ESPN has hired Brian Lockhart, who spent the last decade with the NFL’s media arm, to be its executive producer of original content for ESPN+.
Lockhart joins to oversee strategy and development for all ESPN+ Original Content initiatives, including new projects and existing shows such as “Detail,” “More ThanAnAthlete,” “The Board Room,” “Earn Everything,” “Quest for the Stanley Cup,” and “Draft Academy.” Craig Lazarus, vice president, ESPN Original Content & Features, will continue to oversee production on ESPN+ original series.
Most recently, Lockhart was vice president of NFL Media’s original content group. Prior to the NFL, Lockhart was a senior features producer and then creative director for HBO Sports.
“Brian is an award-winning content creator who brings an incredibly creative mind and a vast array of experience in series development and sports media to this newly-created position,” said Libby Geist, vice president and executive producer, ESPN Films & Original Content. “With the development of ESPN+, we are building new and more direct connections between our content and sports fans. Brian has found great success as a creative force, strategic mind and producer of great content on digital platforms – we are absolutely thrilled to welcome him on board.”
Lockhart will be based in New York, and will report to Geist. He will work closely with executives across both ESPN and Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International‘s group.
ESPN launched its streaming service last April, attaining 1 million subscribers within its first five months. ESPN+ debuted its first “UFC Fight Night” last weekend, where it added 568,000 subscribers on Friday and Saturday alone, the biggest two-day sign-up stretch (though some of those were via the 7-day free trial).
'And Creed Staggers Back!': When Bad Sports Commentaries Ruin Good Movies (Photos)
I'd like to alert you to a medical condition I have made up called Obvious Sportscaster Syndrome (OSS), also sometimes known as Commentator Mouth. OSS commonly afflicts talented, real-life sports journalists making cameos in otherwise good films. OSS cases range from mildly irritating to completely taking you out of the moment. The latest film to come down with the disease is "Creed II," which contracted it from the first "Creed" film and the "Rocky" franchise. If you or a movie you love suffers from Commentator Mouth, you may see it represented in the list below.
"Creed" and "Creed II" - Max Kellerman
Even a movie as good as "Creed" isn't above sports- commentator dialogue that can feel labored. HBO's Max Kellerman has the misfortune of appearing in both "Creed" movies, saying things like, "That's the heart of a champion! He has his daddy's heart," in the first film. The sequel is even more groan-inducing. Kellerman practically praises Sylvester Stallone's screenplay as he goes. At one point he calls Creed's story "Shakespearean" and says, "Rocky knows better than anyone exactly how this story ended 30 years ago!"
MGM
"Warrior" - Jon Anik
"This is a fight! We have ourselves a fight!" Oh do we? "Warrior" is a relentless, punishing movie, but director Gavin O'Connor has UFC commentator Jon Anik berate you, not with the worst movie commentary necessarily, but certainly with fartoomuch of it. "Mom, time to lock up your china, the boys are at it again!" Or how about, "This isn't happening! It can't happen! It just did."
Lionsgate
"Friday Night Lights"
Yes, even a movie about a high school football team found a way to work in color commentators. The broadcasters in "Friday Night Lights" are almost like a Greek chorus, with lines like, "There's too much learning going on at that school."
Universal Pictures
"42" - Red Barber (John C. McGinley)
"This game is just as tight as a new pair of shoes on a rainy day," the great Red Barber (John C. McGinley) says in the Jackie Robinson biopic "42." A piece in Bleacher Report argues that Barber's depiction in Brian Helgeland's film isn't strictly accurate, because Barber prided himself on never rooting for the home team Brooklyn Dodgers. He also didn't say his "Oh, doctor!" catch phrase as often as he does in the film.
Warner Bros.
"Draft Day" - Rich Eisen
"Draft Day" recruits NFL commissioner Roger Goddell, Chris Berman, Mel Kiper Jr. and Jon Gruden, but the Commentator Mouth comes from Rich Eisen. First he literally describes how a draft works and what will happen if the Browns fail to make their pick in the allotted 10 minutes ("The team behind them could potentially steal the player the Browns wanted!"). And when Kevin Costner finally does send in his pick, he provides this brilliant piece of analysis: "And the pick is in. It's currently being brandished by some walkie-talkied individual taking it up to the commissioner's podium."
Summit Entertainment
"Pitch" - Joe Buck
"This is one of those moments in sports where you’ll remember where you were when you saw it,” Joe Buck says in the pilot to "Pitch." Fox rolled out the red carpet for what it hoped would be a splashy, history-making drama imagining the first female pitcher in MLB history. It was canceled after one season. That included Fox Sports' near-entire roster of broadcasting talent, including a brief commentary from Katie Nolan and reporting by Ken Rosenthal. But it was the call from mainstay Joe Buck that sticks in our mind. "This is getting really uncomfortable John, really, really quickly," he says after the show's star throws a consecutive 10 wild pitches. "Honestly, I don't know if I can watch this." Neither can we, Joe.
Fox
"BASEketball" - Bob Costas and Al Michaels
"What could possibly go wrong," Bob Costas said of appearing alongside Al Michaels in David Tucker's much-maligned sports-spoof "BASEketball." "You know who's in it? Ernest Borgnine. He won an Oscar once." But at least their commentary is intentionally bad.
Universal Pictures
"Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" - Cotton and Pepper (Gary Cole and Jason Bateman)
Broadcasters Cotton McKnight and Pepper Brooks might actually be the best part of "Dodgeball." They're better at bad commentary than the guys who do good commentary for a living. Here's how Pepper describes a decision to forfeit: "It's a bold strategy Cotton, let's see if it pays off for 'em."
Twentieth Century Fox
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Bob Costas, Max Kellerman, Joe Buck, Rich Eisen and more have had to deliver painfully exposition-laden dialogue in these films
I'd like to alert you to a medical condition I have made up called Obvious Sportscaster Syndrome (OSS), also sometimes known as Commentator Mouth. OSS commonly afflicts talented, real-life sports journalists making cameos in otherwise good films. OSS cases range from mildly irritating to completely taking you out of the moment. The latest film to come down with the disease is "Creed II," which contracted it from the first "Creed" film and the "Rocky" franchise. If you or a movie you love suffers from Commentator Mouth, you may see it represented in the list below.
MGM
