Tom Brady (left), Michael Strahan Robin Marchant/Getty Images; Allen Berezovsky/WireImage
The six-episode docuseries will air on the Audience Network starting in November.
The AT&T Audience Network is poised to explore the Religion of Sports.
The DirecTV and U-verse network has picked up six episodes of the docuseries set to examine the unique examples of sports' cultural and often spiritual impact in regions around the world.
Created by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan as well as filmmaker Gotham Chopra, the series will bow Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. ET. Christopher Long, Bart Peters, Constance Schwartz-Morini, Martin Desmond Roe and Chris Uettwiller will exec produce alongside Brady, Strahan and Chopra.
Each hourlong episode will examine instances where specific sports profoundly influence societies and cultures in a manner that extends beyond entertainment value. Episodes will included NASCAR events, the Calgary Stampede and the rise of UFC and MMA fighting.
"I’ll never forget watching 'The Catch' in Candlestick Park with my dad," Brady said Wednesday in a statement. "I was 4 years old, in awe of it all. In a lot of ways, I've dedicated my life to replicating that feeling. Now, playing on the same stage as my childhood idols, I’m fortunate to have a pretty unique perspective on football and the sports world. I can think of no better vehicle than Religion of Sports to share some of what I’ve learned and dig a little deeper into that feeling, the sort of spiritual experience that sports creates for players and fans alike.”
Added Strahan: "Growing up in Germany, I never imagined myself to be a professional athlete. At that point, I was a professional fan. Watching the reaction of the country when Germany won the World Cup back in 1990 showed another level of fandom that I had never seen. Sports can be that void that brings everyone together regardless of any barriers socio-economic standing, race and religion. To be a part of this project, Religion of Sports, brings full circle the things that I have learned as a child without even knowing that in some ways, I was having a religious experience. Religion of Sports will be the bridge that connects the passion of religion with the passion of sports.”
Said Long, senior vp original content at AT&T: “Similar to his father [Deepak Chopra], Gotham’s perspective on the world, specifically the sports world, is vastly different than most, so when he came to me with Religion of Sports, I immediately grasped on to the concept and thought it was a perfect fit for Audience Network."
Religion of Sports becomes Audience Network's latest sports-themed program. In addition to scripted drama Kingdom — which is set in the MMA world — Audience Network has Undeniable With Joe Buck, a talk show featuring sports legends.
DirecTV
