`Terrapins Rising' Goes Behind the Scenes With Maryland Football
6/18/2007 8:00:00 AM | Football
June 18, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - University of Maryland football fans won't have to wait until September to get their next look at the 2007 edition of the Terps.
`Terrapins Rising,' a reality television show chronicling spring practice, will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a major college football program, the first show of its kind.
The 10-episode series, which is being presented by Under Armour, begins on Monday, June 25. The show will air at 8 p.m. (ET) each Monday for 10 consecutive weeks on Comcast SportsNet. The regional sports network will also re-broadcast the show at 8 p.m. each Tuesday.
Footage for the show was shot throughout the five weeks of spring practice, which concluded on April 28 with the annual Red-White Game.
`Terrapins Rising' is the result of a partnership between Maryland Athletics, Under Armour and Atkinson Productions. A film crew, led by former University of Maryland and Washington Redskins place-kicker Jess Atkinson, followed the team before, during and after each practice. The crew also sat in on team and positional meetings, as well as a number of off-the-field activities.
"This isn't something that's been done at the college level," Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen said of the reality show. "It's really ground-breaking. We think the show will give fans better insight into how much goes on day-to-day with the players and coaches."
"Comcast SportsNet has been a partner of the University of Maryland and the ACC for over a decade," said Rebecca Schulte, senior vice president and general manager of Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. "As a network, we are always looking for original local sports programming that will appeal to this region's passionate sports fans. This new, innovative program shows a side of the University of Maryland football team that our viewers have never seen before."
Atkinson, owner of Atkinson Productions, has worked with the university the past six years, producing Fridge TV and video segments for the school's athletics Web site, umterps.com. `Fridge TV,' the Terps' weekly football television show, is broadcast during the regular season on Comcast SportsNet.
The Terps kick off the 2007 season on Saturday, Sept. 1 when they play host to Villanova at 6 p.m. from Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium. Season tickets for this fall's six-game home slate start as low as $162 and are on sale through the Maryland Athletics Ticket Office. Fans can contact 1-800-IM-A-TERP or click here.
