The NFL has shown a desire to boost their original content efforts for a while, particularly with the April hiring of Michael Mandt as NFL Media’s executive producer of original content, and some of that new original content can be seen for the first time Wednesday night with the premiere of NFL 360. The new NFL Media series, hosted by Rich Eisen, will be a six-episode series looking at NFL stories and personalities with a star-studded roster of correspondents. Here are more details from the release:
NFL Media examines the stories, people and places that define the National Football League with a new series NFL 360 Hosted by Rich Eisen.
The six-episode series premieres Wednesday, June 8 at 9:30 PM Eastern on NFL Network, with Eisen and NFL Media’s Michael Silver, Jeffri Chadiha, Andrea Kremer, Mark Kriegel and Dave Dameshek delivering the most compelling stories from around the NFL. The first four episodes air Wednesdays at 9:30 PM Eastern, with the final two episodes airing back-to-back on Tuesday, July 5 at 9:00 & 9:30 PM Eastern. Each 30-minute episode features three pieces, presented in-studio by Eisen and NFL Media correspondents.
In addition to airing on NFL Network, each segment from NFL 360 will be available for viewing on NFL.com. For fans on the go, all NFL Network programming, including NFL 360, can also be streamed live on the NFL Mobile from Verizon app (NFL.com/mobile) and via Watch NFL Network on tablet (NFL Mobile and Watch NFL Network apps), PC (NFL.com/watch), Xbox One and Xbox 360(NFL on Xbox app) and other connected TV devices (NFL app on Apple TV and Playstation 4).
And here’s a look at the first couple of episodes (more episode summaries can be seen here, and a preview video can be seen here):
Episode 1 – A Shining Light (Airs June 8)
Selma – Jeffri Chadiha visits Selma Bridge with Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson to discuss how the historical landmark has impacted his life
Inside the Mind of the Elite Quarterback – Andrea Kremer speaks with quarterback greats John Elway, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees about what makes up the mind of elite quarterbacks
Red, White & Blue – Mark Kriegel explains how Super Bowl XXV and the surrounding events changed the sporting world forever
Episode 2 – The Ties That Bind (Airs June 15)
Panthers: Keep Pounding – Jeffri Chadiha speaks with Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, tight end Greg Olsen and former Panthers cornerback Josh Norman about the 2015 team that made it to Super Bowl 50
Odell’s Secret Weapon – Dave Dameshek meets with New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and his secret pregame warm up partner to find out why this relationship results in such high rewards come game time
Mike Zimmer: Blunt & Beloved – Michael Silver meets with Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, running back Adrian Peterson, linebacker Chad Greenway and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to hear why the head coach is so loved by his players
This looks to be something a little different than what we’ve typically seen from NFL Network, which is often focused on news and countdowns with occasional long films on particular teams or players. The three-segment, in-depth-features here seem more like something from HBO’s Real Sports (where Kremer has worked) or ESPN’s E:60. The Selma segment in particular is notable, as that shows a beyond-sports focus we haven’t often seen on NFL Network. This is an ambitious step for the NFL and their network, part of their overall investment in original programming, and it will be interesting to see how it turns out and how it’s received.
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