ESPN to Air All-Access Series on the Alabama Crimson Tide Documenting the Defending CFP National Champions’ Preparation for the 2018 College Football Season

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ESPN to Air All-Access Series on the Alabama Crimson Tide Documenting the Defending CFP National Champions’ Preparation for the 2018 College Football Season

  • Weekly, Four-Part Series, Training Days: Rolling with the Tide, Films Throughout the Summer; Debuts Aug. 9 on ESPN2
  • Inside the Program through the Players, Coaches, Personalities and the Process that Defines the Crimson Tide

Leading into the season debut of ABC’s Saturday Night Football and the entire 2018 college football campaign, ESPN will provide an unprecedented look at the decade’s most dominant college football program with Training Days: Rolling with the Tide, a four-part series on the Alabama Crimson Tide football team which is being filmed throughout the summer. The all-access programming will go inside practices and closed door meetings, and delve into the all-consuming effort of head coach Nick Saban, the assistant coaches and players as they prepare to defend their College Football Playoff National Championship.

Training Days: Rolling with the Tide, produced by JM Associates and Sport & Story in association with ESPN, debuts Thursday, Aug. 9, with each subsequent episode airing on Wednesdays (Aug. 15, Aug. 22, and Aug. 29). All of the hour-long episodes will debut on ESPN2, with the first three editions beginning at 7 p.m. ET and the final episode at 10 p.m. Every episode will be extensively re-aired across ESPN networks.

“Alabama football is one of the premier programs in all of sports,” said ESPN vice president of production Lee Fitting. “The intrigue behind their championship-filled decade and the fans’ appetite for unique access continues to escalate. This series will provide a unique perspective of the Crimson Tide as they build upon a foundation for what they hope is another championship campaign.  We appreciate Coach Nick Saban and the entire Alabama operation for allowing us inside their walls over the next month.”

Inside Alabama Practices, Meetings, and More
ESPN cameras will be at every practice and have a consistent presence around the Crimson Tide’s facility throughout the month of August. The series will feature:

  • First-Hand Accounts: Head coach Nick Saban and a variety of personalities around the program will be mic’d up during practices throughout the month.
  • Behind Closed Doors: Inside team and coaches’ meetings, providing a glimpse of the program’s preparation beyond the practice field.
  • The Fight for Playing Time: Follow positional battles that emerge during training camp as players make their case for playing time, including at key positions.

The Foundation and Experience of First Class Program
In addition to unparalleled access to practice and meetings, the summer series will provide an all-faceted look at the elements which comprise a first class football program. Highlights include:

  • State-of-the-Art Facilities: An extraordinary tour of Alabama’s football facilities and the benefits they provide the players, including the new athletics dining area which is attached to the Mal Moore Athletic Facility.
  • Roll Tide: Diehard fans and local media provide their vantage point following and working around one of the sport’s all-time most successful programs.
  • Living Their Best Life: A look at the life of the Alabama football players beyond the practice field.

Alabama Opens the Season Across ESPN’s Networks
Alabama’s first three games of the year will air on ESPN’s networks, beginning with ABC’s Saturday Night Football season debut as the Crimson Tide plays Louisville in the 2018 Camping World Kickoff from Orlando (Sept. 1 at 8 p.m.). The Crimson Tide’s home opener will air on ESPN2 when they host Arkansas State (Sept. 8 at 3:30 p.m.) and their first true road test and conference opener airs on ESPN, as the CFP Champs travel to Ole Miss (Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.).

About Sport & Story
Bo Mattingly co-founded Sport & Story, a sports content marketing company engaging fans through multiple platforms including radio, television, digital and social media.  Sport & Story has partnered with JM Associates to co-produce two series for ESPN in the last two years: Being Bret Bielema (2016) and Being P.J. Fleck (2017).

About JM Associates
JM Associates is the Little Rock, Ark., based production arm of B.A.S.S. Productions, LLC, and has been producing The Bassmasters and other niche sports programming on ESPN for over 35 years.

 

Date Time (ET) Network Episode
Thu, Aug. 9 7 p.m. ESPN2 Training Days: Rolling with the Tide
Episode 1
Wed, Aug. 15 7 p.m. ESPN2 Training Days: Rolling with the Tide
Episode 2
Wed, Aug. 22 7 p.m. ESPN2 Training Days: Rolling with the Tide
Episode 3
Wed, Aug. 29 10 p.m. ESPN2 Training Days: Rolling with the Tide
Episode 4

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Media contact: Derek Volner at 860-384-9986; [email protected] and @DerekVolner

Derek Volner

I currently lead ESPN’s NFL Communications, including Monday Night Football, NFL Draft and studio programming. Previously, I did the same for ESPN’s vast college football portfolio. I have been with ESPN since 2013.
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