ESPN Films’ latest documentary Fate of a Sport will debut August 29 on ESPN+. Directed by Michael Doneger, the film chronicles the story of lacrosse legend Paul Rabil and his fight to change the trajectory of the sport he loves by launching a new professional league, the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL).
- Fate of a Sport will have its linear debut Thursday, September 15 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
- It will also air on ABC Sunday, September 18 at 1 p.m. ET leading into the PLL Championship Game.
- After eleven years as one of the most decorated players within a professional lacrosse league that was anything but professional, Rabil decides to create his own league of the sport that made him a star. In partnership with his brother Mike, Paul raises capital, poaches the top players, fights off lawsuits, and navigates through a global pandemic to establish the PLL as the premiere destination for professional lacrosse in the country.
- The documentary, which premiered earlier this year at the Tribeca Festival, features original interviews with:
- Paul Rabil
- Mike Rabil
- Jeffrey Wright
- Adam Silver
- Bill Belichick
- Peter Berg
- Joe Tsai
- Lyle Thompson
- Fate of a Sport is produced by Matt Tolmach and Doneger.
- The film is executive produced by ESPN Films and UNINTERRUPTED’s LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, and Philip Byron with co-executive producer Camille Maratchi.
What they’re saying:
- Director Michael Doneger: “Having had the benefit of knowing Paul and Mike prior to documenting their story and knowing how dogged and determined they are, I knew audiences would appreciate a peek behind the curtain to watch these two strong personalities build a professional sports league from scratch and help change the trajectory of a traditionally niche sport. We’re in such a time of disruption across all industries, and there’s no better example of the script being flipped than the origin story of the Premier Lacrosse League. ‘Fate of a Sport’ is an underdog story about ambition, identity, and sacrifice. I’m humbled and excited for audiences to see it all unfold on ESPN.”