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American Sports Story

From Alfawiki
American Sports Story
Company typeTelevision series
IndustryEntertainment
FoundedSeptember 17, 2024; 2 years ago (2024-09-17)
FounderStu Zicherman
Headquarters
United States
Key people
Stu Zicherman (creator, executive producer), Ryan Murphy (executive producer), Nina Jacobson (executive producer), Brad Simpson (executive producer), Alexis Martin Woodall (executive producer), Eric Kovtun (executive producer), Hernan Lopez (executive producer), Marshall Lewy (executive producer), Linda Pizzuti Henry (executive producer), Ira Napoliello (executive producer)
ProductsAmerican Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez (season 1)

American Sports Story is a U.S.-based sports drama anthology series created by Stu Zicherman, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Hernan Lopez, Marshall Lewy, Linda Pizzuti Henry, and Ira Napoliello. This series represents the fourth chapter in the American Story media franchise and is broadcast on the cable channel FX.

The inaugural season, titled American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, explores the trajectory of former NFL athlete Aaron Hernandez, detailing his ascent and subsequent downfall. It debuted on September 17, 2024.

Main

Recurring

Development

On August 13, 2021, FX revealed plans for a new limited spin-off series titled American Sports Story, inspired by the podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc. produced by The Boston Globe and Wondery. The narrative delves into the life of former NFL player Aaron Hernandez, examining his personal identity, familial relationships, career path, suicide, and his enduring impact on sports and American society.

Casting

By January 2023, according to John Landgraf, the project was approaching production with a nearly finalized script collection authored by Stu Zicherman; however, no official premiere date was announced at that time. In November 2023, casting announcements included Josh Andrés Rivera, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Lindsay Mendez, Tony Yazbeck, Jake Cannavale, and Catfish Jean joining the ensemble.

Filming

Principal photography commenced on April 3, 2023, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Production was temporarily halted in July due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike but resumed in December. Additional filming took place in March 2024 at the Camping World Stadium located in Orlando, Florida.

Broadcast

The debut season of American Sports Story premiered with two episodes on the FX network on September 17, 2024. Following this launch, episodes were released weekly through November. In Canada, the series aired on the Canadian FX channel with the first two episodes premiering simultaneously on September 17 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT; subsequent installments were broadcast weekly on Tuesdays at the same time slot.

Streaming

Episodes of American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez became available for streaming on Hulu immediately after their 10 PM FX airing on Tuesdays. Outside of North America, the series was accessible via Disney+.

Upon its release, American Sports Story secured the No. 1 position on Hulu's "Top 15 Today" list during its initial full day and maintained this ranking for ten consecutive days as of October 1. It shared prominence alongside other Ryan Murphy productions such as Grotesquerie and Doctor Odyssey. The show ranked third on October 4 before regaining Hulu’s top spot in November 2024, nearly two months after its premiere.

According to Parrot Analytics market data for December 2024, viewer demand for the series in the UK was 6.1 times above average, placing it within the top 8.6% of monitored titles. Demand surged by 49.7% that month, reaching a peak of 13.4 times average interest. The UK accounted for approximately 42% of the program’s demand originating from the United States.

Critical response

The initial season of American Sports Story holds a 70% approval rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 20 critiques, with an average rating of 7.10 out of 10. The site's consensus emphasizes the series' polished approach to dramatizing Aaron Hernandez's tragic narrative, anchored by a compelling lead performance from Josh Rivera. On Metacritic, the show received a score of 72 out of 100 from 14 reviews, reflecting "generally favorable" feedback.

Amy Amatangelo from The A.V. Club commended the series for presenting a novel angle on Hernandez's decline, emphasizing the football industry's influence, societal expectations surrounding masculinity, and Hernandez's internal conflicts involving concealed sexuality, childhood trauma, and CTE, while refraining from justifying his behavior. She praised Rivera’s embodiment of both charisma and instability and remarked on the show's creative liberties in addressing football’s role in players’ wellbeing.

Keith Phipps at TV Guide applauded the production for steering clear of sensationalism and delivering a nuanced depiction of Hernandez as simultaneously victimized and culpable. He valued Rivera’s nuanced portrayal alongside the exploration of contributing elements such as familial pressure, abuse, substance dependency, sexual identity, and concussion impacts. Phipps also noted the sensitive handling of themes, particularly in episodes focusing on Hernandez’s interactions with Tim Tebow.

Alex Kirshner of Slate praised the authentic casting choices and meticulous representation of college football and the NFL environments. He observed that the series successfully captures Hernandez’s milieu and flawed support networks while offering credible interpretations of his downfall. Nonetheless, Kirshner pointed out occasional overemphasis on elements like Hernandez’s celebrity status during college.

Matthew Creith from TheWrap spotlighted the show’s emphasis on Hernandez’s closeted identity and societal pressures tied to masculinity, lauding Rivera’s physical transformation and emotional performance. Although engaging, Creith criticized certain portrayals—such as those of Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft—as overly simplistic caricatures. He acknowledged the series’ boldness in addressing delicate topics but felt it sometimes relied excessively on sensational moments, relegating head injuries and CTE to secondary importance.

Ratings

The series premiere drew an audience of 273,000 viewers (P2+) with a 0.09% rating and 214,000 households tuning in (0.17 rating). By November 12, 2024, viewership had decreased to 160,000 (0.05% rating), marking a 14% decline from 185,000 on November 5. Household viewership for November 12 stood at 138,500 (0.11 rating), including 53,500 individuals aged 18–49 (0.04 rating) and 62,000 within the 25–54 age group (0.05 rating). Since its debut, P2+ ratings have varied between 0.04% and 0.09%, with weekly audiences ranging from 140,000 to 273,000 viewers.

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result
2025 Black Reel Awards for Television Outstanding Directing in a TV Movie or Limited Series Paris Barclay Nominated
Imagen Foundation Awards Best Actor - Drama Josh Andrés Rivera Nominated
Best Supporting Actress - Drama Jaylen Barron Nominated

Impact

American Sports Story attracted considerable buzz after a scene featuring Laith Wallschleger portraying Rob Gronkowski went viral across social media platforms. This particular clip was extensively circulated on "NFL Twitter," with NFL journalist Dov Kleiman among those sharing it. The humorous exchange between Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez generated widespread online discussion. Gronkowski himself commended Wallschleger—who has served as his body double in other productions—for accurately embodying his character in a way that aligns with the tone of the series.

External links

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