NLRB Decision on Northwestern Case:  Highlights College Athletic Issues

WHAT: Based on the NLRB decision relating to the Northwestern University case, EPIX will re-air its critically acclaimed documentary “SCHOOLED: THE PRICE OF COLLEGE SPORTS” on Thursday, April 3 at 945 pm EDT, the eve of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Weekend. The film has become even more timely with the recent ruling on college athletes’ ability to unionize and other stories surrounding the potential exploitation of the rights of college athletes by NCAA member institutions.  A special added clip featuring Ramogi Huma, the Founder of the National College Players Association, can be seen here:

https://vimeo.com/90234943
Password: Schooled1

https://vimeo.com/90235120
Password: Schooled2

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdCV1Q2BIN2TICrpNhGwtqmNrn1_QA53C 

The EPIX Original Documentary, which premiered in October 2013, examines the provocative issues surrounding the business of college sports and the NCAA’s treatment of its athletes.  Pulitzer Prize winning civil rights scholar, Taylor Branch, bases the exposé on a controversial 2011 article that ran in The Atlantic “The Shame of College Sports”.  Narrated by actor Sam Rockwell, the documentary weaves interviews, archival and behind-the-scenes footage to tell the story of how college sports has become a billion dollar industry built on athletes who are robbed of monetary privileges.  Those interviewed include: former college and NFL player and president of the NFL Players Association Domonique Foxworth (also now attending the Harvard Business School), UCLA star and NBA player Ed O’Bannon, former University of Tennessee All-American and star running back for the Houston Texans Arian Foster, former UCLA standout now Green Bay Packers running back Johnathan Franklin, former UCLA punter now member of the Minnesota Vikings Jeff Locke and former University of North Carolina fullback Devon Ramsay, whose eligibility case was one of the most controversial in recent NCAA history. Also interviewed for the film are Emmy-winning sportscaster Bob Costas, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, New York Times reporter Joe Nocera and Dave Zirin of The Nation.  Sports Illustrated reporters Frank Deford, George Dohrmann, BJ Schecter and Michael Rosenberg join them; and longtime college sports marketing innovator Sonny Vaccaro as well as University of North Carolina educator Mary Willingham are also featured in the film.

WHO: Sonny Vaccaro, Mary Willingham and producer Andrew Moscato are available for interviews beginning Thursday March 27. Taylor Branch is available on April 3 only. 

The film is also available on all platforms including EPIX On Demand, EpixHD.com and EPIX apps on hundreds of devices including Xbox, Playstation®, Roku, iPads, iPhones and more.

For additional press information and clips go to http://press.epix.com/.

CONTACT: Joe Favorito917-566-8345 (cell) Fatherknickerbocker1@yahoo.com
Marlea Willis 212.846.6748 EPIX MWillis@epixhd.com

About EPIX:  EPIX is a premium movie and original programming entertainment service delivering the latest movie releases, classic film franchises, original documentaries, comedy and music events on TV, on demand, online and on devices.   Launched in October 2009, EPIX has pioneered the development and proliferation of “TV Everywhere.”  It was the first premium network to provide multi-platform access to its content online at EPIX.com and was the first premium network to launch on Xbox, PlayStation®, Android tablets and phones, Windows 8.1 and Roku® players.  EPIX is available to authenticated subscribers on hundreds of devices including Apple® iPads® and iPhones® and is the only premium service providing all its programming on all platforms, delivering more movies than any other premium network, with thousands of titles available for streaming.

EPIX is a joint venture between Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIA.B), its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF).  Through relationships with cable, satellite and telco partners, EPIX is available to over 45 million homes nationwide.  For more information about EPIX, go to http://www.epixhd.com/.

Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHD (https://twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX), Google+ (google.com/+EPIX) and Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/EPIX/).

Uncovering Shame in College Sports, “Schooled” Will Make Its World Premiere
this Fall on EPIX and All Platforms 

New York, NY, April 10, 2013 – Premium network EPIX announced it has secured exclusive rights to a new and timely original documentary examining the business of college football and basketball and the NCAA’s treatment of its athletes.  The expose is based on a controversial 2011 article by Pulitzer Prize winning civil rights scholar, Taylor Branch.  Schooled: The Shame of College Sports will make its world premiere this Fall on the EPIX network and on all platforms including EPIX On Demand, EpixHD.com and EPIX apps on hundreds of devices including Xbox, PS3, Roku, iPads, iPhones and more. 

Schooled, based on Branch’s article “The Shame of College Sports”,is a hard-hitting examination weaving interviews, archival and behind-the-scenes footage to tell a story of how college sports became a billion dollar industry built on athletes who are deprived of numerous rights.  Those interviewed include current and former college athletes, coaches, academic advisors, NCAA compliance officers and university administrators, including Emmy-winning Sportscaster Bob Costas, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, Joe Nocera of The New York Times, Dave Zirin of The Nation, Sports Illustrated’s Frank Deford, George Dohrmann, BJ Schecter and Michael Rosenberg.

When first published in The Atlantic in October 2011, the article set off a firestorm of controversy and admiration. Sports Illustrated’s Frank Deford said Branch’s story “may well be the most important article ever written about college sports.”  Branch, who also appears in the documentary, argues that decades of greed and self-interest have finally caught up with the NCAA and that the organization is poised to collapse under the weight of its own hypocrisy.

“Branch’s expose gives us an inside look at the injustice done to these dedicated young athletes and it sheds a new light on all college sports programs,” said Mark Greenberg, EPIX President and CEO.  “EPIX is committed to bringing controversial stories like this to our viewers.”

The documentary is directed by Ross Finkel, Jon Paley and Trevor Martin (directors of Ballplayer: Pelotero); executive produced by Bobby Valentine; produced by Andrew J. Muscato, Taylor Branch, and former college and NFL player Domonique Foxworth.

Says producer Andrew Muscato, “Over the past year and a half, we’ve assembled an unprecedented, comprehensive and compelling look at the culture of big-time college sports in America.  Bobby and I are excited that EPIX shares our fascination with this subject, and we’re especially thrilled that they’ll be bringing our film to their audience in time for the next football season.”

About EPIX

EPIX® is the newest premium entertainment network delivering the latest movie releases, classic library titles, plus original films, comedy, music and sports events on TV, on demand, online and on devices. Launched October 2009 as the first multiplatform premium network with online accessibility for subscribers through EpixHD.com, EPIX pioneered the development and proliferation of TV Everywhere for American consumers. EPIX was the first premium network to launch on Xbox 360®consoles, first on Android™ tablets and phones, first on Roku® players and first to launch in the U.S. on PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system. EPIX is available to authenticated subscribers on hundreds of devices including Apple® iPads®, iPhones®, Kindle Fire tablets, Samsung® Smart TVs and Blu-ray™ players and more. Today EPIX remains the only premium service providing its entire monthly line-up from new Hollywood hits to original programs on all platforms and provides more movies than any other premium network.

EPIX is a joint venture between Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIA.B), its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), available to over 30 million homes nationwide through distribution partners including Charter Communications, Cox Communications, DISH Network, Mediacom Communications, NCTC, Suddenlink Communications and Verizon FiOS.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EpixHD.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHD and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/EpixHD.

Contact:  

EPIX 

Jamie Colunga – jcolunga@epixhd.com
(212) 846-1843

FRANK PR
Clare Anne Darragh – ClareAnne@FrankPublicity.com
Lina Plath – Lina@FrankPublicity.com
(646) 861-0843