That’s not much consolation for the show’s creator, John Eisendrath. “This is an example of censorship that in my recollection has never happened before, though I admire ESPN for essentially admitting that the show was canceled because it upset one of its most important business partners,” Eisendrath says. And, believe it or not, ESPN plans to produce more scripted dramas. “We’re going to have to find the balance of being gritty and provocative, while realizing that a story line may draw comparisons to our other partners,” says Shapiro. Is such a balance even possible? “We’re going to have to walk a fine line,” he admits. Among the projects ESPN is considering: a basketball drama created by Spike Lee. And we know how uncontroversial he is.
