CADENCE13 AND RELIGION OF SPORTS ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF NEW “WHY SPORTS MATTER” PODCAST SERIES
Leading podcast media company teams up with Tom Brady, Michael Strahan and Gotham Chopra- founded sports media startup to answer the question, “Why Sports Matter”
NEW YORK – October 23, 2018 – Cadence13 today announced the launch of Why Sports Matter, a new podcast series hosted by filmmaker Gotham Chopra. The podcast is presented by Religion of Sports, the sports media company co-founded by Chopra, along with football greats Tom Brady and Michael Strahan. Why Sports Matter will explore the larger themes of tribalism, authenticity, leadership and more through compelling stories that illustrate how sports provide meaning, purpose and significance in people’s lives.
“Why Sports Matter is a groundbreaking series of audio essays that takes uncommon stories from athletes and the sports world and distills them down to the components that reflect human nature and the values we have as members of a larger community,” said Chris Corcoran, Chief Content Officer of Cadence13. “It’s expert storytelling that’s sure to appeal to all types of audiences and not just sports fans.”
“Since the formation of our company, why sports matter has been the consistent theme behind every piece of content we have generated,” said Gotham Chopra. “To bring that DNA into podcasting and address it head on through powerful stories that illustrate the meaning and impact of sports on individuals and communities is beyond exciting. Also, I’m a podcast addict so contributing to my own is really a profound exercise in self-fulfillment!”
Why Sports Matter is the latest addition to Cadence13’s slate of premium podcasts on a wide-range of subjects that feature influencers at the top of their fields including The Punies by NBA legend Kobe Bryant, What Really Happened? by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Andrew Jenks and producer Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, The Oval Office Tapes by Hollywood powerhouses R.J. Cutler and Blumhouse Television, and the Origins series hosted by award-winning author James Andrew Miller.
“I’m excited to team up with Cadence13 on Why Sports Matter and share these universally relatable stories,” said Michael Strahan. “I look forward to our guests having the opportunity to express all that they’ve learned along their respective journeys, while showcasing how these themes translate outside the world of sports.” “As long as I’ve been playing sports , I’ve had to fight to overcome obstacles and adversity, “ said Tom Brady. “Sports are more to me than wins and losses - its emotions encompass much of my life. Being able to share stories of others like me, with similar struggles and triumphs is compelling and authentic. I couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come for Religion of Sports.”
The first season of the podcast will include eight episodes hosted by Chopra with guests including Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, Deepak Chopra, Conrad Anker, Caron Butler, Jemele Hill, Nate Boyer, Dave Zirin, Jarret Stoll. Each episode will center around a theme that answers the center question ‘why sports matter,’ weaving in stories from people around the world of sports together which brings each theme to life and stark relief:
MORTALITY Conrad Anker is one of the most accomplished mountain climbers alive and has spent his whole life confronting death by choice. During a 2016 climb, Anker suffered a heart attack while on the side of a Himalayan mountain a 19,000 feet. What did he do? Climb down, of course. Less than six months later, he was climbing again. In this episode, we’re looking at what it means for athletes to face their mortality, and why they would push themselves to the edge of life and death.
HEALING In April of 2018, a deadly bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior ice hockey team that killed 16 and injured 13 people left a small tight-knit town and the hockey community reeling in the aftermath. In this episode, we speak to survivors and those directly impacted by the Humboldt Broncos tragedy, and try to understand sports’ true power — and limitations — in helping people heal.
COMMONALITY AND TRIBALISM In this episode we explore the soul of sports through the prism of the current political moment and the stories of three extraordinary people: Jemele Hill, Nate Boyer, and Joey Jones. And whether it's realistic -- or the height of naivety -- to believe a shared love of sports can be blueprint for civil dialogue and even compromise among those who disagree.
SACRIFICE Cat Zingano is one of the most successful female fighters in UFC history but more recently, she has been battling for control of her life after she lost three fights since his death. In that space of time, Zingano lost her husband and sustained a traumatic brain injury. But she continues to fight. This summer, she got back in the ring...brain injury and all...and won. This episode explores what athletes sacrifice, the purpose and meaning behind why they do it, and the impact their sacrifice has on the people around them...and themselves.
LEADERSHIP A Gen-Z student who led protesters at Standing Rock. A 30-something Duke alumnus who came from an abusive household. A seasoned coach who most recently won the NABI championship in 2015 and 2016. This episode explores basketball's role in creating multi-generational Native American leaders who are tackling many of the immense challenges impacting their communities and taking concrete steps to pave a better world for the next generation.
REHABILITATION Uniquely, San Quentin State Prison inmates have an organized baseball team that competes against local Bay Area rec teams, which are bussed in from the outside. San Quentin's baseball team is not without controversy and begs a larger question central to prison administration and reform -- are prisons primarily a place for punishment or. rehabilitation? This episode looks at sports and rehabilitation through the prism of prison reform and the lived experiences of people who have been inside.
BELONGING Last year, Religion of Sports -- the TV series -- profiled a team in Hamburg Germany made up of refugees – chronicling the team within the context of the larger immigration debate weaving its way in and out of major European and North American cities. Inspired by this story, a refugee resettling agency in Buffalo, NY named Journey’s End started their own refugee soccer team who played their first game in June 2018. In this episode, we follow the story of a young Iraqi refugee who has somehow found his way to Buffalo, New York. And what his journey tells us about sports, the human spirit, and what it means to belong.
AUTHENTICITY Jeff works a desk job during the day. At night, his alter ego “Cannonball” gets cheese graters raked across his head and wraps barbed wire around his neck as a Death Match wrestler. It’s in this transformation where he finds purpose and contentment. He may be an extreme example but it’s not that far removed from any other weekend warrior who plays or follows sports – or even other forms of expression like painting, acting, or comedy In that respect. In that respect is part of the appeal of sports that they act as a vessel to get us closer to our true, authentic selves?
Why Sports Matter will be available free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Radio.com and other on-demand audio platforms on October 30, 2018, with new episodes of season one being released every week. Take a listen to the trailer here: Why Sports Matter
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ABOUT RELIGION OF SPORTS Religion of Sports is a sports media company co-founded by Gotham Chopra, Michael Strahan and Tom Brady. Created to explore sports’ spiritual dimension and why sports matter, some of the content includes its flagship Religion of Sports series, the docu-series Tom vs Time with Tom Brady for Facebook Watch, and the upcoming docu-series SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE in partnership with LeBron James’ Springhill Entertainment for Showtime.
ABOUT CADENCE13 Cadence13 is a leader in premium, on-demand audio entertainment. Our critically-acclaimed shows and personalities reflect the diverse conversations and interests happening in world today. Cadence13 shows are led by a collection of voices that matter, including Sophia Amoruso, Nick Bilton, Flula Borg, Rachel Brathen, David Dobrik, Jon Favreau, Hannah Hart, Andrew Jenks, Peter Kafka, Peter King, Ezra Klein, Brian Koppelman, Tony Kornheiser, Payne Lindsey, Jon Lovett, CJ McCollum, James Andrew Miller, Jim Norton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Peck, Zac Stuart-Pontier, Paul Rabil, Rhett and Link, Michael Sheehan, Sherrod Small, Marc Smerling, Kara Swisher, Tommy Vietor, Adrian Wojnarowski and many more. These groundbreaking influencers and thought leaders cover business, sports, tech, politics, entertainment, news, culture and much more. Cadence13’s programming partners include Action Network, Blumhouse TV, Complex, Crooked Media, Entertainment Weekly, Girlboss Media, goop, Granity, Mythical Entertainment, People, Recode, Seven Bucks Productions, Sports Illustrated, theSkimm, Tenderfoot TV, Time Inc., UFC, UTA, Vanity Fair, The Verge, Vox Media, Yahoo Sports, and Yoga Girl, among others. The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
CADENCE13 CONTACT:
Sunshine Sachs: [email protected]
RELIGION OF SPORTS CONTACT:
Marion PR: [email protected]