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- Series uncovers sneaker culture across sports, entertainment and more
- Hosted by ESPN reporter Cassidy Hubbarth
- Directed by award-winning filmmaker and author Bobbito García
- Seven-part series with episodes premiering Tuesdays
- ESPN+ available on the ESPN App, ESPN.com and ESPNplus.com
The first episode of SneakerCenter, a seven-part series devoted to sneaker culture at the intersection of sports, entertainment and more, is available now exclusively on ESPN+. Hosted by ESPN reporter Cassidy Hubbarth and directed by award-winning filmmaker and acclaimed author Bobbito García, SneakerCenter tells the stories of star athletes, artists, enthusiasts and others who power the global sneaker marketplace. Each episode is anchored by a unique narrative, supported by a rotating set of “mix tape style” segments taking fans deep into every aspect of the sneaker movement.
Episode 1 of SneakerCenter features a “Special Edition” interview with Grammy Award-winning rapper and musician Common, who discusses his life-long love affair with sneakers, dating back to his days as a ball boy for his hometown Chicago Bulls. The episode also includes an “OG” interview with Derrick Rose, as he looks back at the evolution of his signature Adidas line; an “In-Soles” sit down with Jordan Dinwiddie, who has written some of Nike’s most powerful commercials created by ad agency Wieden & Kennedy; and a “One of One” visit with British sneaker customizer Blunt Shank, as he creates a one-of-a-kind pair of Nike Blazers that pays tribute to the legacy of Common’s late father, who played basketball for the ABA’s Denver Rockets.
Upcoming episodes of SneakerCenter will feature WWE Champion Kofi Kingston, Kawhi Leonard, Penny Hardaway, and other superstar athletes and entertainers from the NBA, NFL and other major sports, as well as segments highlighting sneaker enthusiasts at important places and events around the world. New episodes will debut on Tuesdays this fall.
The special preview episode of SneakerCenter, which premiered over the summer, features NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo as Nike prepared for the production and release of his first signature shoe, the Zoom Freak 1, as well as Antetokounmpo’s return to Greece to share his story growing up as a Nigerian immigrant turned international basketball superstar. The SneakerCenter preview also includes an “OG” segment looking back at the PRO-Keds worn by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he first joined the NBA nearly 50 years ago, a “Hot Spot” interview with the owner-operator of Deadstock, a combination coffee shop and sneaker shrine, and “Live at the BBQ” in which SneakerCenter correspondent Vashtie explores an exhibition on sneakers and New York City culture, curated by Drexel University sociologist and professor Sean Williams.
The ESPN social team is covering every angle of SneakerCenter throughout the series with the @sneakercenter Instagram account, a new extension of a thriving, private Facebook group for sneakerheads.
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.
Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.
ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com. They are the industry-leading all-in-one digital sports platform, delivering a rich, personalized experience to tens of millions of fans every month.
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