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Uninterrupted

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Uninterrupted, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 28 November 20255 sources
Uninterrupted
Company typePrivate
IndustrySports media, film and television production, retail, digital media
FoundedDecember 2014; 11 years ago (2014-12)
FounderLeBron James, Maverick Carter
FateIntegrated into SpringHill Company in 2020
SuccessorSpringHill Company
Headquarters
United States
,
United States
Area served
United States, Canada
Key people
LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Scott Moore (CEO of Uninterrupted Canada)
ProductsAthlete testimonial videos, documentary series, podcasts, apparel, film festival
OwnerSpringHill Company (parent company since 2020)
ParentSpringHill Company
Websitewww.uninterrupted.com

UNINTERRUPTED (presented in all caps) is a U.S.-based multi-platform media enterprise established by LeBron James and Maverick Carter. Its primary mission is to elevate athletes' perspectives within the sports media landscape.

Originating in 2014 as a series of video testimonials featuring professional athletes, including James himself, Uninterrupted has since broadened its scope to encompass film and television production, retail through e-commerce and apparel, as well as organizing a film festival. The company expanded into the Canadian market in 2019 and was integrated into the SpringHill Company in 2020.

Establishment and initial initiatives (2015–2017)

Uninterrupted was created by LeBron James and Maverick Carter in December 2014, starting with athlete testimonial videos.[1] At that time, James was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, joined by athletes such as Rob Gronkowski, Draymond Green, and Ronda Rousey. Production was handled by SpringHill Entertainment, overseen by Carter.[1] The content initially appeared on Bleacher Report before expanding to platforms like Facebook 360, Oculus VR, and go90.[1]

In May 2015, Uninterrupted launched its own YouTube channel.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Later that year, in September, it debuted Striving for Greatness, a documentary series focusing on James' training routine.[1] By December, Warner Bros. and Turner Sports invested $15.8 million into the company, with Turner taking on the role of primary sales partner.[1][2]

By 2017, Uninterrupted identified itself as a "distributed media platform" and an "all-digital sports programming network".[3][4] Its productions included documentary series such as Flashback, featuring Dwyane Wade, Rebuilt starring Chris Bosh, and Draft Diaries.[4][5] The company also created the feature-length documentary Fight Mom and initiated a podcast network.[5] Carter hosted video and podcast series titled Kneading Dough and Branching Out, both sponsored by Chase Bank.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Additionally, Green hosted his podcast Dray Day on Uninterrupted's platform.[5]

Introduction of The Shop, Canadian expansion, and retail ventures (2017–2019)

In 2017, Uninterrupted launched The Shop, a 30-minute panel discussion show set in a barbershop where James and guests receive haircuts while conversing. Segments aired on ESPN during the 2017 NBA Finals, with the complete pilot accessible via Uninterrupted's website and ESPN's YouTube channel, amassing approximately 4 million views. The pilot featured James and Green—whose teams competed in that year's Finals—alongside Carter, former NBA player Charles Oakley, and rapper 2 Chainz.

Later that same year, Uninterrupted produced More Than An Athlete, an eight-episode documentary series chronicling James' basketball journey. Executive producers included James, Carter, and longtime friends Rich Paul and Randy Mims. This series premiered on ESPN+ in November 2018. In 2019, Uninterrupted collaborated with streaming service DAZN to create 40 Days, a boxing documentary highlighting Canelo Álvarez and Daniel Jacobs as they prepared for their middleweight title bout.

Uninterrupted expanded into Canada in 2019 through a partnership with Canadian artist Drake, officially launching Uninterrupted Canada on August 2. Drake became both part owner and promoter of this division, appointing Scott Moore as CEO. Early Canadian content featured collaborations with Toronto Raptors player Serge Ibaka and Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman, producing series such as Height Doesn't Measure Heart and the interview program Who's Interviewing Who?

Beyond Canada, Uninterrupted worked alongside David Beckham's Studio 99 to produce a documentary series centered on Inter Miami CF. In October 2019, the company unveiled its e-commerce merchandise and apparel collection in partnership with Nike, showcasing the "I am more than an athlete" slogan. As part of this collaboration, Nike released two sneakers branded with Uninterrupted—the LeBron 17 and an Air Force 1 model. The apparel line further expanded in December with the introduction of a private label.

Additionally, in October 2019, Uninterrupted announced plans to co-produce a documentary series covering the Memphis Tigers' 2019–20 season. This project spotlighted coach Penny Hardaway, assistant coach Mike Miller, and top recruit James Wiseman.

Consolidation into SpringHill, film festival, and additional ventures (2020–present)

In 2020, SpringHill Entertainment and Uninterrupted combined forces with the Robot Company, resulting in the creation of SpringHill Company. By April 2021, Uninterrupted collaborated with Peacock to develop a documentary series centered on the 2020 Summer Olympics. Later that year, in October, SpringHill sold a minority equity stake to Nike, Epic Games, RedBird Capital Partners, and Fenway Sports Group, establishing a company valuation of $725 million.

Beginning with its fifth season in March 2022, The Shop transitioned to being exclusively available on Uninterrupted’s YouTube channel, with Grey Goose serving as the presenting sponsor. In July of the same year, a spin-off titled The Shop: Lineup was introduced, emphasizing individual guest stories and prominently showcasing Grey Goose branding.

April 2023 saw Uninterrupted and Nike unveil a special edition Nike LeBron 20 sneaker featuring the brand’s signature lapis lazuli colorway. In June, Uninterrupted announced plans to produce a sequel to The Game Changers and partnered with Tribeca Enterprises to co-host a film festival at NeueHouse Hollywood in July. This event spotlighted athlete narratives through projects such as the Showtime documentary series Goliath, which explores Wilt Chamberlain’s legacy, and Black Ice, a film addressing racism within ice hockey that was executive produced by James and Carter. The festival returned in 2024 with James joining Naomi Osaka and Joel Embiid on the short film selection committee.

During fall 2023, The Shop embarked on a live tour visiting historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), including Tennessee State University, Hampton University, and North Carolina A&T University.

By March 2024, The Shop evolved into an independent consumer brand distinct from Uninterrupted. That same month marked the launch of James-hosted podcast Mind the Game, produced under the Uninterrupted banner. Later in 2024, two basketball-focused series produced by Uninterrupted premiered: Vice TV debuted Uninterrupted: The Real Stories of Basketball in June, featuring Hall of Fame athletes; and Netflix released Starting 5 in October, documenting James alongside four NBA players throughout the 2023–24 NBA season.

Copyright and trademark disputes

In March 2018, the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team introduced a teaser for Shop Talk, a program resembling Uninterrupted’s The Shop, which showcased open conversations within a barbershop environment. The initial episode featured former player Julio Jones and coach Nick Saban. Following concerns raised by Uninterrupted’s legal representatives regarding copyright infringement and their request to review the episode, the show was subsequently renamed Bama Cuts.

In February 2020, Maryland-based nonprofit Game Plan filed a lawsuit against Uninterrupted, Nike, ESPN, and Take-Two Interactive alleging unauthorized use of the trademarked phrase "I am more than an athlete." Uninterrupted refuted these allegations by asserting its prior ownership of the "More Than An Athlete" trademark. In December 2023, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled in favor of Uninterrupted after Game Plan failed to establish legitimate ownership rights.

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Vardon
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Roberts
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named UI2017
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named welcome
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Badenhausen

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