Turner announces “More Than Just a Game: Baseball Remembers 9/11” doc, with Joe Torre and Bobby Valentine as executive producers

We’ve seen some interesting documentary approaches from Turner recently, including The Inside Story, Ready or Not: The 96 NBA Draft, and Quiet Storm: The Ron Artest Story. They’ve now announced a new feature-length documentary project, More Than Just a Game: Baseball Remembers 9/11, looking back at how MLB responded to the events of September 11, 2001. Then-Yankees manager Joe Torre and then-Mets manager Bobby Valentine are attached as executive producers, along with Sandy Montag of The Montag Group. Here’s more on this from a release:

Turner Sports, in conjunction with The Montag Group and Six West Media, has announced the green-light of More Than Just a Game: Baseball Remembers 9/11. The feature-length documentary will tell the remarkable and poignant story of how baseball helped aid both New York and the nation’s recovery in the weeks and months following the horrific attacks in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of 9/11.

…“Sports can be a unifying force, and that was certainly evident in how baseball helped New York and our country come together in the aftermath of 9/11,” said Craig Barry, Chief Content Officer, Turner Sports. “We are proud to be able to share those enduring stories through this documentary, as we honor the many sacrifices that were made that day and thereafter.”

“New York City went through a devastating time 20 years ago. How the City rallied and came together showed the true nature of New Yorkers. I am proud to partner with Joe Torre and Bobby Valentine to tell this powerful story,” said Montag.

Six West Media is part of A&E Networks and has made plenty of series for that group, including RFK: The Kennedy Family Remembers for History and Biography: Farrah Fawcett Forever for A&E. The Montag Group is a long-established talent agency, particularly known for their representation of sports broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Mike Tirico, and Bob Costas, and Montag himself has served as an executive producer on three different sports documentaries: All or Nothing: The Michigan Wolverines on Amazon Prime, Perfect in ’76 on Showtime, and The Class That Saved Coach K on ACC Network. So there’s a group with some experience behind this in addition to the internal talent at Turner Sports. And it’s also interesting to see Torre and Valentine involved as executive producers, not just interviewees.

Information on the premiere date and distribution plan for More Than Just a Game is expected to be announced in the coming months.