NBA Superstar/Entrepreneur to Lead Conversations on Sports Business,
Tech, and Culture along with Business Partner Rich Kleiman and Host Jay Williams
ESPN and Thirty Five Media, owned by NBA star Kevin Durant and business partner Rich Kleiman, today announced they are teaming up to create The Boardroom – a new project that will examine the ins and outs of sports business and illuminate the world of sports far beyond what fans ordinarily see.
The six-episode series will be hosted by ESPN’s Jay Williams with Jordan Schultz as a correspondent, and featuring Durant and Kleiman, who also serve as the show’s executive producers. The Boardroom will be available exclusively on ESPN+, the premium direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) group and ESPN.
The Boardroom will bring fans behind the scenes of the modern boardroom, showcasing the evolution of sports business through the minds of athletes, sports executives and tech moguls alike. Each episode will focus on a broad theme, with topics ranging from team ownership to player development and the business of social media.
“We’re excited to partner with ESPN for this series,” said Durant. “I’m looking forward to bringing fans insights from some of the greatest minds in in the sports business world and show how athletes and thought leaders are changing the game.”
“This is a particularly interesting time for the business of sports. Players are increasingly evolving from business endorsers to active participants, decision makers, and owners,” said Connor Schell, ESPN Executive Vice President, Content. “We are excited to collaborate with Kevin and Rich, who have both had a profound effect on the way that athletes interact with the business of sports and investment community.”
“Kevin and I are looking to tell compelling stories with every Thirty Five Media project, and The Boardroom exemplifies that,” added Kleiman. “Each episode will feature topics that are top of mind for all sports fans in the form of candid conversations you can’t find anywhere else.”
Additional details and the official launch date will be announced soon.
###
About Thirty Five Media:
2x NBA Champion and Finals MVP Kevin Durant founded Thirty Five Media in 2017 with business partner and sports/entertainment executive Rich Kleiman. Thirty Five Media serves as the duo’s media production and creative development arm, including a partnership with YouTube, the forthcoming scripted series “SWAGGER,” in partnership with Imagine Entertainment and Apple, and the documentary “Q Ball”, forthcoming in conjunction with Fox Sports Films. Additional projects will be announced later this year.
About ESPN+:
ESPN+ is the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International group in conjunction with ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content. This includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, Top Rank boxing, PGA Tour golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films (including 30 for 30) and more. In addition, subscribers get access to exclusive expert analysis and editorial content about players, teams, and leagues, as well as analytical tools to help them with their fantasy sports teams. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time.
Launched on April 12, ESPN+ is an integrated part of a completely redesigned ESPN App. Already the leading sports app, the new ESPN App is the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans and a showcase of the company’s culture of innovation. With a richer, increasingly more personalized experience, the new ESPN App curates all of ESPN’s incredible content into an experience unique to each fan’s individual tastes. ESPN+ is also available through ESPN.com.
