been sent to the showers.
HBO Sports and NFL Films issued a joint statement that this year’s five-episode season of the reality series has been canceled, due to the protracted labor dispute.
Each year, the series — which premiered in 2001 — follows a different NFL team through training camp as it prepares for the upcoming season. However, with the havoc that the lockout played with the league and its schedule, this summer’s season has been canceled.
“The uncertainty of the NFL’s summer schedule and the incredibly expedited timetable this month made it impractical for a team to commit. The series is scheduled to return for 2012 training camp,” HBO said.
The good news for fans of the series? HBO Sports will present a special, 90-minute edition of the show premiering on Aug. 31. The special will comprise clips from previous seasons, along with a “Where Are They Now?” segment, plus outtakes and interviews. More details on the special, including its title, will be released in August.
Calling the series “the ultimate fly-on-the-wall NFL training camp experience,” NFL Films president Steve Sabol said of the special, “We look forward to taking a look back at those shows and reintroducing the fans to those characters who made the decade of ‘Hard Knocks’ so memorable.”
