HBO Suspends Reality Football Series

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

Home Box Office announced Friday that it will suspend its National Football
League-based reality series, Hard Knocks, for one year.

The series -- which followed the preseason training camps of the NFL's
Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys, respectively, during its first two seasons
-- may return in 2004, according to HBO Sports president Ross Greenberg.

"We recognize that not every year will you find the perfect team, the perfect
environment, the perfect fit to create another edition of Hard Knocks," Greenberg said. "In that spirit, HBO Sports and NFL Films have agreed that we
are going to take a year off."

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.