Chapter 23: The Upside Down

MEDIA EXECUTIVES DOnot categorize sports as reality television, but this is a superficial favor to our pastimes.

- Pablo S. Torre

Sports loves to signal civic virtue; reality TV, meanwhile, can sound pejorative, Kardashian. And yet, which genres most formulaically engineer suspense for the audience? And thrive on human conflict? And pay their stars to risk on-camera humiliation?

Think of last month’s controversy-ridden U.S. Open final, which gave us Serena Williams in raw psychological combat with a chair umpire and a younger version of herself. A couple of weeks before that, Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. confessed to the surreality of feeling watched, everywhere, as if he were on Celebrity Big Brother. And now, in Los Angeles, an A-lister who has lived on camera for 15 consecutive years is engineering an unscripted program that will attract more eyeballs to him than ever.

LeBRON JAMES ENJOYS an overstuffed portfolio. The 33-year-old has a burgeoning production company, SpringHill Entertainment, and a digital media company, Uninterrupted, the latter of which specializes in behind-the-scenes video from athletes. But for all the projects James has in the works— at CBS, NBC, ABC, TNT, HBO, Showtime, Starz, Google, Facebook and ESPN—the Lakers are easily his most ambitious show.

“Do not forget what his job is,” says Paul Telegdy, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment. “The core of his engine is the sport he loves and adores.”

In truth, more than any other league, the NBA has realized the economic potential of reality television. And more than any other player, James has made GMs feel like they’re on The Bachelor and head coaches feel like they’re on Survivor. James’ agent, Rich Paul, pushes back on the image of his client as a shadow exec. Still, this summer suggests a unique partnership with president Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka, whose tenures hinge on superstar acquisition.