If the entertainment business had penalties, OWN would have just been flagged for a false start! Just two days after the network announced a new docuseries following Michael Sam, OWN has released a statement announcing the show has been postponed indefinitely. The announcement came after the network met with representatives from Sam’s team, the St. Louis Rams, who had apparently not been approached about the idea before the big initial announcement was made.
“After careful consideration and discussion with the St. Louis Rams, The Untitled Michael Sam Project has been postponed, allowing Michael the best opportunity to achieve his dreams of making the team,” OWN president Erik Logan said in a statement. “OWN is about elevating and empowering people to achieve their best. It’s clear that we, along with the world, recognize the opportunity that Michael has in this moment. We will continue to support him in his journey to earn a spot playing for the Rams.”
Michael Sam’s agent, Cameron Weiss, was also quoted in the statement. “After today’s meeting with the Rams, we felt it is best to postpone the project,” Weiss said. “This will allow for Michael to have total focus on football, and will ensure no distractions to his teammates. Everybody involved remains committed to this project and understands its historical importance as well as its positive message.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy seems to confirm everyone’s assumption that OWN had seriously put the cart before the horse on the project. “We learned of this in the days after the draft,” he said, before adding that OWN had not signed any sort of agreement with the league that would allow them to use its logo or NFL footage for the series.
According to the original announcement from OWN, the show was to document Michael Sam “as he works to earn his spot on the St. Louis Rams all while under the intense scrutiny of being the first openly gay player in the NFL.”
So far Michael Sam has not responded to the announcement on Twitter.
