The sports division of factual producer Collective Media Group, launched last year by former ViacomCBS International senior execs Claire McArdle and Rebecca Knight, is to produce the televised coverage of the Icons Series golf event.
Collective Media Sport – a new division launched in February – will produce live coverage of the Ryder Cup style golf competition that sees the USA take on the Rest of the World (ROTW) at Liberty National Golf Club, New Jersey on Thursday 30th June and Friday 1st July.
The Icons Series brings together global Icons from world sport. The Team Rest of the World is led by four-time Major champion Ernie Els, alongside former World No. 1, three-time Grand Slam winner Ash Barty; boxing’s pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez; two-time Champions League title winner and legendary Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola; England National Team Captain and three-time Golden Boot winner, Harry Kane; Cricketer of the Decade 2000, Ricky Ponting; World Rugby Hall of Famer, George Gregan; Yuvraj Singh, winner of the 2011 cricket World Cup with India; one of the greatest cricketers of all time, AB de Villiers and three-time Premier League winner and current Liverpool footballer, James Milner MBE.
The Team USA roster is led by World Golf Hall of Famer and captain Fred Couples, and features the most decorated Olympian of all-time, Michael Phelps, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion Michael Strahan, two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger, two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith, MLB World Series champion John Smoltz, NFL Hall of Famer and 3x NFL Offensive Player of the Year Marshall Fauk, Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez who won the MLB World Series with the Florida Marlins, veteran NFL placekicker Robbie Gould who became the all-time leading scorer for the Chicago Bears and Super Bowl champions Reggie Bush (2010) and Andrew Whitworth (2022).
Matt Wilkinson, Executive Producer says: “This new format pits two teams of the greatest athletes on the planet against each other over two days of intense competition, in the same format that makes the Ryder Cup so enthralling. All of the Icons who are competing, whilst known for excellence in other sports, are also brilliant golfers; each one of them is a single-figure handicap golfer. With the competition’s exhilarating format and the global star appeal of those competing, we are confident that the Icons Series will be a huge hit with audiences around the world.”
Collective Media Sport will be partnering on production with video production company toldright and their Emmy Award-winning team, who will give access to their extensive network of elite creative professionals.
Max Heinemen CEO of toldright says: “Toldright is thrilled to partner with Collective Media Group and Icons to bring this unique live event to sports fans around the world. Our Neighborhood of creators, now over two thousand 5-star creators, includes experts in live sports production who have delivered the Olympics, World Cup, Wimbledon, French Open and Super Bowl to audiences around the world.”
Tom Brookes, Icons Series CEO says: “The Icons Series golfers are some of the world’s best athletes, all incredible golfers and fierce competitors. There’s no better global stage than Liberty National and that stage is now set to welcome the most iconic athletes of all time for what will be an incredible spectacle.
Launched earlier this year Collective Media Sport offers creative consultancy and production expertise to sports rights holders, governing bodies, clubs and brands, to help develop and distribute content around their IP.
As well as working with sports rights holders, Collective Media Group creates its own IP and unscripted programming. Most recently it announced it was joining forces with Entourage Sports & Entertainment and Trailer Films to bring to the screen Brazil 2002: The Real Story, an exclusive view of one of the most iconic World Cup tournaments on its 20th anniversary, with Iconic players Roberto Carlos and Juliano Belletti attached as Executive Producers.
Jon Creamer
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