Top Athletes Untold Stories In ‘Uncompromising’
Following last year’s groundbreaking documentary series RISE AS ONE showcasing six of the most unique soccer stories from around the globe, Budweiser and FOX Sports have partnered again this year for an exciting new, four-episode documentary series titled UNCOMPROMISING, premiering on FOX Sports 1 on Thursday, May 14 (9:00 PM ET).
Highlighting the untold stories of athletes who are living their dreams by staying true to themselves, UNCOMPROMISING puts the spotlight on four top athletes who’s paths were unconventional, but led them to the pinnacle of their sports. NASCAR Champion Kevin Harvick, UFC Champion Ronda Rousey, 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving and U.S. Men’s National Team Goalkeeper Tim Howard each take center stage in one of the four 30-minute episodes.
http://youtu.be/ikD0XwmghGE
“We joined FOX Sports to identify and celebrate athletes who have not compromised to get where they are,” said Brian Perkins, vice president, Budweiser. “The four athletes Budweiser selected are unconventional and uncompromising. These are character traits we value and associate with Budweiser as well.”
“We’re excited to bring these athlete’s stories to light in unique ways,” says Melissa Forman, SVP of Development, FOX Sports. “We’ve brought in a group of exceptional production partners to enhance these four shows and are eager to roll them out over the next several months. Fans will get insights and revelations about these athletes that they’ve never gotten before.”
Below are brief descriptions of the four episodes:
Kevin Harvick: In February 2001, on the final lap of the Daytona 500, racing legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. crashed and later died. No one could replace Earnhardt, but brash young racer Kevin Harvick was asked to try. It didn’t take long for him to honor Earnhardt, as Harvick won his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race just three weeks later. Harvick built a successful career on and off the race track, venturing into team ownership and athlete management, but it ultimately was the birth of his son, Keelan, that proved to be a turning point, as he and wife, DeLana, moved to simplify their lives, selling the race team and making the move to StewartHaas Racing. With the addition of crew chief Rodney Childers, Harvick won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 2014.
Kyrie Irving: A basketball prodigy with a unique path, Kyrie Irving was born in Australia and lost his mother when he was four. He experienced a devastating knee injury his freshman year, and only played 11 games at Duke before being selected with the first draft pick and ultimately became the NBA Rookie of the Year. The episode wraps with life in the NBA, LeBron James’ return to Cleveland, and what’s next for the young player. Premieres on FOX Sports 1 on
Tuesday, May 26 (8:30 PM ET)*.
Ronda Rousey: After finishing her Olympic judo career, Ronda Rousey refused to work 9 to 5 and instead broke down gender barriers to become the female face of the UFC, becoming the first and only woman bantamweight world champion with a still undefeated record. Premieres on FOX Sports 1 on Monday, July 20 (10:30 PM ET)*.
Tim Howard: Tim Howard is one of the best American goalkeepers of all time and currently plays for English Premier League club Everton. He has represented the U.S. Men’s National Team at three World Cups and holds the record for most saves in a World Cup match with 15. But he had to overcome huge obstacles to reach the pinnacle of the sport. Tim developed symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome when he was 10, and not long after that was told he suffered
from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Neither of these derailed his career though, as he displayed resilience and didn’t let his illness take away from the quality of his life and success on the field. Premieres on FOX Sports 1 on Monday, August 31 (10:30 PM ET)*.
The FOX SPORTS ORIGINALS department teamed with several award winning production companies including Five Films (Kevin Harvick), Mandalay Productions (Kyrie Irvine), Turn Left Productions (Ronda Rousey) and Electric City (Tim Howard) to produce and direct the UNCOMPROMISING series.
