UK MBB Docu-Series Premieres Saturday on Facebook Watch
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky men’s basketball fans will get an unprecedented view into the inner workings of the program with a new sports docu-series that will begin airing this weekend on Facebook Watch.
“Inside the Madness: University of Kentucky Basketball” is a 10-episode series that will showcase an intimate portrait of the winningest program in college basketball history. Airing every Saturday on Facebook Watch, the docu-series will provide unprecedented access to the team and head coach John Calipari as they navigate through the season, prepare for the NCAA Tournament run and shape young men for the rest of their lives.
From the executive producers of Showtime’s “A Season With,” the series will go behind the scenes to not only explore the action on the court, but also the lives of student-athletes and the social responsibility that comes from being in the national spotlight.
“We get approached all the time to do all-access shows,” Calipari said. “The one question I always have is, what is our why? Why are we doing this? As our fans know, we are transparent in everything we do so there is never a concern about the access we give. It’s what makes this different than any other show?
“What I liked about (executive producers) Tom Cappello and Jason Sciavicco’s approach to this show is what they wanted to show. It wasn’t about the games or showing how I coach or a lesson in Kentucky basketball; it was about showing the type of kids we have here and the family atmosphere we’ve created. They wanted to show that there’s more than just wins and losses with these kids; it’s about preparing them for the rest of their lives.
“The great thing is their crew can do that while being of no distraction to our team and our goals. They’re around, but they’re a fly on the wall. We get to open the doors to our team in a way we’ve never done before while I coach my team and these kids learn.”
New episodes of Inside the Madness will air on Facebook Watch on Saturdays beginning Feb. 17. Once postseason play heats up, episodes will air twice a week. A full schedule is listed below. Fans can add the show to their watch lists by following the Inside the Madness: Kentucky Basketball show page on Facebook Watch.
Cappello, executive producer for Crazy Legs Productions, and executive producer and showrunner Sciavicco, creator and executive producer for MTV’s Two-A-Days and Esquire’s Friday Night Tykes, have headed up the show. Alana Goldstein and Brandon Wilson are also executive producers. Their crew has been granted unique access and embedded into the lives of the student-athletes, staff and coaches.
“This is the story of young men, led to be a team by their greatness and willingness to sacrifice, finding their way on the biggest stage in college basketball,” Cappello said. “It’s an honor to be welcomed into the Big Blue Nation and we are excited to create a new experience for fans that will allow them to see a more personal side of the players and coaches that make up this team.”
Fans can expect to see access to rigorous workouts, exhausting practices and heart-pounding games, in addition to relatable stories of brotherhood and humanity behind each player off the court.
“A show like this has never been done with the Kentucky basketball program before and we are proud to give viewers a look inside the legendary program,” Sciavicco said. “Our cameras have been embedded with the team since November and viewers will see what it truly takes on and off the court to compete at the highest collegiate level, for one of the most legendary coaches.”
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
Inside the Madness: University of Kentucky Basketball Schedule
• Episode 1: Saturday, Feb. 17
• Episode 2: Saturday, Feb. 24
• Episode 3: Saturday, March 3
• Episode 4: Saturday, March 10
• Episode 5: Wednesday, March 14
• Episode 6: Saturday, March 17
• Episode 7: Wednesday, March 21
• Episode 8: Saturday, March 24
• Episodes 9 and 10: Saturday, March 31
About Crazy Legs Productions
Crazy Legs is Atlanta’s leading developer of unscripted television crafting cinematic stories that enable networks to increase their distinctiveness and evoke deeper engagement with their viewers.
About Facebook Watch
Facebook Watch is a place to discover and enjoy shows on Facebook. Home to a wide range of shows – from scripted comedy and drama, to competition and reality series, to individual creators and live sports – Facebook Watch is a video platform where episodic content, community and conversation come together. This is a personalized viewing experience, where you can discover new series based on what your friends are watching, and catch up on the shows you follow. Facebook Watch is available for free on mobile apps across Apple and Android, on desktop, laptop and on TV apps listed here: https://videoapp.fb.com/.
