Playmakers

Playmakers
DVD cover
GenreDrama
Created byJohn Eisendrath
Starring
Music byLou Natale
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes11
Production
Executive producers
ProducerJamie Paul Rock
Production locationToronto
CinematographyJohn Berrie
Running time43–47 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkESPN
ReleaseAugust 26 (2003-08-26) –
November 11, 2003 (2003-11-11)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Playmakers is an American drama television series created by John Eisendrath that aired on ESPN from August 26 to November 11, 2003. It depicts the lives of the Cougars, a fictional professional football team playing in an unidentified city. The show stars Tony Denison, Omar Gooding, Russell Hornsby, Jason Matthew Smith, Marcello Thedford, and Christopher Wiehl. The show, which ran eleven episodes, was the first original drama series created by ESPN. Although the ratings were very high for ESPN—Playmakers was the highest-rated show on the network other than its Sunday night NFL and Saturday college football games—ESPN eventually canceled the series under pressure from the National Football League, who disliked the portrayal of the negative aspects of its players' lives off the field.[1]

  1. ^ Sandomir, Richard (February 5, 2004). "PRO FOOTBALL; Citing N.F.L., ESPN Cancels 'Playmakers'". New York Times. Retrieved July 24, 2012.