SHOWTIME Sports will chronicle the 2017 Naval Academy football team with weekly installments of the all-access documentary series A SEASON WITH NAVY FOOTBALL. The third edition of the groundbreaking franchise, A SEASON WITH, immerses viewers behind the scenes and into the lives of the football players and coaches at the storied Service Academy with weekly 30-minute episodes throughout the 2017 season.
The series premieres Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME, four days after Navy begins its season on the road against Florida Atlantic University. New episodes will premiere each Tuesday as the Midshipmen balance the rigors of academics, athletics, and military service while navigating a challenging 2017 NCAA FBS football schedule.
After chronicling The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Florida State Seminoles in its first two seasons, the SHOWTIME Sports original franchise returns to reveal a vastly different picture of student-athlete life.
“It’s an honor and privilege to be welcomed by the United States Naval Academy and given extensive access to its accomplished football program and prestigious institution,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Special thanks are due to Naval Academy Superintendent Admiral Ted Carter, Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk, head coach Ken Niumatalolo and the entire Academy. We look forward to taking viewers into the rarely seen world of a service academy, where student-athletes must not only balance the rigorous demands of an elite academic institution with top-tier collegiate football, but also prepare themselves for service in the Navy or Marine Corps.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity through the extraordinary exposure of SHOWTIME to share the character and impact of Navy football to the nation,” said Gladchuk. “These stories have never before been told to the public and they will highlight the dedication and commitment reflected by our coaches and midshipmen who represent this program. SHOWTIME is big time in telling the inside story and they will make these weekly episodes something you won’t want to miss.”
“It is an unbelievable opportunity for the Navy Football Brotherhood to be featured on SHOWTIME,” said Niumatalolo. “We are excited to showcase the Navy Football culture. We are extremely grateful to Stephen Espinoza and SHOWTIME for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we are honored to work with Ross Greenburg and his talented production team.”
A SEASON WITH NAVY FOOTBALL will feature signature access and storytelling, providing a glimpse into one of the world’s most unique collegiate institutions and its dedicated student body. The weekly series will introduce viewers to a team that embodies the term “student athlete,” young men who sacrifice on and off the field in preparation for serving their country for a minimum of five years. As viewers will learn, the Midshipmen approach the game with the same goal of gridiron glory as players in other major college football programs but with unique demands off the field.
A SEASON WITH NAVY FOOTBALL will take viewers behind the scenes as the midshipmen return for their 137th season and 10th under Niumatalolo. The weekly series will document Navy’s preparation for each matchup of the 2017 season, the pageantry and the intensity on game day, while showcasing the requisite selflessness and dedication it takes to compete at the Naval Academy. From grueling summer practices to the annual rivalry showdown with Army, A SEASON WITH NAVY FOOTBALL will deliver all the sights, sounds and drama as Navy aims to conquer the 2017 season while developing future leaders of America’s military.
Production for A SEASON WITH NAVY FOOTBALL is underway with cameras entrenched on campus in Annapolis, Md. The executive producers are Ross Greenburg of Ross Greenburg Productions, Scott A. Stone of Stone & Company Entertainment, Michael Antinoro of IMG Productions, Tom Cappello of Crazy Legs Productions, Steve Stern, David Check, and Jason Sciavicco.
