Saturday December 9, 2023

HBO Acquires Chris Paul Doc ‘The Day Sports Stood Still’

  • Paul will tell a first-person account of the pandemic sports shutdown.
  • Other sports stars will chime in on their experiences.
NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

HBO Sports has acquired the rights to “The Day Sports Stood Still,” the Chris Paul-executive produced documentary that focuses on the pandemic-induced sports shutdown that began in March of this year, Deadline reported

Emmy Award winner Antoine Fuqua is set to direct the film, which will chronicle the “abrupt stoppage, athletes’ prominent role in the cultural reckoning on racial injustices that escalated during the pandemic and the complex return to competition in the summer and fall.”

It will revolve around a first-person account from Paul — the National Basketball Players Association president — who will “relive his entire experience from being in the middle of the first game to be stopped” in March, to “suddenly living in quarantine, to his crucial role in helping re-open the NBA safely to playing in ‘the bubble.’”

Fuqua, Oscar winner Brian Grazer and Emmy winner Justin Wilkes will serve as producers. 

“Last March when the NBA announced they were postponing the season, Chris Paul and I spoke and he said to me ‘we have to document this,’” Grazer said. “Antoine was our next call and days later, we started filming. We knew this was a unique story, but no one could have predicted the emotional twists and turns that came with bringing the game back.It’s been an incredible journey and a point in history that none of us will forget.”

Paul first revealed that the documentary was in the works in July. The film will also include interviews that were “largely conducted remotely” with other sports stars.

“It is an unbelievable opportunity to be able to work with Brian and Antoine to tell the collective story of the sports world over the last few months,” Paul said. “Brian had called me while I was still in the locker room that fateful night on March 11 and from there, we have been working to give the audience a deeper look into this momentous time in history.”

Acclaimed director Ron Howard — Grazer’s co-founder at Imagine Entertainment — Imagine Documentaries President Sara Bernstein and Imagine Brands SVP Marc Gilbar are executive producing.

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

If Low-Budget Pacers Beat LeBron’s Lakers for NBA Cup, Does It Matter?

Pacers attempting to make history with league’s smallest payroll.

NBA in Vegas? LeBron and RedBird Are All In

RedBird Capital Partners, Fenway Sports Group working with NBA superstar.

The Most Talked-about Part of the NBA Tourney? Look Down

Floors generate widespread rebuke for both design and safety.
NLL Seals Las Vegas

Meaningful NBA Games Finally Hit Las Vegas. Expect More

End of NBA In-Season Tournament is latest major event to hit sports boomtown.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Golf World in Chaos After Jon Rahm Joins LIV

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

The College Football Playoff is considering rotating TV networks for the national championship game.

CFP Considers Super Bowl-Like Rotation For National Championship Game

Multiple networks could share rights to the championship game, sources told FOS.
Brett Favre
November 27, 2023

Favre Welfare Case Hold-Up? “AG’s Office Has Not Expressed Interest In Pursuing”

The DOJ interviewed Brett Favre in early 2020.
The future of the Pac-12 rests on a court decision.
November 24, 2023

The Pac-12 Plays Its Final Regular-Season Game. Then A Court Decides Its Fate.

The conference’s future rests with a court decision.
Lane Kiffin
November 9, 2023

Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin Lawyers Argue for Dismissal of Player Lawsuit

FOS obtained audio of Lane Kiffin’s interaction with the player behind lawsuit.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
FanDuel
Multiple Locations
Adidas
Multiple Locations
Creative Artists Agency
Multiple Locations
Jon Rahm tees off on the 15th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship in Rochester, New York.

Report: Jon Rahm Set to Join LIV Golf

Rahm could get the richest LIV Golf contract yet.
December 2, 2023

Ohtani’s Future Deal Takes Center Stage As Winter Meetings Kick Off

The two-way phenom is expected to sign the largest-ever player contract in U.S. team sports.
December 4, 2023

Are Tiger Woods and Nike Splitting Up? The Move Would Change Golf

A new report suggests a move could be brewing.
Sponsored

NHL’s Chris Foster on Amplifying Content Distribution With Automation

Learn how the NHL is using WSC Sports to increase fan engagement.
Shaquille O'Neal
exclusive
December 1, 2023

A.I. Shaq? Authentic Files Trademarks Hinting at Virtual Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal and licensing group claim “ASK SHAQ” and “SHAQ A.I.”
November 30, 2023

Tracking Devices and Bags of Cash: A Soccer Scandal in Turkey

Former Atletico Madrid player Arda Turan is involved in the scandal.
November 30, 2023

Ronaldo Sued For $1B In Latest Fallout From Athlete Crypto Deals

Soccer superstar latest to be hit in legal fallout from crypto decline.
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of The Netherlands celebrates his victory of the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit.
November 30, 2023

The 10 Highest-Paid Formula 1 Drivers For 2023

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen tops the list with $70 million.