VICE Media Launches VICE Sports Brand

VICE TV will shift primetime programming to sports-first

To meet continued growth in global demand for sports programming, VICE Media has launched the VICE Sports brand, coupling it with a strategy of significantly expanded original sports programming.

VICE TV, its 40 million-plus–subscriber cable-television network in partnership with A+E, will shift its primetime programming to a sports-first model. As part of the strategic shift, VICE TV will co-produce and air seven original sports series early next year, with primetime programming blocks branded VICE Sports. Overall, the company will produce more than 50 hours of sports-themed docuseries, programs, events, and podcasts for global distribution across television and digital.

“VICE’s brand and history have always been about producing authentic, differentiated, and compelling content — from our hit series Gangs of London to HBO’s VICE,” says VICE Media CEO Bruce Dixon. “Given that the demand for sports content around the world is greater than ever before, we are well-positioned to offer an alternative to the mainstream, airing not only on our own VICE TV network but across other media platforms.”

Noting the success of hit franchises like Dark Side of The Ring, VICE TV President Pete Gaffney says, “Now is the time to double-down and shift to a sports-focused programming model. We have several exciting new shows that we are co-producing alongside some of the biggest names in sports, who will partner with us to fuel the VICE Sports brand.”

Adds Dixon, “Audiences are looking for authentic sports content, and, while others have tried to emulate VICE’s unique brand of storytelling, only we can deliver.”

Anchoring the network’s VICE Sports prime-time programming slate are original series Pitino: Red Storm Rising and Calipari: Razor’s Edge, featuring two of the most prominent and controversial coaches in college basketball. In addition, VICE TV will air The Verdict and four original series from VICE Studios: Dark Side of the Cage, The Grudge, Sports Gone Wrong, and the highly anticipated sixth season of its signature franchise, Dark Side of the Ring.

Pitino: Red Storm Rising looks back at St. John’s coach Rick Pitino’s storied career and follows this season’s Red Storm as the team works to end a long-running Big East title drought and earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Calipari: Razor’s Edge, produced with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, is an intimate, all-access look at coach John Calipari’s first season as head coach of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, the team’s quest for a national championship, and the winding road that landed him in Fayetteville. Both series premiere in February as a lead-in to March Madness.

“We’re excited to work with VICE TV on Calipari: Razor’s Edge, a show that will give fans an inside look at Coach John Calipari’s first season running the Arkansas men’s basketball program,” adds Manning. “Coach Cal is a Hall of Fame coach and a legend in the sport. We expect this series to be the first of many future collaborations between Omaha and VICE as the company expands into more sports content.”

To round out the roster of original sports series, VICE TV will acquire, license, and air more than 100 hours of additional sports programming — from popular sports podcasts to events. Programming includes Nightcap With Shannon Sharpe and Ochocinco: Recap, The Draymond Green Show With Baron Davis: Recap, previous seasons of American Ninja Warrior, PDC World Championship Darts, Arena Football One, and premium docuseries and event recaps from Red Bull.

VICE has a long track record of producing successful original sports-themed programming. The company has co-produced five seasons of the iconic wrestling docuseries Dark Side of the Ring with show creators Evan Husney and Jason Eisner, Uninterrupted: The Real Stories of Basketball with LeBron James’ SpringHill Productions, Who Killed WCW with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions, The American Gladiators Documentary and Stolen Gold for ESPN and Max Verstappen: Anatomy of a Champion for Viaplay.

“We are open for business to partner with great talent to produce breakthrough sports content as we leverage our brand and history,” says Vice Studios Co-President Danny Gabai. “I have never been more excited about where we’re headed across not only sports but scripted and non-scripted content in music, news, and other genres.”