Religion of Sports Launches Scripted Division, Marking New Chapter in Company's Expansion
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Emmy Award-winning media company Religion of Sports, founded by Gotham Chopra, Michael Strahan, and Tom Brady, and led by its CEO, Ameeth Sankaran, announced today the launch of its new scripted film and TV division.
Known for its content centered on the theme of why sports matter and a growing podcast slate, Religion of Sports' catalogue also includes the Chopra-helmed Kobe Bryant's Muse, Showtime's Shut Up and Dribble, Apple TV+'s The Greatness Code, and Facebook Watch's Tom vs. Time.
Religion of Sports' new scripted department will be led by industry veteran, Ryan Stowell. With over a decade of experience on a variety of projects, the New England native's credits include co-producing the Academy Award-winning Manchester by the Sea and executive producing Cory Finley's critically acclaimed Thoroughbreds. More recently, Stowell produced Naked Singularity, the forthcoming directorial debut from Chase Palmer, starring John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgard, and Ed Skrein, as well as the anticipated awards release Our Friend, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and starring Jason Segel, Dakota Johnson, and Academy Award-winner Casey Affleck.
"When Tom, Michael, and I founded ROS almost four years ago, we were inspired by the idea that sports are a language through which we can examine both ourselves and the critical issues of our time. I'm in awe of the talent and team we've pulled together since, the content we've produced, and I couldn't be more excited to forge into the next dimension of scripted storytelling. That Ryan -- a good New Englander and by no coincidence, a loyal Patriots fan -- is going to lead the charge, is incredibly thrilling for all of us," said Chopra.
"Over the years, we've seen a pattern of saccharine sports stories. It became normal to adhere to this template genre where the lessons of a game mimic the lessons of a human life. For me, what has always set Religion of Sports and its founders apart is that they have a fundamentally more complex and compassionate approach. The company has a tireless commitment to pushing boundaries with purpose -- and to showing a social consciousness through the lens of sports. I'm honored to join Gotham, Michael, Tom, Ameeth, and the entire ROS team -- and to help extend the same caliber of premium storytelling in the scripted narrative space," said Stowell.
Prior to joining Religion of Sports, Stowell served as Vice President at Academy Award-winners Nat Faxon and Jim Rash's B Story, and most recently served as Senior Vice President of Production at Ridley Scott's Scott Free Productions.
Additionally, Eliza Freer, who has been with ROS since early 2020, will report to Stowell, in an expanded role at the company.
Last year, Religion of Sports raised $10M in funding led by Elysian Park, Advancit Capital, co-founded by Shari Redstone, and Courtside Ventures, to support the multimedia company's ambitious and progressive slate. With several projects set to be announced over the coming weeks and months, Religion of Sports continues its commitment to empowering diverse creators from around the world and exploring the spiritual dynamics between sports and human potential.
ABOUT RELIGION OF SPORTS
Religion of Sports is an Emmy Award-winning sports media company co-founded by Tom Brady, Gotham Chopra and Michael Strahan, built on the thesis that sports are religion. The company produces content focused on a single narrative of 'Why Sports Matter' to explore greatness and human potential. Religion of Sports has produced hundreds of thousands of hours of content across mediums, from short-form video to podcasts to feature films, including its flagship Religion of Sports Series, Shut Up and Dribble, Tom vs. Time, and Greatness Code. For more information, visit www.religionofsports.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Kristen Marion
Marion Public Relations
623-308-2638
289656@email4pr.com
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/religion-of-sports-launches-scripted-division-marking-new-chapter-in-companys-expansion-301212503.html
SOURCE Religion of Sports
