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Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

post #1 of 54
4/27/08 at 5:31pm
Thread Starter 
Sports Night DVD news: Rumors about Sports Night - The 10th Anniversary Edition | TVShowsOnDVD.com

Well, this is a nice surprise. I asked Shout to revisit "Sports Night" on their community board a few months ago. So it could very well be them.

Shout! Factory Community - Sports Night re-release
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post #2 of 54
4/28/08 at 8:06am

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

If the rumor is true and Shout Factory is the studio behind it, I'll be paying my hard earned money on Day 1, making it the first (and hopefully last) TV series I'll have double dipped on.

Dances to My Boogie Shoes.....
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post #3 of 54
4/28/08 at 12:23pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

I've never double-dipped on a TV show before, but if the rumors are true about extras, I am so there....

... and boogie with you....
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post #4 of 54
4/28/08 at 2:53pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

I'll also gladly double-dip on this one, if the rerelease happens. I didn't even realize this was OOP until I read TSoD's article.
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post #5 of 54
5/17/08 at 8:18am
Thread Starter 

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

TVShowsOnDVD.com has got a further update on this release, and it's indeed Shout! Factory. They have linked to a great article by Home Media Magazine. I can't wait!

Sports Night DVD news: Announcement for Sports Night - The 10th Anniversary Edition | TVShowsOnDVD.com
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post #6 of 54
5/17/08 at 2:48pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

This is great news and the article from Home Media Magazine is interesting. I will definitely be picking it up.
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post #7 of 54
5/17/08 at 5:31pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Good news for those of you who like this show.

But what's with a re-release of a show that did poorly in the ratings and was basically a failure? I don't understand how they could release this over so many great shows that have been passed over.
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post #8 of 54
5/17/08 at 6:00pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

This show has fans that are willing to put their money where their heart is. Many of those "great" shows don't.
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post #9 of 54
5/17/08 at 8:19pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
But what's with a re-release of a show that did poorly in the ratings and was basically a failure? I don't understand how they could release this over so many great shows that have been passed over.
Not every show's life begins and ends on its initial screening. It's more noticable with movies - films like The Princess Bride or The Shawshank Redemption flopped in cinema, but developed a following on home video and today when these films get a rerelease, noone quesitons it.

Same thing with TV shows, just less noticable. Sports Night may not have been a huge hit (although it did get two seasons, so it can't have rated that badly), but it definitely benefits from having been made by Aaron Sorkin. In my case, I was a fan of The West Wing, so when a friend mentioned he had Sorkin's previous series, I was interested, and became a fan after watching the show. The I discovered it was out of print, so couldn't buy a copy for myself. Now I can.

And I think the other thing is that this is a Shout Factory release. And Shout Factory seem to have a strong focus on these smaller releases with passionate fanbase - I know they released Freaks And Geeks, for example. So they are experienced about these titles and know how to make the economics of the release work for them.
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post #10 of 54
5/18/08 at 1:13pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

I hope they're able to get the extras they're planning, but I'll buy it even if they don't. I am disappointed, though, that, according to the article linked earlier in the thread, they weren't able to redo the audio tracks sans the laugh track.
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post #11 of 54
5/18/08 at 7:42pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elena S
But what's with a re-release of a show that did poorly in the ratings and was basically a failure? I don't understand how they could release this over so many great shows that have been passed over.

Apparently it wasn't a failure on DVD, or nobody would be looking at a re-release. As for why this show and not others - as Matt noted, there is not a one-to-one relationship between original success and home video success or other secondary market success. The original Star Trek was a marginal network series that became a monster hit in syndication. Many films have done poorly in theaters only to become cult hits and even financial successes on home video. A lot of reality shows that are suspenseful as "live" events and earn huge ratings don't do nearly as well in reruns or on DVD.

That's without even considering rights issues, other series releases at a given studio that are competing for space on the release schedule and the million and one other things that go into these decisions. Each show is a unique situation and it is absolutely pointless to ask why show "a" is being released while show "b" isn't, because even if someone could explain all the reasons for each decision, people who are emotionally invested in getting show "b" released wouldn't listen anyway.

Regards,

Joe
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post #12 of 54
5/19/08 at 7:24pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Press release is out:
Sports Night DVD news: Press Release for Sports Night - The 10th Anniversary Edition | TVShowsOnDVD.com

They are officially stating new interviews, deleted scenes and gag reels among other things. And they have alotted two discs just for bonus features, which is impressive! I already own this series, but it is one of my all-time favorites, so it will certainly be worth it for me to re-buy for bonus features.

As for expending effort on releasing a show that could be considered a "failure," keep in mind that even a low rated show was seen by a couple million viewers, and only a fraction of them would have to buy a DVD for the release to be successful. Of course, the fraction of those millions who care enough to buy is probably very small, but when you have a cult favorite, or a show with a devoted fan base, the chances go up. And you can't discount that some of the stars of this show have a higher profile now than when originally aired, so it wouldn't be the first time a video release capitalized on the increased popularity of a star.

Also, it's interesting to note in the Home Media Magazine article that Shout! Factory's reissue of "My So-Called Life" outsold the original issue from several years ago. I know I double-dipped, but how many others did?
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post #13 of 54
5/19/08 at 7:28pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

I love this show and own the initial release. The artwork is much better on the original release i must say. But that really does not matter much. I am not sure i am willing to rebuy unless of course there is improvement in the a/v. But my guess is this will be basically the same. Is there word on new transfers for this perhaps? The extras are temping but i am probably good with what i have. But this show is outstanding and everyone should own it. So i am glad it is being re-released for those that were unfortunately left out when it went oop.
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post #14 of 54
5/19/08 at 7:31pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aryn Leroux
I am not sure i am willing to rebuy unless of course there is improvement in the a/v. But my guess is this will be basically the same. Is there word on new transfers for this perhaps?
They're all mastered on video, and it's likely the same masters will be utilized. The only improvement I can imagine will be based on advances in compression technology.
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post #15 of 54
5/19/08 at 7:37pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Derek Miner
They're all mastered on video, and it's likely the same masters will be utilized. The only improvement I can imagine will be based on advances in compression technology.

Yeah, that is what i figured.. thanks!
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post #16 of 54
5/20/08 at 2:20am

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Oh man... I also never EVER double dip but may have to make a big exception for this if the extras are worth it. The original set is one of the crown jewels of my collection.

Heard rumours for years that the episodes are the syndicated versions (something which seems to borne out on a "previously on Sports Night" segment that has a scene that isn't in the prior episode) but the timing of the episodes and the overall running time of the box seems to indicate it ISN'T. (Since the average episode length is 23 minutes, whereas I believe syndied stuff is closer to 22, correct?)

Regardless, I hope this is a decent price. I paid $80 for the show originally.

Edit: Just read one of the articles linked from the TV on DVD website, and a potential deal breaker for me: They have not been able to remaster season 1 and remove that bloody laugh track.

If that had gone, that alone would have been enough for me to buy the set, but with it still there... Lot less tempting.
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post #17 of 54
5/20/08 at 6:34am

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Any upgrade is worth it for me. The original Buena Vista release is just...bad? Ugly? Shoddy? Someone help me with the right word...
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post #18 of 54
5/20/08 at 6:53am

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonedwarf
Heard rumours for years that the episodes are the syndicated versions (something which seems to borne out on a "previously on Sports Night" segment that has a scene that isn't in the prior episode) but the timing of the episodes and the overall running time of the box seems to indicate it ISN'T.
I can't guarantee anything, but since this show never went into official syndication, I doubt they prepared alternate, shortened masters for the show. When it got picked up by Comedy Central, I'd bet Buena Vista shipped them full length episodes for them to alter to the format and length they required.
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post #19 of 54
5/20/08 at 9:48am

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
(something which seems to borne out on a "previously on Sports Night" segment that has a scene that isn't in the prior episode)

I'm not sure that proves anything, since many "previously on", top-of-show recaps will contain clips from several episodes, even from prior seasons, in order to properly set-up the events of the current one.

Joe
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post #20 of 54
5/20/08 at 11:29pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Derek Miner
They are officially stating new interviews, deleted scenes and gag reels among other things. And they have alotted two discs just for bonus features, which is impressive! I already own this series, but it is one of my all-time favorites, so it will certainly be worth it for me to re-buy for bonus features.

Sucker that I am for extras, if it's not too pricey I just might double-dip.

The silly thing is that my existing set has been out of my hands for a really long time now (maybe nearly 2 years), loaned out to a friend, who is now supposed to pass it to another friend. So actually buying another set probably isn't a bad idea anyway...

Not sure how you guys feel about this: the original set had the annoying (to me) coding such that if you selected one episode to play, at its conclusion it would automatically just continue with the next episode, rather than default back to the episode index. Of course, that really just meant that in practice instead of watching just one ep, I'd wind up watching 2 or 3, or more...
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post #21 of 54
5/21/08 at 5:56am

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yee-Ming
Not sure how you guys feel about this: the original set had the annoying (to me) coding such that if you selected one episode to play, at its conclusion it would automatically just continue with the next episode, rather than default back to the episode index. Of course, that really just meant that in practice instead of watching just one ep, I'd wind up watching 2 or 3, or more...

I had forgotten all about that! It was one of my pet peeves when I got through the set in two months a year or so ago. Put a play all option on there or default to the main menu...don't just continue playing episodes.
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post #22 of 54
6/6/08 at 5:23pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Shout! Factory has posted their press release to the site.

Shout! Factory - Press Releases

Gag reels and deleted scenes are no longer listed among the extras, but they've added Real vs. Reel: ESPN employees compare their real-life experiences with the characters on Sports Night. This was one of the things they were hoping to include in this boxed set (which was mentioned in the Home Media Magazine article).
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post #23 of 54
6/9/08 at 3:09pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

I wonder if that Real vs. Reel will be a text-based supplement, similar to this years-old espn.com article, or if they actually filmed stuff for it.
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post #24 of 54
6/9/08 at 10:59pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph DeMartino
I'm not sure that proves anything, since many "previously on", top-of-show recaps will contain clips from several episodes, even from prior seasons, in order to properly set-up the events of the current one.

Joe

Oh, I know. But this bit is from NO EPISODE BEFORE IT. It's Jeremy telling Natalie his father had an affair if I remember correctly. My guess is they probably trimmed it for time from the original episode, as I have a very very vague memory of thinking "Did I miss an episode?" when it was on ABC.

Laugh track still there. No gag reels. No deleted scenes... Odds of me double dipping are getting smaller by the day.
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post #25 of 54
6/10/08 at 10:02pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonedwarf
Laugh track still there. No gag reels. No deleted scenes... Odds of me double dipping are getting smaller by the day.
They have to have a fairly substantial amount of material to announce two discs of extras, wouldn't you think? If they just had some interviews and an ESPN featurette, that would barely fill one disc. If they revise the disc count, then I'd start to worry.
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post #26 of 54
6/11/08 at 11:18am

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonedwarf
Oh, I know. But this bit is from NO EPISODE BEFORE IT. It's Jeremy telling Natalie his father had an affair if I remember correctly. My guess is they probably trimmed it for time from the original episode, as I have a very very vague memory of thinking "Did I miss an episode?" when it was on ABC.

Laugh track still there. No gag reels. No deleted scenes... Odds of me double dipping are getting smaller by the day.

I am almost positive the scene in question appears in "The Sword of Orion" - Jeremy's obsession over the fate of the ship is his way of dealing with his parents' divorce. He even tells Natalie that the affair has been going on for over 20 years.
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post #27 of 54
6/11/08 at 1:50pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason_V
Any upgrade is worth it for me. The original Buena Vista release is just...bad? Ugly? Shoddy? Someone help me with the right word...

Low-key?
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post #28 of 54
6/11/08 at 4:57pm

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by jamoon2006
I am almost positive the scene in question appears in "The Sword of Orion" - Jeremy's obsession over the fate of the ship is his way of dealing with his parents' divorce. He even tells Natalie that the affair has been going on for over 20 years.
Actually, the "previously on" that seems to be in question is at the beginning of that episode. That "previously on" starts with a scene with Jeremy telling Natalie that he thinks his parents might be getting divorced. In "The Sword of Orion," he already knows it -- in fact, he's mentioned the divorce in a letter home to his sister in the episode that immediately precedes it.

I did a spot check of the five or six episodes leading up to this one, and can't find that scene. Maybe it's earlier, but it seems unlikely. I also noticed that the running times vary from episode to episode, from around 20.5 minutes to 22.5 minutes, so it's entirely possible that something has been cut.
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post #29 of 54
6/14/08 at 5:50am

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonedwarf
Laugh track still there. No gag reels. No deleted scenes... Odds of me double dipping are getting smaller by the day.
Gag reels are in fact going to be included.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott_J
I wonder if that Real vs. Reel will be a text-based supplement, similar to this years-old espn.com article, or if they actually filmed stuff for it.
It's a brand-new video-based supplement.
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post #30 of 54
6/14/08 at 10:39am
Thread Starter 

Re: Sports Night re-release rumored to be coming in September (Shout! Factory?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Lambert
Gag reels are in fact going to be included.

Thanks, Dave. Were they unable to find the deleted scenes? Or are they still looking?

Quote:
It's a brand-new video-based supplement.

It sounds like it's going to be a cool feature.
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