Documentary on Ted Turner and Courageous
Published on December 22nd, 2016
NBC Sports Films will premiere Courageous, a one-hour documentary which chronicles media pioneer and sailing maverick Ted Turner’s quest to win the 1977 America’s Cup, on Saturday, June 17 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The special will air immediately following NBC’s coverage of Race 1 of the 2017 America’s Cup Finals.
Courageous, named for the boat that Turner captained, examines his journey to win and defend the America’s Cup, and explores his tireless pursuit throughout the decade to build the iconic Turner media and sports empire which included CNN, TBS, the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and Goodwill Games.
While suspended from running the Braves and working through the infancy and challenges of early cable television with his SuperStation, Turner became fixated with winning the 1977 America’s Cup. The unconventional pioneer bet his reputation and image on the victory, and saw glory in a 4-year-old boat and a crew that others had written off.
“The story of Courageous and Ted Turner’s victory in 1977 is one of the most remarkable and unusual chapters in sports history,” said Mark Levy, Senior Vice President, Original Productions and Creative, NBC Sports Group. “Turner’s unconventional approach on and off the high seas made for headlines across the globe. Courageous will not only excite dedicated sailing fans watching our broadcast of the 35th America’s Cup, but will also appeal to admirers of the Turner legacy, and anyone who loves one-of-a-kind stories.”
Courageous features interviews with Turner, his America’s Cup crew members, and sailing historians. Additionally the film includes archival footage from the 1977 America’s Cup and Turner’s multifaceted career.
For a preview of Courageous, click here.
Courageous complements NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the 35th America’s Cup.
As the exclusive U.S. media rights holder for the 2017 America’s Cup Finals and America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs, NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will combine to provide more than 35 hours of coverage of both events.
Source: www.broadwayworld.com