American TV network NBC have produced a brand new documentary titled: ‘Tottenham Hotspur — To Dare Is To Do’.
The first part takes viewers from the club’s early history, through the club’s most successful era under manager Bill Nicholson, all the way up to the days of Gareth Bale and the sackings of Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood, making way for the appointment of Mauricio Pochetino.
The second part includes extensive interviews with Hugo Lloris and Mauricio Pochettino, discussing how the manger has implemented his philosophy on the club and what happened last season — the highs and the lows.
Part three focuses on the club’s academy with particularly focus on its biggest modern success story, Harry Kane. We also hear from Head of Coaching and Player Development John McDermott as well as promising young centre back Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Daniel Levy and the new stadium take centre stage in two final parts. While the documentary feels very much like an exercise in PR as the club strengthens its ties with the American market, it’s still certainly worth a watch for any Spurs fan.
One question: Why?
This is an English team so why is NBC taking an interest?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that they are but it seems like an odd topic for an American channel especially considering we (Spurs, yes I’m a Spurs supporter) aren’t exactly a huge team (and also considerimg the general undeserving hate and condescension I experience from Americans on a very regular basis just because im English) although I do believe we have a fairly large American following?
NBC, and in particular its NBCSN cable channel, have made quite an investment in Premier League football, and viewers have responded in kind. The network does not treat English football as some sort of novelty, but instead with the analysis and coverage it deserves, done mostly with UK commentators and presenters. The ratings have been very good indeed. So a documentary series about Spurs by NBC is not surprising at all, especially given their recent success.
For more years than I can remember, football (a/k/a soccer) has been America’s sport of the future. With its own professional league gaining stature and relevance, not to mention fan support, the future is finally now. And the new fan base has an appetite for the traditional powerhouse leagues of Europe, such as the Premier League and Bundesliga (shown on various Fox channels).
NBC is doing their “download series’ on many of the teams in the EPL – not just Spurs. And as a Canadian Spurs fan who in the early 80s as a kid listened to games on short wave radio, I am thrilled to see the team getting attention on this side of the pond…