Athletes always do well on ABC’s veteran reality competition program, Dancing with the Stars, so the network decided to lean into that and create a special four-week event featuring just athletes.
The roster includes two athletes who have been very much in the news recently: Olympic figure skaters Adam Rippon, who just returned from winning team bronze in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and Tonya Harding, whose life story was just told in the Oscar-winning movie I, Tonya, starring Margot Robbie.
Also on the slate for the special edition: legendary basketball star Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Olympic gold-medalist snowboarder Jamie Anderson, NFL Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman, Olympic softball pitcher Jennie Finch, Olympic luger Chris Mazdzer, World Series champion Johnny Damon, Olympic figure skater Mirai Nagasu and Notre Dame basketball player Arike Ogunbowale.
Production company Stun gives each athlete their own memorable introduction framed by an elegant graphics package.
The new edition premieres Monday, April 30, on ABC. Let the games begin.
CREDITS
Client: ABC
Production Company: Stun
Executive Vice President, Marketing, ABC: Rebecca Daugherty
Senior Vice President, Creative, ABC: Jill Gershman
Vice President, Creative, ABC: Valerie McMichael
Creative Director, ABC: Andy Munsey
Writer/Producer, ABC: Heidi Strock
Art Director, Graphics, ABC: Kevin Anderson
Vice President, Production, ABC: Bob Schefferine
Director, Production, ABC: Chris O’Hara