>> THE FOLLOWING IS A
PRESENTATION OF HBO SPORTS.
♪ ♪
>> Narrator: TONIGHT, ON "REAL
SPORTS"...
DESPITE STATED PROMISES
OF FAIRNESS AND OPPORTUNITY,
THERE'S STILL A PAUCITY OF BLACK
HEAD COACHES IN THE NFL, A FACT
THAT HAS LEFT VETERAN COACHES OF
COLOR SPEAKING OUT ABOUT HOW AND
WHY THEY'RE NOT BEING VIEWED OR
TREATED AS THE EQUAL OF THEIR
WHITE PEERS.
>> WE ALL KNOW THE PROBLEM.
THEY DON'T VIEW ME, EVEN THOUGH
I'VE GOT A COLLEGE DEGREE, I'VE
BEEN TO FIVE SUPER BOWLS, I'M A
PRIVATE PILOT, I COULD GO ON AND
ON.
BUT I'M NOT VIEWED AS EQUAL.
>> Narrator: HE HAS CLIMBED THE
WORLD'S COLDEST PEAKS IN NOTHING
BUT SHORTS.
HE HAS RUN A HALF-MARATHON IN
THE ARCTIC, AND HE HAS GONE
SWIMMING UNDER 200-FOOT SHEETS
OF ICE.
HE IS WIM HOF, AND HE HAS
MADE A LIVING BY PUSHING THE
LIMITS OF ENDURANCE IN THE
EXTREME COLD.
>> TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE FEELING
RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE YOU DON'T EVEN
REACT.
>> NO.
MY BODY IS READY.
IT KNOWS.
SO THE COLD, I CAN FEEL THE
COLD, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
>> Narrator: ALTHOUGH MUCH OF
AMERICAN SOCIETY REMAINS SHUT
DOWN OR SCALED BACK AMID THE
PANDEMIC, THE BUSINESS OF YOUTH
SPORTS HAS HARDLY SLOWED.
WORSE YET, THOSE INVOLVED CAN
SEEM UNCONCERNED THAT THEIR
GAMES ARE ENDANGERING THE LIVES
OF OTHERS BY TRIGGERING
BREAKOUTS OF THE VIRUS IN STATES
NATIONWIDE.
>> DO YOU NOT ACCEPT THAT
BRINGING THOUSANDS OF KIDS
TOGETHER IN THIS PERIOD, IN THE
MIDST OF A RAGING PANDEMIC --
RISKS A WORSENING --
>> NO, I DO NOT --
>> SITUATION?
>> ACCEPT IT.
I DON'T ACCEPT IT.
>> Narrator: CHESS MAY WELL BE
THE OLDEST GAME STILL WIDELY
PLAYED AROUND THE WORLD, BUT
THAT OLD GAME GOT NEW LIFE OVER
THE PAST YEAR AS A HIT TV SHOW
MADE THE GAME COOL, WHILE THE
PANDEMIC DROVE MILLIONS INSIDE
AND ONTO CHESS WEBSITES.
>> CHESS NOW HAS ONLINE
INFLUENCERS.
>> RIGHT.
>> COULD YOU HAVE PREDICTED
THAT, I DON'T KNOW, TEN YEARS
AGO?
FIVE YEARS AGO?
>> OH, SURE, I COULD HAVE
PREDICTED ALL OF IT.
[LAUGHS]
IT JUST -- IT JUST CAME OUR
WAY ALL OF A SUDDEN.
YOU KNOW, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
♪ ♪
>> Announcer: AND NOW, YOUR
HOST, BRYANT GUMBEL.
>> Bryant: GOOD EVENING, AND
WELCOME TO "REAL SPORTS," WHERE
WE BEGIN WITH A STORY ABOUT THE
VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORDS
AND DEEDS.
AMID THE NATIONAL RECKONING
FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF
GEORGE FLOYD, THE NFL THIS PAST
SEASON SAID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS
ABOUT RACE, EQUALITY AND
OPPORTUNITY, BUT OVER THE PAST
MONTH, AS SEVEN TEAMS SIGNED NEW
HEAD COACHES, IT WAS TROUBLING
TO SEE JUST HOW LITTLE HAS
CHANGED.
PROPONENTS LIKE TO CLAIM THAT
THE NFL IS A COLORBLIND
MERITOCRACY, BUT FACTS TO THE
CONTRARY ARE STILL AS CLEAR AS
BLACK AND WHITE.
WHILE AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE
ABOUT 70% OF THE GAME'S PLAYERS,
THEY'RE JUST 9% OF THE HEAD
COACHES.
ON THE HEELS OF YET ANOTHER
DISAPPOINTING HIRING SEASON,
BLACK VETERANS IN THE NFL'S
COACHING RANKS ARE
UNDERSTANDABLY ANGRY,
FRUSTRATED, AND TIRED OF
WAITING.
AND SO MANY OF THEM ARE SPEAKING
OUT.
>> IT'S NOT EQUAL, BASED ON THE
NUMBERS.
IT'S NOT EQUAL.
WE FEEL LIKE EVERY TIME THAT WE
REACH THE PLAYING FIELD,
THE GOAL LINE CHANGES.
>> MY FATHER TOLD ME, YOU KNOW,
A LONG TIME AGO THAT, "YOU'RE
GONNA HAVE TO BE TWICE AS GOOD."
>> THERE'S ONE THING TO ME.
YOU GOTTA CHANGE THE BIAS THAT
WHEN I WALK IN, I AM LESSER.
>> THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHERE WE
ARE IS UNACCEPTABLE.
>> Narrator: AS THE SIDELINE
LEADERS IN AMERICA'S MOST
POPULAR GAME, NFL HEAD COACHES
HAVE LONG BEEN AMONG THE MOST
PROMINENT FIGURES IN ALL OF
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS, OFTEN THE
FACE OF A FRANCHISE, BUT FOR
DECADES, THAT FACE WAS ALWAYS
WHITE.
IT STAYED THAT WAY UNTIL 1989.
>> BIGGEST ITEM OF THE WEEK.
ART SHELL WILL REPLACE
MIKE SHANAHAN AS HEAD COACH OF
THE REELING RAIDERS.
SHELL NOW BECOMES PRO FOOTBALL'S
FIRST BLACK HEAD COACH SINCE
FRITZ POLLARD IN THE '20s.
>> Narrator: BUT AFTER LITTLE
PROGRESS OVER THE FOLLOWING
YEARS, PROMINENT CIVIL RIGHTS
LAWYERS CYRUS MEHRI AND JOHNNIE
COCHRAN BLITZED THE NFL AND SAID
THEY'D SUE THE LEAGUE, IF IT DID
NOT CHANGE ITS WAYS, A STORY
WE COVERED IN 2002.
>> SO PEOPLE SAY ALL THE TIME,
"WELL, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TIME,"
BRYANT.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
THEY'VE TAKEN THE TIME OF
OUR GRANDPARENTS, OUR TIME.
THEY'VE TAKEN OUR CHILDREN'S
TIME.
IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
IT.
>> Narrator: THE NFL RESPONDED
WITH A NEW RULE MANDATING THAT
TEAMS INTERVIEW AT LEAST ONE
MINORITY CANDIDATE FOR EVERY
OPEN HEAD COACHING JOB.
THEY CALLED IT THE ROONEY RULE,
NAMED FOR THE OWNER OF THE
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WHO WAS ITS
CHIEF SPONSOR.
>> WHEN YOU HAVE THE ROONEY RULE
COME INTO PLAY, YOU'RE FORCING
THEM TO FIND THE BEST PERSON
QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB.
>> Narrator: IT WAS SUPPOSED TO
USHER IN THE START OF A NEW
PARADIGM, AND FOR A TIME IT
SEEMED IT MIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHEN
ROONEY HIMSELF HIRED A LITTLE
KNOWN 34-YEAR-OLD COACH NAMED
MIKE TOMLIN.
>> IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO BE A
PART ONE OF THE MOST STORIED
FRANCHISES IN ALL OF
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.
>> Narrator: BUT IN THE SEASONS
SINCE THE ROONEY RULE WAS
INSTITUTED, THE HEAD COACHING
NUMBERS HAVE NOT CHANGED.
ALTHOUGH THE LEAGUE HAS 32
TEAMS, THERE WERE THREE BLACK
HEAD COACHES 18 YEARS AGO, AND
THERE ARE THREE NOW.
>> I DON'T THINK ANY OF
US EXPECTED US TO BE SITTING AT
THREE.
IT IS A GLOBAL, COLLECTIVE
FAILURE, FROM -- FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE.
>> Narrator: MIKE TOMLIN HAS WON
MORE GAMES THAN ANY BLACK HEAD
COACH IN NFL HISTORY.
IN 2009 HE LED THE STEELERS TO A
SUPER BOWL TITLE.
>> Bryant: YOU'VE BEEN IN THE
ROOM AT THE OWNERS' MEETINGS
WHEN THIS IS DISCUSSED.
I KNOW YOU HEAR THE RIGHT
THINGS.
BUT AS AFRICAN AMERICANS, ALL OF
US ARE USED TO HEARING STUFF AND
KNOWING BULLSHIT WHEN WE HEAR
IT.
>> YOU KNOW, I -- I DON'T KNOW
IF IT IS AT THE TIME.
BUT I KNOW THAT THE RESULTS ARE,
YOU KNOW?
>> THE NEW HEAD COACH OF THE
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS, URBAN
MEYER.
>> THE NEW HEAD COACH OF THE
DETROIT LIONS, DAN CAMPBELL.
>> THE NEXT HEAD COACH OF THE
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS, BRANDON
STALEY.
>> Narrator: AMID THE PARADE OF
NEW HIRES, WHAT BOTHERS TOMLIN
AND OTHERS IS THAT AN
EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER OF HIGHLY
QUALIFIED AND CLEARLY TALENTED
BLACK COACHES WHO ARE ALREADY IN
THE PIPELINE, ARE BEING
CONSTANTLY OVERLOOKED.
THAT PIPELINE WAS ON FULL
DISPLAY AT THE SUPER BOWL,
WHERE THREE OF THE FOUR
COORDINATORS, THE MEN GUIDING
THE OFFENSES AND DEFENSES OF
BOTH TEAMS, WERE BLACK.
YET NONE OF THEM WERE ASKED TO
FILL THIS YEAR'S HEAD COACHING
VACANCIES.
>> IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR GUYS
WHO ARE COORDINATORS, THERE'S
EXAMPLES OF THAT.
IF YOU WANT A GUY THAT'S A
PROVEN, CAPABLE LEADER, THERE'S
JIM CALDWELL AND MARVIN LEWIS.
THERE'S GUYS LIKE TODD BOWLES
AND RAHEEM MORRIS AND OTHERS.
THERE ARE CAPABLE EXAMPLES OF
MINORITY CANDIDATES, NO MATTER
WHAT THE PROFILE.
>> Narrator: AS THE NFL'S MOST
PROMINENT AFRICAN AMERICAN
COACH, TOMLIN IS OFTEN A
FEATURED SPEAKER AT NFL EVENTS
LIKE THIS ONE, DIVERSITY
WORKSHOPS FOR YOUNG BLACK
COACHES.
UNTIL NOW, HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN
ENTHUSIASTIC PARTICIPANT.
>> THE VERY EXISTENCE OF THOSE
WORKSHOPS SOMEHOW INDICATES THAT
THERE IS A LACK OF TALENT IN THE
MINORITY POOL OR A LACK OF
READINESS.
AND THAT IS UNTRUE.
>> Bryant: IT LEADS THE PUBLIC
TO BELIEVE THAT, OH, THIS IS
WHERE GUYS CAN ACTUALLY LEARN
THEIR CRAFT, WHEN IN FACT, GUYS
HAVE ALREADY PROVEN THEIR
EXPERTISE OF THE CRAFT BUT CAN'T
GET THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> CERTAINLY.
THEY'RE -- THEY'RE NICE
FELLOWSHIP WEEKENDS, YOU KNOW,
WHERE WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO O
CATCH UP WITH ONE ANOTHER, BUT
IT'S NOT THE WEEKENDS THEY'RE --
THEY'RE MADE OUT TO BE.
WE JUST CAN'T CONTINUE TO DO THE
SAME THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AND
THINK THAT THE OUTCOME IS GONNA
CHANGE.
>> Narrator: IT'S NOT JUST THIS
YEAR'S HIRING NUMBERS THAT ARE
DISTURBING.
OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THERE
HAVE BEEN 27 HEAD COACHES HIRED
IN THE NFL, AND JUST THREE WERE
BLACK.
THREE.
GIVEN THE EVIDENCE, IT
WOULD BE EASY TO CONCLUDE THAT
THE ROONEY RULE CAN'T WORK.
BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE.
ACCORDING TO UNIVERSITY OF
COLORADO BUSINESS PROFESSOR
STEFANIE JOHNSON, SOME OF THE
COUNTRY'S TOP CEOS HAVE
ACTUALLY ADOPTED THE ROONEY RULE
AND MADE IT WORK.
>> THE ONES THAT ARE MAKING IT
WORK HAVE AN AUTHENTIC DESIRE TO
CREATE MORE DIVERSITY.
IT'S NOT SOMEONE TELLING THEM TO
DO IT.
IT'S THAT THEY BELIEVE IT'S
REALLY IMPROVING BOTTOM LINE
OUTCOMES.
>> Bryant: SO AN OWNER NEEDS TO
BE CONVINCED THAT IT'S IN HIS
BEST INTERESTS TO LOOK AT AN
AFRICAN AMERICAN CANDIDATE AS HE
WOULD A WHITE CANDIDATE?
>> YOU GOT IT.
WHEN MORE AND MORE STUDIES
STARTED COMING OUT SHOWING THAT
THERE'S REAL BENEFITS IN TERMS
OF RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, THEN
COMPANIES REALLY STARTED TO TAKE
NOTICE.
>> Narrator: PROFESSOR JOHNSON
SAYS IT IS HUMAN NATURE TO HIRE
PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST LIKE US, BUT
DOING SO CAN BE DEVASTATING
FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
>> THE MORE SIMILAR WE ARE, THE
MORE LIKELY THAT OUR MISTAKES
ARE THE SAME.
AND THAT MEANS THAT I CAN'T SEE
YOUR MISTAKE AS AN ERROR,
BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE SAID THE
SAME EXACT THING, RIGHT?
>> Bryant: IN SIMPLISTIC TERMS,
IF YOU HIRED A BLACK GUY AND I
HIRED A WHITE WOMAN, WE'D EACH
LEARN SOMETHING WE PROBABLY
COULDN'T FORESEE.
>> EXACTLY.
AND THAT'S THE POINT, THAT YOU
COULDN'T FORESEE IT.
RIGHT?
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T
KNOW.
>> Narrator: DESPITE SUCH
EVIDENCE, NFL OWNERS HAVE STUCK
TO AN OLD GAME PLAN WHEN IT
COMES TO HIRING HEAD COACHES,
AND THAT IN TURN HAS SENT MORALE
AMONG BLACK COACHES PLUMMETING
TO A NEW LOW.
IT'S NOW SO BAD THAT THIS MONTH
FOOTBALL AGENT BRIAN LEVY
CONVENED A ZOOM MEETING FOR
MANY OF THE BLACK COACHES HE
REPRESENTS TO TALK ABOUT THE
ROONEY RULE.
>> ALL RIGHT, GUYS...
>> Narrator: HE INVITED US TO
RECORD THE SESSION.
TIM WALTON IS THE CORNERBACKS
COACH FOR THE JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS.
>> YOU SEE GUYS THAT ARE NOT AS
QUALIFIED THAT JUMP AHEAD OF
YOU, GUYS THAT YOU HAVE TRAINED
AND THAT WERE UNDER YOU FOR
YEARS THAT -- THAT JUMP.
AND NOW, SO WHAT IS THE
CRITERIA?
YOU KNOW, THE RESUME DOESN'T
MATTER ANYMORE.
>> EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, I
KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORK.
I KNOW HOW YOU GUYS GOTTA PUT ON
A STRONG FRONT, BUT I KNOW HOW
MUCH IT HURTS YOU.
>> THESE OWNERS ARE NOT BUDGING
ON IT, JUST TO BE FRANK ABOUT
IT.
>> Narrator: LARRY FOOTE IS THE
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH FOR
THE SUPER BOWL CHAMPION TAMPA
BAY BUCCANEERS.
>> AS A YOUNG COACH IN THIS
LEAGUE, YOU'RE GONNA HURT
YOUNG COACHES OF COLOR, JUST OUR
DRIVE AND PASSION, 'CAUSE WE
KNOW WE TOPPED OFF.
WE KNOW THERE'S -- WE'RE NOT
GONNA HAVE A LEGITIMATE SHOT.
AND WHEN YOU KNOW THAT, YOU
DON'T GIVE -- YOU DON'T DO YOUR
BEST.
>> Narrator: DAVID OVERSTREET
COACHES DEFENSIVE BACKS FOR THE
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS.
>> YOU SEE THE BLACK NAME AND
YOU'RE LIKE, "OH, HE'S THE
ROONEY.
THAT'S WHY HE'S INTERVIEWING.
HE'S -- HE'S THE ROONEY."
HE'S NOT GETTING THE
INTERVIEW BECAUSE HE'S THE
QUALIFIED COACH.
HE'S GETTING THE INTERVIEW
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HIT THAT
QUOTA.
NOW YOU HAVE THE WEIGHT OF THE
ENTIRE RACE ON YOUR SHOULDERS.
YOU HAVE TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF
EVERYBODY.
THAT'S NOT HOW IT SHOULD BE.
IT -- IT'S -- IT'S JUST
RIDICULOUS.
>> Narrator: IT WENT ON LIKE
THIS FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR.
PART WORKSHOP, PART THERAPY
SESSION.
COACHES AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF
THEIR CAREER, ALL WONDERING JUST
HOW MUCH THEIR RACE MIGHT LIMIT
THEIR NFL FUTURES.
>> WHEN YOU APPROACHED ME ABOUT
DOING THIS, I SAID, "I HAVE TO
DO IT.
I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO
BE A VOICE FOR THESE COACHES."
>> Narrator: MARVIN LEWIS WAS
THE HEAD COACH OF THE CINCINNATI
BENGALS FOR 16 YEARS.
HE WAS FIRED TWO YEARS AGO, AND
DESPITE SEVERAL INTERVIEWS SINCE
THEN, REMAINS OUT OF THE LEAGUE.
>> Bryant: YOU FALL INTO ANOTHER
CATEGORY ALONG WITH THE LESLIE
FRAZIERS OF THE WORLD, WHICH IS
AN AFRICAN AMERICAN HEAD COACH
WHO CAN'T SEEM TO GET A SECOND
CHANCE, WHEN THE ADAM GASES, THE
DOUG MARRONES DO GET A SECOND
CHANCE.
DOES THAT HURT?
>> IT'S -- IT'S -- IT'S -- IT'S
WONDERSOME.
I GUESS THAT'S THE WORD I WOULD
USE.
IT MAKES YOU QUESTION IT.
YOU JUST HAD BRUCE ARIANS HAVE
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AND -- AND
WIN THE SUPER BOWL.
IT'S GREAT.
BUT HE'S OBVIOUSLY A FEW YEARS
OLDER THAN EVEN I AM, BUT HE
GETS THAT SECOND OPPORTUNITY.
>> Narrator: TODAY LEWIS IS
ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD COACH AT
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY,
WORKING FOR HERMAN EDWARDS, THE
FORMER HEAD COACH OF THE NEW
YORK JETS, WHO, 18 YEARS AGO,
SIMPLIFIED FOR US THE REALITY OF
NFL HIRING.
>> WHO'S EVER TEAM YOU WORK FOR,
THAT'S THE OWNER'S COMPANY.
>> Bryant: HE CAN DO WHAT HE
WANTS.
>> WELL, BASICALLY.
I MEAN, WITHIN THE RULES.
I DON'T THINK ALL OF A SUDDEN WE
CAN START TELLING PEOPLE THAT
OWN FOOTBALL TEAMS HOW TO RUN
THEIR COMPANY.
I DON'T THINK THAT WILL FLY.
[LAUGHS]
>> Narrator: WE WANTED TO SPEAK
WITH THE NFL, BUT THEY DECLINED
OUR REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW,
REFERRING US INSTEAD TO RECENT
STATEMENTS COMMISSIONER ROGER
GOODELL MADE BEFORE THE SUPER
BOWL.
THE SAME KIND OF STATEMENT HE'S
MADE YEAR AFTER YEAR, AFTER
YEAR.
>> IT WASN'T WHAT WE EXPECTED,
AND IT'S NOT WHAT WE EXPECT
GOING FORWARD.
THEY'RE NOT THE OUTCOMES WE
WANTED.
>> Narrator: THOSE WORDS ARE OF
SMALL CONSOLATION TO VETERAN
COACHES OF COLOR LIKE RAY
HORTON, WHO WONDER IF THE ROONEY
RULE EVER REALLY OFFERED HIM
ANYTHING MORE THAN AN
UNREALISTIC HOPE.
>> WHEN I WALK IN, MY FIRST
THOUGHT IS, "IS THIS A REAL
INTERVIEW?"
>> Bryant: WHAT'S THE GAME
PLAN?
WHAT ARE YOU STRESSING?
>> REALLY, MY WHOLE THING WAS "I
AM LIKE YOU.
I'M SMART, INTELLIGENT,
ENGAGING.
I'M FUNNY.
DETERMINED."
>> Narrator: HORTON'S RESUME IS
EXTENSIVE AND EXEMPLARY, AND
HE'S INTERVIEWED WITH FIVE
DIFFERENT FRANCHISES, YET HE'S
NEVER BEEN OFFERED A HEAD
COACHING JOB.
>> AN OWNER SAID, "RAY, HOW DO I
SAY THIS TO YOU?"
AND I SAID, "SAY IT AS YOU THINK
IT IN YOUR HEAD."
"OKAY, I WILL THEN, RAY.
WHEN I WATCH YOU, YOU'RE
VERY..."
AND THEY STARTED SEARCHING FOR A
WORD, AGAIN, TRYING NOT TO
OFFEND ME.
"AH, YOU'RE VERY AGGRESSIVE."
AND I SAID, "WELL, HOW WOULD YOU
LIKE YOUR TEAM TO LOOK?"
>> Bryant: DO YOU CRINGE WHEN
YOU SEE SOME OF THE GUYS WHO GET
HIRED AND SAY SILLY STUFF LIKE
DAN CAMPBELL SAID?
>> AND WHEN YOU KNOCK US DOWN,
WE'RE GONNA GET UP, AND ON THE
WAY UP, WE'RE GONNA BITE A
KNEECAP OFF, ALL RIGHT?
>> Bryant: DO YOU SIT THERE
AND GO, "MY GOODNESS, GOD, IF
THAT WAS A BROTHER DOING THAT"?
>> HE -- HE WOULDN'T BE THERE.
>> Narrator: AFTER 34 YEARS IN
THE NFL, AS A PLAYER AND A
COACH, HORTON JUST FINISHED HISS
FIRST SEASON WITHOUT PRO
FOOTBALL, AND FEELS HE MAY BE
I'LL TAKE THIS GUY."
>> Narrator: NOW YOU'RE
THINKING LIKE I THINK.
HOW DO YOU CHANGE THAT, BRYANT?
HOW DO YOU CHANGE IT?
TO ME, YOU'VE GOTTA VIEW ME
EQUALLY.
WE ALL KNOW THE PROBLEM.
THEY DON'T VIEW ME, EVEN THOUGH
I'VE GOT A COLLEGE DEGREE, I'VE
GOT -- I'VE BEEN TO FIVE SUPER
BOWLS, I'M A PRIVATE PILOT -- I
COACHING RANKS, IT HAS PRODUCED
BETTER RESULTS THIS YEAR IN
OTHER AREAS.
THE NUMBER OF NFL GENERAL
MANAGERS WHO ARE BLACK HAS
JUMPED FROM THREE TO FIVE, AND
THE NUMBER OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS HAS
DOUBLED... TO FOUR.
THAT'S, NO DOUBT, SMALL
CONSOLATION TO THOSE COACHES
WHO'VE YET TO GET A HEAD
COACHING SHOT, BUT FOR NOW,
THAT'S WHAT CONSTITUTES PROGRESS
IN THE MODERN NFL.
WE MOVE ON... TO AN UNUSUAL
INDIVIDUAL ENGAGED IN MORE
SOLITARY PURSUITS.
SOME OF THEM ARE SPORTING,
OTHERS ARE NOT.
BUT ALL OF THEM INVOLVE ONE GUY
WITHSTANDING AND EVEN THRIVING
AMID FRIGID AND FROZEN
CONDITIONS.
THE INDIVIDUAL'S NAME IS WIM
HOFF, AND HE HAS CENTERED HIS
LIFE AROUND FINDING
CONTENTMENT AND OPPORTUNITY IN
THE COLD.
WHEN THE FAMED PLAYWRIGHT,
EUGENE O'NEILL, WROTE
"THE ICEMAN COMETH," HE DIDN'T
HAVE WIM HOFF IN MIND, BUT THE
LABEL SURE FITS.
OUR JON FRANKEL BRAVED THE
ELEMENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
HIM.
>> Narrator: ON THIS WINDY,
JANUARY DAY, HIGH UP IN THE
SWISS ALPS, THE COLD WAS
BONE-CHILLING, DEMANDING
PROTECTION FROM THE WARMEST GEAR
AROUND.
UNLESS YOU'RE WIM HOF... WHO
TREATED OUR ALPINE CLIMB
TOGETHER AT 8,000 FEET LIKE A
SUMMERTIME WALK IN THE PARK.
>> Jon: ARE YOU COLD AT ALL?
>> NO.
>> Jon: HOW ARE YOU FEELING
RIGHT NOW?
>> AMAZING.
LOOK AT THIS.
CLOSE TO GOD!
>> Narrator: HOF'S GOD MAY NOT
BE THE ONE YOU'RE THINKING OF.
HIS GOD, HE SAYS, IS THE COLD.
HE'S THE WORLD'S FIRST, AND
MAYBE THE WORLD'S ONLY, ATHLETE
WHOSE GOAL ISN'T GOING HIGHER,
FASTER, OR STRONGER, BUT COLDER.
>> Jon: I AM LOOKING AT THE HAIR
ON YOUR LEGS, THE HAIR ON YOUR
CHEST, YOUR ARMS, YOUR BEARD.
YOU'RE TURNING INTO AN ICICLE
BEFORE MY EYES.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN DO
THIS.
>> WHAT I LET THE BODY DO, I
EXPOSE IT TO THE ELEMENTS AND
SUDDENLY, THE BODY BEGINS TO
WORK FROM THE DEPTH TO THE
SURFACE.
AND YOU FIND OUT THAT WE ARE SO
MUCH MORE CAPABLE AND STRONGER
THAN WE THOUGHT.
>> Narrator: FOR DECADES, WIM
HOF HAS BEEN TESTING THE LIMITS
OF MAN'S ABILITIES IN THE COLD.
IN FINLAND, HE TOOK A SWIM...
UNDER NEARLY 200 FEET OF ICE.
IN THE ARCTIC, HE RAN A
HALF-MARATHON WEARING LITTLE
MORE THAN SANDALS.
IN THE HIMALAYAS, HE CLIMBED
MOUNT EVEREST IN JUST A PAIR OF
SHORTS.
NOW 61 YEARS OLD, HE STILL
TRAINS EVERY DAY, PREPARING FOR
HIS NEXT FROZEN FEAT.
NO SURPRISE -- HE STARTS HIS
DAYS NOT WITH A HOT SHOWER, BUT
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
>> Jon: TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE
FEELING RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T EVEN REACT.
>> NO.
MY BODY IS READY.
IT KNOWS.
SO THE COLD, I CAN FEEL THE
COLD, BUT THAT'S ALL
RIGHT.
OH, THIS IS SO RELAXED.
>> Narrator: BUT HOF SAYS THAT
WHAT HE'S DOING IS ABOUT A LOT
MORE THAN JUST SETTING RECORDS
IN SPORT.
HE SAYS THAT IN THE COLD, HE'S
DISCOVERED AN INCREDIBLE SECRET,
ONE HE SAYS ANYONE CAN LEARN,
AND THAT EVERYONE SHOULD.
THE SECRET TO EVERLASTING
HEALTH.
>> Jon: WHY SHOULD PEOPLE LEARN
TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING?
>> BECAUSE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
BECOMES A LOT STRONGER.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
HEALTH.
YOU CANNOT BUY IT, BUT YOU CAN
ACHIEVE IT.
>> Narrator: SO HOF'S ON A
MISSION TO CREATE AN ARMY OF
COLD WARRIORS LIKE HIMSELF.
OVER THE YEARS HE'S AMASSED A
FOLLOWING OF MILLIONS, TRUE
BELIEVERS WHO REGULARLY WORSHIP
AT THE ALTAR OF THE COLD WITH
HOF AS THEIR HIGH PRIEST, MAKING
HIM THE LATEST IN A LONG LINE OF
FAMOUS GURUS CLAIMING TO HAVE
FOUND THE HOLY GRAIL OF
WELLNESS.
>> I MEAN, THIS IS GONNA SAVE
THE WORLD.
>> Jon: THIS IS GONNA SAVE THE
WORLD?
>> YES, YES.
>> Jon: THOSE ARE PRETTY BIG
WORDS.
>> ALL RIGHT, MAN.
A SIMPLE MAN CAN CHANGE THE
WORLD.
IS THAT -- IS THAT BIG?
YES, IT IS BIG.
>> Jon: YOU SOUND LIKE SOMEBODY
WHO SHOULD HAVE A MEGA CHURCH,
AND YOU SHOULD BE PREACHING TO
PEOPLE BY THE THOUSANDS.
>> I'M NOT A CHURCH.
I AM NOT DOGMATIC.
I JUST GIVE PEOPLE A CHOICE.
HERE IT IS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT ON,
BUT YOU CAN TAKE IT ON.
>> Narrator: HOF'S JOURNEY INTO
THE COLD BEGAN ON A WINTER'S DAY
44 YEARS AGO, WHEN HE HAPPENED
UPON THIS LAKE IN HIS HOMETOWN
OF AMSTERDAM.
THOUGH THE LAKE WAS FROZEN OVER,
HOF FELT THE URGE TO TAKE OFF
HIS CLOTHES AND JUMP IN.
>> WITHOUT ME KNOWING IT, IT WAS
CALLING UPON ME APPARENTLY.
I WENT IN.
AND I FELT, BOOM.
YEAH.
THIS IS IT.
>> Jon: WHAT DID YOU FEEL?
>> VERY STILL IN MY MIND.
VERY STRONG IN MY BODY.
I WENT OUT.
AND THE REST OF THE DAY, I HAD A
RUSH GOING.
IT'S LIKE SOME DRUGS OR
SOMETHING.
>> Narrator: HOOKED, HOF STARTED
RETURNING HERE DAILY FOR
WINTERTIME SWIMS.
>> IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU ARE IN
LOVE WITH SOMEBODY, YOU DON'T
THINK.
NO, YOU GO.
THIS IS THE POWER OF THE COLD TO
ME.
>> Narrator: FOR YEARS, HOF
PURSUED HIS LOVE FOR THE COLD IN
PRIVATE, WHILE BUILDING A FAMILY
OF FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN WITH HIS
WIFE, OLAYA.
THEN, IN 1995, TRAGEDY STRUCK
WHEN OLAYA, WHO SUFFERED FROM
MANIC DEPRESSION, TOOK HER OWN
LIFE.
>> SHE DECIDED TO GO BECAUSE THE
TERROR IN HER HEAD WAS JUST TOO
MUCH.
AND SHE JUMPED FROM EIGHT
STORIES AFTER KISSING HER KIDS
GOODBYE.
THAT COULD HAVE EASILY BROUGHT
ME IN THE DEEPEST PARTS OF THE
DARKNESS ITSELF.
BUT I -- I COULD NOT BECAUSE I
HAVE FOUR CHILDREN, LITTLE BIT
OF MONEY.
I HAD TO GO ON.
>> Narrator: TO GO ON AND HEAL
FROM HIS GRIEF, HOF INTENSIFIED
HIS EXPLORATIONS INTO THE COLD,
TAKING ON MORE AND MORE RISK, BY
STAYING OUT LONGER THAN EVER
BEFORE.
>> WHEN MY MOM DIED WAS WHEN HE
REALLY STARTED TO DO IT IN
EXTREMES AND, LIKE, EVEN LIFE
THREATENING.
>> Narrator: ENAHM IS HOF'S
OLDEST CHILD.
>> HE WOULD COME HOME, LIKE,
SHIVERING AND -- AND BEING
REALLY -- LIKE, HAVING PUSHED
TOO FAR.
>> Jon: WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS
ABOUT?
>> FEELING ALIVE.
HE WANTED TO FEEL ALIVE AGAIN.
>> IT WAS THE COLD, ONCE AGAIN,
THAT STILLED MY MIND AND TAKES
AWAY THIS AGONIZING CIRCLING OF
YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT, "WHY?
WHY?
WHY?"
THIS BROUGHT ME BACK TO MY
SENSES.
AND MIRACULOUSLY IT BROUGHT
ENERGY TO US.
>> Narrator: IT ALSO BROUGHT HOF
SOMETHING ELSE, AN OPPORTUNITY.
>> THE ICEMAN COMETH.
WILL YOU PLEASE WELCOME WIM HOF.
>> Narrator: HOF REALIZED HE
COULD MARKET HIS UNIQUE SKILL
AND BEGAN MAKING TV APPEARANCES
IN THE NETHERLANDS, SETTING
WORLD RECORDS FOR ENDURANCE IN
THE COLD.
>> CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR
SUB-ZERO-HERO, WIM HOF.
>> Narrator: AFTER THAT, HE TOOK
HIS SHOW ON THE ROAD, WOWING
CROWDS IN CITIES FROM MADRID, TO
NEW YORK, TO HONG KONG.
FEW KNEW HOW HE WAS DOING IT.
MOST ASSUMED HOF WAS SUPERHUMAN.
AND IN A WAY, THEY WERE RIGHT.
HE'D DEVELOPED A TECHNIQUE OF
BREATHING THAT, TEMPORARILY AT
LEAST, COULD INFUSE HIM WITH
INCREDIBLE POWERS.
[BREATHING]
>> FULLY IN, LETTING GO.
FIVE MORE.
>> Narrator: HOF TOLD ME THAT BY
BREATHING A CERTAIN WAY, PEOPLE
CAN SUMMON A HORMONE THAT IS
NORMALLY ONLY RELEASED WHEN WE
FEEL DANGER OR STRESS,
ADRENALINE, WHICH ALLOWS US TO
TEMPORARILY ACHIEVE THE
IMPOSSIBLE.
>> AFTER THE EXHALATION, THE
ADRENALINE COMES IN.
IT'S AMAZING HOW WE HACK INTO
THE PRIMAL PARTS OF OUR BRAIN
THROUGH THIS TECHNIQUE.
>> WHAT HE'S ABLE TO DO WITH HIS
BREATHING TECHNIQUES IS TO PUT
HIM IN A SHORT-LIVED STRESSFUL
SITUATION.
SO HE LOOKS CALM, BUT HE'S
ACTUALLY -- THE STRESS HORMONES,
LIKE ADRENALINE, ARE SKY HIGH.
>> Narrator: DR. PETER PICKKERS
WAS THE FIRST SCIENTIST TO
MEASURE HOF'S ABILITY TO
GENERATE ADRENALINE AT WILL.
PICKKERS HAD HOF PERFORM HIS
BREATHING TECHNIQUES IN A LAB
AND FOUND THAT, REMARKABLY, HOF
COULD GENERATE MORE ADRENALINE
THAN A BUNGEE JUMPER FEELS WHEN
JUMPING FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> BUNGEE JUMPING IS LIKE
THE MOST EXCITING OR MOST
FEAR-INDUCING EXERCISE THAT YOU
CAN DO.
IF YOU DO IT THE FIRST TIME,
ESPECIALLY.
AND STILL, THE ADRENALINE
RELEASE FOLLOWING THAT IS MUCH
LESS THAN THE ADRENALINE RELEASE
THAT WE SEE WHEN YOU DO THESE
BREATHING TECHNIQUES.
>> Narrator: IT MADE PICKKERS
WONDER, IF HOF COULD PROTECT HIS
BODY FROM THE COLD, COULD HE
ALSO PROTECT IT FROM OTHER
THREATS LIKE DISEASE?
SO PICKKERS CONDUCTED ANOTHER
TEST.
HE INJECTED HOF WITH E. COLI, A
BACTERIA THAT ALMOST ALWAYS
TRIGGERS SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS,
FROM FEVER TO CHILLS TO
HEADACHES.
BUT HOF DIDN'T GET SICK AT ALL.
THEN PICKKERS WENT FURTHER,
ASKING HOF TO TEACH HIS
BREATHING TECHNIQUE TO 12 RANDOM
PEOPLE.
PICKKERS THEN INJECTED THEM WITH
E. COLI TOO.
AND REMARKABLY, JUST LIKE HOF,
NONE OF THEM GOT SICK.
>> IT WAS A COMPLETELY
DISRUPTIVE FINDING THAT COULD
NOT BE DENIED.
>> Jon: WOULD YOU CALL THAT A
SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH?
>> YES.
BECAUSE ALL THE TEXTBOOKS SAY
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS AUTONOMIC.
YOU CANNOT REGULATE IT YOURSELF.
AND WE SHOWED THAT YOU CAN.
>> IT'S AMAZING.
IT'S BIG.
I FOUND THE WAY TO HACK WITHIN
OUR BODY AND AWAKEN OUR TRUE,
NATURAL CAPACITY TO BEAT OR FEND
OFF BACTERIA OR VIRAL INFECTION.
>> Narrator: WHEN HOF SHOWED
THAT HIS METHOD MIGHT BENEFIT
OTHERS, HIS SON, ENAHM, GUESSED
THAT PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO PAY TO
LEARN FROM HIS FATHER.
>> THE MOTIVATIONAL EFFECT HE
HAS ON PEOPLE IS -- IS INSANE.
>> Narrator: SO ENAHM STARTED A
BUSINESS, THE WIM HOF METHOD,
AND SENT HIS FATHER ON THE ROAD
TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL AND
ACCUMULATE DISCIPLES, TEACHING
THEM HOW TO BREATHE HIS WAY.
>> DEEP IN AND THEN LETTING GO.
>> Narrator: AND CHANT.
>> HOO!
>> HA!
HOO!
>> Narrator: EMBRACE THE COLD.
YOU ARE CONTROLLING!
BEFORE LONG, HOF WAS HOLDING
WORKSHOPS WITH THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE.
>> TA, TO, TA, TO.
>> Narrator: AND RUBBING ELBOWS
WITH CELEBRITIES, ALL EAGER TO
MEET THE ICEMAN.
TODAY, THE WIM HOF METHOD HAS
FOLLOWERS IN DOZENS OF
COUNTRIES, WHO PAY FOR COURSES,
MERCHANDISE, AND THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEND TIME WITH THE MAN
HIMSELF.
>> Jon: HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU
MAKING?
ARE YOU MAKING MILLIONS?
YOU GOT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE
WORLD.
>> YEAH, WE MAKE A LOT OF
MILLIONS.
AM I A GOOD BUSINESSMAN?
FOR SURE.
YES, I KNOW HOW TO MONETIZE
THINGS, BUT BY DOING SOMETHING
GOOD.
>> Narrator: HOF'S FOLLOWERS SAY
THAT HIS TECHNIQUES HAVE CHANGED
THEIR LIVES.
FOR SOME, IT'S THE BREATHING,
WHICH CAN RELEASE ALL SORTS OF
PENT-UP EMOTIONS, SOMETIMES IN A
FLOOD OF SPONTANEOUS TEARS.
FOR OTHERS, IT'S THE COLD, WHICH
FOLLOWERS SAY MAKES THEIR BODIES
HEARTIER AND THEIR MINDS
SHARPER.
A FEW HOF LOYALISTS EVEN CLAIM
THEY'VE BEEN CURED OF THE
SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE, A NOTION
WITHOUT SCIENTIFIC PROOF, BUT
ONE THAT HOF HAS BEEN KNOWN TO
ENCOURAGE.
>> Jon: DO YOU THINK YOU CAN
SOLVE ANY MENTAL HEALTH AND
PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUE THROUGH
THIS PROCESS?
>> OH YEAH, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST
90%.
>> Jon: GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE.
>> CROHN'S DISEASE.
THOSE BOWEL DISEASES IN GENERAL.
>> Jon: CROHN'S DISEASE.
>> YEAH.
>> IS A VERY DEBILITATING
DISEASE.
>> YEAH.
>> Jon: BUT YOU'RE TELLING ME
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO BREATHE?
>> OH.
SORRY THAT IT IS SO SIMPLE.
BECAUSE I HAD A LOT OF CASES OF
PEOPLE WITH -- WITH CROHN'S
DISEASE.
AND THEY DON'T NEED MEDICINES
ANYMORE.
>> Jon: ARE YOU AT ALL AFRAID
THAT PEOPLE WILL SAY THAT YOU'VE
EXAGGERATED ALL THIS?
>> OH, OF COURSE.
BUT COME WITH SCIENCE.
PROVE ME WRONG.
>> Narrator: BUT EVEN HOF'S
SUPPORTERS IN THE SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITY SAY THERE ARE LIMITS
TO WHAT HE CAN RESPONSIBLY
CLAIM.
WE WERE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT
HOF IS UNAFRAID OF COVID.
>> Jon: WILL YOU GET THE
VACCINE FOR THE VIRUS?
>> I DON'T NEED IT.
MY VACCINE IS WHEN I GO INTO THE
COLD WATER.
>> Jon: WOULD YOU BUY THAT?
>> NO.
THERE'S NO PROOF AT ALL TO THINK
THAT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL -- TO
PREVENT COVID, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE DO NOT KNOW THAT.
AND SO I WOULD REALLY BE AGAINST
SUGGESTING SUCH THINGS BECAUSE
IT'S DANGEROUS.
>> Narrator: AS FAR AS HOF'S
CONCERNED, HIS CLAIMS ARE SOUND
AND JUST NEED MORE SCIENTIFIC
STUDIES.
BUT WHILE HOF WAITS FOR SCIENCE
TO CATCH UP, HE'LL CONTINUE TO
DO WHAT HE'S ALWAYS DONE, GO
INTO THE COLD AND BRING OTHERS
WITH HIM, LIKE ME.
YES, ON MY LAST DAY WITH HOF,
AFTER LOTS OF WAFFLING, I
DECIDED TO TAKE THE PLUNGE.
LITERALLY.
>> Jon: OH, MY GOD.
>> HOW DOES THAT FEEL?
>> Jon: OKAY.
>> Narrator: THE WATER
TEMPERATURE WAS 33 DEGREES, ONE
DEGREE ABOVE FREEZING.
>> COME OUT HERE.
COME OUT HERE.
COME HERE.
EASY DOES IT.
LONG BREATHS.
>> Narrator: QUICKLY, THE COLD
OVERWHELMED MY BODY, AND I
STARTED TO GO NUMB.
>> I ALWAYS ASK THE PEOPLE WHO'S
IN CONTROL.
ARE YOU IN CONTROL?
>> Jon: I THINK SO.
>> GOOD.
THEN IT'S DONE.
>> Jon: OKAY, IT'S DONE.
>> YEAH, YOU GO OUT.
WELL DONE.
>> Narrator: IN TOTAL, I LASTED
ONLY NINETY SECONDS AND WAS SO
FRIGID, I COULD BARELY GET MY
CLOTHES BACK ON.
HOF, MEANWHILE, WAS IN NO HURRY
TO LEAVE, COMFORTABLE IN THE
WATERS THAT HELPED DELIVER HIM
FROM DESPAIR ALL THOSE YEARS
AGO.
>> I WANT TO HELP THOSE WHO
ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION AS I
WAS.
HELPLESS, HOPELESS, LOSING
THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE AND THERE
IT BEGAN.
HER LIFE WAS NOT FOR NOTHING.
I THINK I'VE FOUND A WAY TO GO
WITHIN, WHERE SCIENCE HAS NOT
GONE BEFORE.
IT'S NOT MINE.
I JUST FOUND IT.
AND I WANNA SHARE IT.
THAT'S ALL.
♪ I'M SO CRAZY ABOUT MY LIFE ♪
OH, YEAH.
>> Bryant: AND JON FRANKEL IS
JOINING US FROM NEW YORK.
HEY, JON.
>> Jon: HEY, BRYANT, HOW ARE
YOU?
>> Bryant: I'M ALL RIGHT.
JUST SO NO ONE GETS ANY FOOLISH
IDEAS FROM WATCHING THIS PIECE,
PEOPLE CANNOT FIND CURES FOR
ANYTHING BY DOING WHAT WIM HOFF
DOES, CORRECT?
>> Jon: WIM WOULD SAY HE IS
NOT CURING DISEASES, BUT HE CAN
CURE SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF THE
DISEASES.
DON'T SEE THIS AS A WAY TO NOT
GO TO YOUR TRADITIONAL WESTERN
DOCTOR TO CURE YOURSELF.
>> Bryant: ALTHOUGH HIS SON
SEEMS TO BE ALL BUSINESS, IT
SEEMS TO ME THAT WIM CARES
NOTHING ABOUT THE MONEY END OF
THIS, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> Jon: GUY BARELY WEARS A
SHIRT WHEN HE DOES ANYTHING!
I THINK HE'S GOT A PAIR OF
SHORTS, BARELY A PAIR OF SHOES,
BUT YES.
THIS SEEMS TO BE MONETIZED BY
HIS SON, AND THE OTHER THREE
KIDS FROM HIS FIRST MARRIAGE WHO
ALL WORK IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS.
BUT WIM DOESN'T SEEM TO GIVE A
WHIM ABOUT MONEY.
>> Bryant: YEAH, AND LAST
THING, YOU REALIZE YOU'RE NUTS
FOR GOING IN, RIGHT?
>> Jon: JUST WANTED TO SATISFY
YOU, BRYANT, BECAUSE I KNEW YOU
WERE GONNA ASK ME AT THE END.
"DID YOU GO IN?"
[LAUGHS]
WE ANSWERED THE QUESTION.
>> Bryant: IF I DIDN'T -- IF I
DIDN'T, ERIN WOULD.
ALL RIGHT, JON, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> Jon: YOU GOT IT.
>> Bryant: LET'S TURN NOW TO AN
AMERICAN STORY THAT SAYS A LOT
ABOUT OUR TWISTED PRIORITIES AND
OUR PRESENT PREDICAMENT, AND
NONE OF IT'S GOOD.
IT'S A STORY ABOUT YOUTH SPORTS
AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH GAMES
INVOLVING KIDS HAVE BECOME
SUPER-SPREADER EVENTS THAT ARE
RETARDING MEDICAL EFFORTS TO
COMBAT THE VIRUS AND CIVIC
EFFORTS TO GET PAST THE
PANDEMIC.
AT A TIME WHEN SCHOOLS, STORES,
AND GATHERINGS OF ALL SORTS ARE
BEING HALTED FOR THE GOOD OF US
ALL, THE BIG TIME BUSINESS OF
YOUTH SPORTS IS CONTINUING WITH
KIDS, PARENTS, COACHES AND ALL
INVOLVED PROCEEDING AS IF THEY
HAVEN'T A CARE IN THE WORLD, OR
MUCH CONCERN FOR ANYONE ELSE.
OUR DAVID SCOTT HAS THAT STORY.
>> Narrator: CALIFORNIA HAS
EMERGED AS THE EPICENTER OF THE
PANDEMIC IN AMERICA.
WITH MORE CASES, AND MORE DEATHS
THAN ANY OTHER STATE.
AMIDST THE DISASTER, OFFICIALS
HAVE ISSUED DIRECTIVES
SHUTTING DOWN VIRTUALLY ALL
WALKS OF LIFE.
FROM WORKPLACES, TO RESTAURANTS,
TO SCHOOLS.
BUT NOT EVERYONE HAS BEEN
WILLING TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES.
>> PEOPLE WANT THEIR KIDS TO
PLAY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE AGREE WITH ME.
AND IF THEY DIDN'T AGREE WITH ME
AND MY OUTLOOK, THEN WE WOULDN'T
BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
>> Narrator: JORDAN CAMPBELL
RUNS A YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAM IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
HE'S BEEN HOSTING EVENTS
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, EVEN
THOUGH THEY ARE PROHIBITED BY
STATE GUIDELINES, AND HE'S
GETTING PLENTY OF BUSINESS.
>> THIRTY-SIX TEAMS, 18 GAMES A
WEEKEND, AND ABOUT 1,550
PLAYERS.
>> David: WHEN YOU REALIZED YOU
WERE BREAKING BOTH COUNTY AND
STATE RULES, WHAT WAS YOUR
JUSTIFICATION FOR MOVING
FORWARD?
>> IT WAS RISK/REWARD.
THE RISK WAS THAT THEY ARE GONNA
CLOSE DOWN MY BUSINESS, THE RISK
WAS THAT I'M GONNA GET FINED,
THE RISK WAS OBVIOUSLY HEALTH
AND THINGS LIKE THAT OF KIDS
GETTING COVID.
THE REWARDS WERE TO CONTINUE
THESE KIDS' PROCESS.
SO WE WERE DOING WHAT WE FELT
WAS BEST FOR OUR PLAYERS.
>> Narrator: CAMPBELL SAYS THAT
KEEPING THE KIDS ON THE FIELD IS
VITAL TO THEIR PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH, SO HE'LL DO WHAT
IT TAKES TO KEEP THEM THERE.
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT
LAND, DIFFERENT PROPERTY,
LOOKING AT INDIAN RESERVATION
LAND TO BUILD MORE FIELDS.
THE GOVERNOR CAN'T CLOSE 'EM
DOWN BECAUSE IT'S ON INDIAN
PROPERTY.
>> David: SO IS THAT THE GAME
NOW, FINDING PLACES WHERE YOU
CAN EVADE GOVERNMENT
RESTRICTIONS?
>> OBVIOUSLY.
>> Narrator: OF COURSE, CAMPBELL
AND HIS TEAMS ARE HARDLY THE
ONLY ONES PLAYING ON THROUGH THE
PANDEMIC.
FROM BASKETBALL TO WRESTLING,
FROM CHEERLEADING TO LACROSSE,
YOUTH SPORTS HAVE CONTINUED
AROUND THE COUNTRY THROUGH THE
WINTERTIME SURGE.
IT'S EASY TO FIND EVENTS THAT
BRING HUNDREDS, EVEN THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE TOGETHER, FOR ENTIRE
WEEKENDS AT A TIME.
IT CAN BE HARDER TO FIND BASIC
SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE,
LIKE MASKING, DISTANCING, AND
TESTING FOR THE VIRUS.
>> David: IT'S VERY HARD TO
SEE EVIDENCE OF SAFETY PROTOCOLS
BEING FOLLOWED.
DID YOU WORK WITH ANY PUBLIC
HEALTH EXPERTS TO UNDERSTAND THE
RISKS TO THE PLAYERS AND OTHER
PARTICIPANTS?
>> I THINK WE'RE ALL AWARE OF
WHAT THOSE RISKS ARE.
IT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT ON THE
MEDIA CONSTANTLY.
AND IT'S REALLY WHAT SIDE OF THE
FENCE THAT YOU'RE ON.
>> Narrator: BUT IF CAMPBELL AND
HIS CLIENTS ARE NOT WORRIED,
OTHERS ARE.
BECAUSE THESE EVENTS TYPICALLY
ATTRACT FAMILIES FROM FAR AND
WIDE, THEN SEND THEM BACK HOME,
POTENTIALLY SPREADING THE VIRUS
FAR AND WIDE, AS HAPPENED AFTER
ONE TOURNAMENT UPSTATE.
>> A YOUTH BASKETBALL CENTER IN
ROCKLIN IN THE HOTSEAT AFTER
DOZENS TEST POSITIVE FOR
COVID-19 AFTER A MASSIVE
TOURNAMENT.
THE TOURNAMENTS WERE NOT
PERMITTED UNDER STATE HEALTH
ORDERS.
>> David: WHEN YOU SEE, LIKE
THIS CASE IN ROCKLIN WITH THE
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT WHERE
SCIENCE SHOWS US HOW COVID CAN
SPREAD QUICKLY TO 100 PEOPLE
FROM JUST ONE EVENT, DOES THAT
NOT MAKE YOU THINK TWICE ABOUT
BRINGING THOUSANDS OF KIDS IN
ADDITION TO THEIR PARENTS
TOGETHER --
>> AND SO COULD THE FLU.
NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THE FLU
ANYMORE EITHER.
COVID, THE FLU, THERE'S PEOPLE
WHO DIE FROM BOTH.
>> David: DO YOU NOT ACCEPT THAT
BRINGING THOUSANDS OF KIDS
TOGETHER IN THIS PERIOD, IN THE
MIDST OF A RAGING PANDEMIC,
RISKS A WORSENING --
>> NO, I DO NOT --
>> David: SITUATION?
>> ACCEPT IT.
I DON'T ACCEPT IT.
>> Narrator: BUT OTHERS HAVE
REACHED A VERY DIFFERENT
CONCLUSION.
LAST OCTOBER, THE STATE OF
VERMONT APPEARED TO HAVE THE
SPREAD OF COVID UNDER CONTROL.
>> THERE ISN'T A SINGLE
STUDENT IN QUARANTINE RIGHT NOW
IN ANY CAMPUS ACROSS THE STATE.
>> Narrator: BUT THAT BEGAN TO
CHANGE AFTER THIS HOCKEY RINK
HOSTED A WEEKEND'S WORTH OF
ACTIVITY, BRINGING TOGETHER
ATHLETES AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM
ACROSS THE REGION.
JUST A FEW WEEKS LATER...
>> THERE ARE NOW 89 TOTAL
INFECTIONS RELATED TO THE HOCKEY
OUTBREAK IN CENTRAL VERMONT,
WHICH THEN LED TO A DOMINO
EFFECT OF FOUR ADDITIONAL
OUTBREAKS AND EXPOSURES AT 19
OTHER LOCATIONS.
>> WE SAW IT IN MULTIPLE
WORKPLACES, MULTIPLE K THROUGH
12 SCHOOLS, AND MULTIPLE
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
>> Narrator: DR. PATSY KELSO IS
VERMONT'S CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
>> David: WAS IT LIMITED TO --
TO COMMUNITIES IMMEDIATELY
AROUND THE -- THE ICE RINK?
>> NO, IT -- IT REACHED ALMOST
ALL OF THE STATE.
AND THAT HAPPENED PRETTY
QUICKLY.
>> Narrator: HOPING TO AVOID
FURTHER OUTBREAKS, VERMONT
OFFICIALS TOOK A BOLD STEP,
SUSPENDING RECREATIONAL SPORTS
ACROSS THE STATE.
>> IT'S SO CHALLENGING, BECAUSE
SPORTS ARE SO IMPORTANT, BUT SO
IS PROTECTING LIVES.
>> LET US PLAY!
LET US PLAY!
>> Narrator: BUT GOVERNMENT
ATTEMPTS TO RESTRICT YOUTH
SPORTS IN THE MIDST OF THE
PANDEMIC HAVE TRIGGERED PROTESTS
FROM ATHLETES AND THEIR FAMILIES
FROM MICHIGAN...
>> THESE ARE OUR CHOICES!
OUR CHILDREN!
LET THEM PLAY!
>> Narrator: TO PENNSYLVANIA...
>> LET OUR KIDS PLAY IN
PA.
>> Narrator: TO CONNECTICUT,
WHERE A MASSIVE PROTEST ERUPTED
LAST FALL AFTER AUTHORITIES
POSTPONED THE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL
FOOTBALL SEASON.
>> LET US PLAY.
LET US PLAY.
>> Narrator: WHEN OFFICIALS HELD
THEIR GROUND, LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL
TEAMS JUST CALLED AN END-AROUND,
EXPLOITING A LOOPHOLE IN THE
SHUT-DOWN RULES THAT ALLOWED FOR
PRIVATE FOOTBALL TEAMS.
>> THEY FORMED INDEPENDENT
FOOTBALL LEAGUES AND DECIDED TO
HAVE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
WITHOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
>> Narrator: CHARLES BROWN, THE
HEALTH DIRECTOR FOR CENTRAL
CONNECTICUT, WATCHED IN
DISBELIEF AS PRIVATE TEAMS
FORMED OVERNIGHT, TEAMS
CONSISTING OF LARGELY THE EXACT
SAME PLAYERS AND COACHES THAT
ONCE REPRESENTED THEIR LOCAL
SCHOOLS.
>> IN SOME CASES IT WAS
SUPPORTED BY THE EQUIPMENT
AND EVERYTHING THAT THE HIGH
SCHOOL HAD WAS DONATED OR
GIVEN OVER TO THEM SO THAT THEY
COULD DO IT.
>> Narrator: EVERYONE WAS IN ON
THE CHARADE, EVEN THE TV CREWS
THAT BROADCAST THE GAMES.
>> NOW I DO WANT TO REMIND
EVERYBODY THAT NONE OF THESE
TEAMS ARE AFFILIATED WITH
THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT THEY'RE
PLAYERS OR COACHES MIGHT WORK
AT, MIGHT ATTEND.
THEY ARE PRIVATE FOOTBALL TEAMS.
THIS IS A PRIVATE FOOTBALL
LEAGUE.
>> David: YOU'RE WATCHING THIS
UNFOLD, AND -- AND WHAT ARE YOU
-- WHAT YOU ARE MAKING OF IT?
>> IT'S LIKE WATCHING A TRAIN
WRECK AND KNOWING THAT IT'S
GONNA WRECK.
AND NOT BEING ANY -- ABLE TO DO
ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
>> Narrator: SURE ENOUGH, THE
VIRUS BEGAN TO CIRCULATE WITHIN
TEAMS, THEN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WITHIN A MONTH, THESE AND
OTHER SPORTING EVENTS LED TO THE
CLOSURE OF 17 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE
STATE.
A SIMILAR PATTERN HAS PLAYED OUT
ALL WINTER ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IN MINNESOTA, 10,000 CASES WERE
TRACED TO SPORTS ACTIVITIES,
FORCING MANY SCHOOLS TO GO TO
DISTANCE LEARNING.
IN FLORIDA, DOZENS OF WRESTLERS
CONTRACTED THE VIRUS AT A
WRESTLING TOURNAMENT, LEADING TO
MORE THAN 1700 LOST SCHOOL DAYS.
BACK IN CONNECTICUT, AFTER YOUTH
SPORTS TEAMS WERE IMPLICATED IN
29 SEPARATE OUTBREAKS, OFFICIALS
FINALLY SHUT THE GAMES DOWN.
>> SPORT, WHILE IMPORTANT TO
PEOPLE'S LIVES, IS NOT
ESSENTIAL.
AND WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH
THINGS IN THE MIDST OF A
PANDEMIC, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
THOSE THINGS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL,
THAT WE NEED TO DO, AND CURTAIL
THE ONES THAT AREN'T.
>> Narrator: BUT EVEN WHEN
COMMUNITIES DO SHUT DOWN THESE
ACTIVITIES, YOUNG ATHLETES AND
THEIR FAMILIES ARE FINDING OTHER
PLACES WILLING TO LET THEM PLAY
ON.
WHEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
SUSPENDED YOUTH SPORTS
COMPETITIONS, CITIES IN
NEIGHBORING ARIZONA WELCOMED
THEM WITH OPEN ARMS, SEEING AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GRAB A BIGGER
PIECE OF THE
MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR YOUTH
SPORTS PIE.
>> WELL, DEVELOPING TONIGHT
THE CITY OF YUMA HAS BECOME A
HOTSPOT FOR OUT-OF-TOWN
ATHLETICS LOOKING TO PLAY BALL
THAT IS.
>> Narrator: HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF ATHLETES AND THEIR
FAMILIES DESCENDED ON ARIZONA,
TO THE DISMAY OF LOCAL MEDICAL
PERSONNEL, LIKE DR. MARJORIE
BESSEL, WHO RUNS THE STATE'S
LARGEST HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
>> David: YUMA, ARIZONA, WHICH
IS JUST OVER THE BORDER FROM
CALIFORNIA, HAS BEEN HOST
RECENTLY TO THE YUMA FALL
CLASSIC, THE YUMA SUMMER
SIZZLE, THE YUMA HALLOWEEN BASH,
THE YUMA WINTER CLASSIC, THE
YUMA TURKEY TROT, THE YUMA
CHRISTMAS CLASSIC, AND THE YUMA
NEW YEAR'S SHOWDOWN.
AND THAT'S JUST BASEBALL, RIGHT?
>> SO THAT LIST THAT YOU RECITED
TO ME IS OF COURSE QUITE
DISTURBING.
YUMA HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY HARD
HIT DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.
AND HAS HAD TO EXPORT OR SEND
MANY OF THEIR HOSPITALIZED
PATIENTS DOWN INTO OTHER AREAS
OF ARIZONA.
>> Narrator: BESSEL LOBBIED
LOCAL AND STATE OFFICIALS TO BAN
THESE EVENTS, BUT WAS LARGELY
UNSUCCESSFUL, SO THE GAMES HAVE
GONE ON ALL WINTER.
>> THE CDC URGING PEOPLE TO
STAY HOME AND AVOID TRAVEL.
BUT THIS WEEKEND IN ARIZONA,
WE'RE SEEING JUST THE OPPOSITE.
YOUTH SPORTS TEAMS AROUND THE
REGION ARE TRAVELLING THE VALLEY
TO COMPETE.
>> Narrator: IN DECEMBER,
THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES FLOCKED TO
ARIZONA FOR AN ANNUAL SOCCER
EVENT CALLED THE "SURF CUP,"
WHICH, AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS, IS
NORMALLY HELD NEAR THE
CALIFORNIA COAST.
THIS YEAR, WITH CALIFORNIA'S BAN
IN PLACE, IT WAS MOVED HUNDREDS
OF MILES INTO THE DESERT.
>> David: MUST BE A RATHER LONG
DRIVE FROM ORANGE COUNTY TO THAT
PART OF ARIZONA.
>> WE'RE KINDA USED TO IT.
SO BY THIS SURF CUP, WE KINDA
HAD A SYSTEM, HOW TO PACK THE
CAR, WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE.
>> Narrator: THAT'S BECAUSE
KEVIN CLARK AND HIS FAMILY HAVE
TRAVELED FROM CALIFORNIA TO
ARIZONA REGULARLY THIS WINTER,
TO GO TO SPORTS TOURNAMENTS THAT
THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY IN
AT HOME.
>> David: YOU WERE AWARE THAT
CALIFORNIA WASN'T ALLOWING THESE
TOURNAMENTS.
WAS THAT NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU TO
RETHINK TRAVELING OUT OF STATE
TO THE VERY TOURNAMENT THAT
CALIFORNIA WAS SAYING IS NOT
SAFE?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT?
IT REALLY WASN'T.
MY KIDS, THEY'RE IN THEIR, YOU
KNOW, SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR YEAR.
THE CLOCK IS A LITTLE BIT
TICKING THERE WITH COLLEGE AND
BEING ABLE TO GET RECOGNIZED AND
BEING ABLE TO HAVE GAME VIDEO
FOOTAGE OF THEM PLAYING.
I THINK, IN ORDER TO KEEP UP, IN
HOPES OF THE GIRLS GETTING TO
THE COLLEGE LEVEL AND CONTINUING
ON WITH THEIR DREAMS, I DON'T
KNOW WHAT ELSE THERE IS TO DO.
HAVE THEM STOP WHILE THE OTHERS
PLAY?
>> Narrator: IT'S A CONCERN
VOICED BY MANY PARENTS AND
COACHES WHO WORRY THAT THEIR
KIDS WILL FALL BEHIND ON THE
PLAYING FIELD AFTER YEARS OF
HARD WORK.
>> THE KIDS THAT I HAVE OUT
HERE, A LOT OF THE KIDS WHO'VE
BEEN IN MY PROGRAM SINCE THEY
WERE SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE YEARS
OLD, I'VE COACHED THEM THIS
WHOLE TIME.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
KEPT OUR KIDS MOVING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION AND GETTING THEM
OPPORTUNITY.
WE DIDN'T CRUSH ALL THEIR
DREAMS, WHICH HAS HAPPENED TO SO
MANY ATHLETES IN THE AREA.
>> David: FAMILIES SAY
THEY'RE SIMPLY TRYING TO GIVE
THEIR KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
ACTIVE, TO GET THE BENEFITS
THAT -- THAT -- THAT SPORTS
BRINGS TO THEM.
IT SOUNDS, AT LEAST IN A VACUUM,
REASONABLE.
>> WELL, WE'RE NOT LIVING IN A
VACUUM.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IN
A PANDEMIC, EVERYBODY'S ACTIONS
CAN IMPACT SOMEBODY ELSE.
WE ARE NOT ABLE TO LIVE IN A
VACUUM WHEN IT RELATES TO THE
SPREAD OF THIS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS
VIRUS.
>> Bryant: HAPPY TO HAVE DAVID
SCOTT WITH US FROM NEW YORK.
HEY, DAVID.
>> David: HEY, BRYANT.
>> Bryant: DAVID, WHENEVER I
HEAR A GUY LIKE JORDAN CAMPBELL
SAY, "WE'RE DOING IT FOR THE
KIDS," I'M NEVER BUYING IT.
IN HIS WORLD, MORE KIDS MEAN
MORE MONEY?
>> David: ABSOLUTELY.
JORDAN CAMPBELL IS PART OF A
HUGE AND GROWING INDUSTRY, A
MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY,
THAT REALLY THRIVES OFF OF
PARENTS' HEAVY INCENTIVES TO
KEEP THEIR KIDS IN PLAY WITH THE
DREAM OF A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP.
>> Bryant: THESE ARE MY WORDS,
NOT YOURS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
ENGAGED IN THIS, ARE THEY
CALLOUS?
ARE THEY IGNORANT?
ARE THEY ARROGANT?
ARE THEY NAÏVE?
ARE THEY ALL OF THE ABOVE?
"BRYANT, YOU'RE TOO HARSH," OR
WHAT?
>> David: I HAVE SOME SYMPATHY
FOR THE PARENTS WHO HAVE
INVESTED THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF
TIME, MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS OVER MANY YEARS, IN
THEIR YOUNG KIDS' SPORTS CAREERS
WITH THE DREAM THAT THEY CAN
RECOUP THAT INVESTMENT IN THE
FORM OF A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S
DRIVING THEM.
YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO STOP THE
GAME, JUST AS YOUR KID IS
GETTING WITHIN ARMS-REACH
OF THAT MONEY, AND IT'S JUST A
VERY COMMERCIALIZED AND VERY
COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR
THEM.
>> Bryant: SO, REAL QUICK, IS
THERE ANY SOLUTION?
>> David: WELL, YOU KNOW,
PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES ARE
ENCOURAGING KIDS TO GET OUT AND
EXERCISE AND DO SPORTS.
NOBODY IS SAYING TO COMPLETELY
STAND DOWN.
BUT, THEY'RE DIFFERENTIATING
BETWEEN TEAM PRACTICES AND
SKILL-BUILDING AND COMPETITION.
AND PARTICULARLY TRAVEL AND
TOURNAMENT COMPETITION, WHICH IS
REALLY THE SLIPPERY SLOPE HERE.
>> Bryant: ALL RIGHT.
DAVID, THANKS SO VERY MUCH.
WELL DONE.
STAY SAFE, WILL YOU, PAL?
>> David: THANK YOU, SIR.
YOU TOO.
>> Bryant: OUR FINAL STORY THIS
EVENING IS AN UPDATE OF SORTS,
ABOUT A GAME THAT CAN BE PLAYED
SAFELY IN A PANDEMIC AND HAS
THEREFORE SKYROCKETED IN
POPULARITY OVER THE PAST YEAR.
IT'S CHESS, AN OLD GAME THAT HAS
FOUND NEW LIFE IN 2020, TO THE
SURPRISE AND SATISFACTION OF ONE
ITS BIGGEST BENEFACTORS.
OUR SOLEDAD O'BRIEN HAS MORE ON
THAT BENEFACTOR AND HIS GAME'S
TIMELESS APPEAL.
>> Narrator: FOR MOST SPORTS,
2020 WAS A YEAR OF LOSS,
FEATURING FEWER GAMES, PLAYED BY
FEWER ATHLETES, WATCHED BY FEWER
FANS, BUT FOR ONE SPORT, 2020
WAS A MASSIVE WIN.
>> OKAY, HERE WE GO, ROUND ONE.
>> Narrator: IT WAS THE YEAR
THAT CHESS, ONE OF THE WORLD'S
OLDEST GAMES, TAPPED INTO THE
POWER OF NEW MEDIA AND SOMEHOW
BECAME ALL THE RAGE.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE
STATISTICS, HOW MANY PEOPLE
PLAYED CHESS ONLINE, THE NUMBERS
ARE STAGGERING.
THE IMPROVEMENT IS HUNDREDS OF
PERCENT AROUND THE WORLD.
>> Narrator: REX SINQUEFIELD IS
THE PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD CHESS
HALL OF FAME BASED IN ST. LOUIS.
>> Soledad: SO MANY SPORTS
STRUGGLED, BUT CHESS DID GREAT.
>> CHESS BOOMED.
IN TERMS OF INCREASE IN
AUDIENCE, WE PROBABLY DWARFED
EVERY OTHER SPORT.
>> Narrator: TURNS OUT, ONLINE
CHESS IS THE PERFECT SPORT FOR
THE STAY-AT-HOME ERA.
MILLIONS BEGAN TO PLAY AFTER THE
PANDEMIC STRUCK, AND BEFORE
LONG, THERE WERE CHANNELS
ON YOUTUBE, LOTS OF THEM,
ENTIRELY DEVOTED TO THE GAME.
>> HI, GUYS!
>> Narrator: SO POPULAR ARE
THESE CHANNELS, THAT THEIR HOSTS
HAVE BECOME INTERNET
CELEBRITIES.
>> IS THAT SEXY OR WHAT?
THIS IS A -- THIS IS A
REALLY SEXY CHECK MATE.
>> Narrator: THEY'RE YOUNG...
>> OH, NO!
>> Narrator: AND LOUD.
THEY'RE NOT YOUR FATHER'S CHESS
PLAYERS, BUT THEY'VE MADE THE
GAME COOL WITH A NEW GENERATION.
>> CHESS TODAY NOW HAS ONLINE
INFLUENCERS.
>> RIGHT.
>> COULD YOU HAVE PREDICTED
THAT, I DON'T KNOW, TEN YEARS
AGO?
FIVE YEARS AGO?
>> OH, SURE, I COULD HAVE
PREDICTED ALL OF IT.
[LAUGHS]
IT JUST CAME OUR WAY ALL OF A
SUDDEN.
YOU KNOW, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
>> IT'S A MUCH STRONGER MOVE
THAN IT LOOKS.
>> Narrator: BUT THE SPORT'S
BIGGEST BOON WAS STILL TO COME,
WHEN A TV SHOW BASED ON CHESS
BECAME THE RUNAWAY HIT OF THE
YEAR.
>> AND THEN IT JUST EXPLODED.
♪ ♪
>> Narrator: "THE QUEEN'S
GAMBIT," NAMED FOR A POPULAR
CHESS STRATEGY, WAS STREAMED IN
62 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS IN ITS
FIRST MONTH OF RELEASE.
>> Narrator: IT MARKED THE FIRST
TIME CHESS HAD INFILTRATED
AMERICAN POP CULTURE IN HALF A
CENTURY.
SINCE 1972 WHEN AMERICAN
BOBBY FISCHER WON THE WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP AND BECAME A STAPLE
OF MAGAZINE COVERS AND TALK
SHOWS.
>> WOULD YOU WELCOME PLEASE,
BOBBY FISCHER.
[APPLAUSE]
>> Soledad: SO YOU THINK THAT
2020 WAS THE BIGGEST YEAR FOR
CHESS IN 50 YEARS?
>> YEAH, IT WAS.
THROUGH THE COMBINED EFFECT OF
COVID, EVERYBODY GOING ONLINE
AND "THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT."
THESE INCREDIBLE BOLTS FROM THE
BLUE CAME TOGETHER AT THE SAME
TIME.
>> Narrator: BUT FOR REX
SINQUEFIELD, CHESS'S "OVERNIGHT
SUCCESS" WAS ACTUALLY MORE THAN
A DECADE IN THE MAKING.
WHEN WE FIRST MET HIM IN 2018,
BACK WHEN CHESS WAS ANYTHING BUT
HIP, HE WAS IN THE MIDST OF A
ONE-MAN MISSION TO CHANGE ALL
THAT, NO MATTER THE COST.
>> Soledad: HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE
YOU SUNK INTO THIS PROJECT,
WOULD YOU GUESS?
>> SEVERAL MILLIONS.
>> Soledad: SEVERAL MILLIONS.
IS THAT TEN?
>> YOU'RE GETTING WARM.
[LAUGHS]
>> Soledad: 30?
SHOULD WE JUST GO UP TO
$50 MILLION?
>> YEAH, THAT'S -- LET'S STOP
RIGHT ABOUT THERE.
>> Soledad: ARE YOU PASSIONATE?
OR ARE YOU AN ADDICT?
>> I THINK BOTH.
>> Narrator: FUELED BY THAT
ADDICTION AND ALL THAT MONEY,
SINQUEFIELD HAD TURNED HIS
HOMETOWN OF ST. LOUIS INTO THE
WORLD'S CAPITAL OF CHESS.
>> YOU DIDN'T CASTLE CORRECTLY.
>> HE'LL LEARN.
HE'LL LEARN.
>> Narrator: HE BUILT THE
LARGEST CHESS CLUB IN THE WORLD,
SIX-THOUSAND SQUARE FEET IN ALL.
HE ALSO BUILT THE CHESS HALL OF
FAME, AND TO FILL IT, PUT
TOGETHER ONE OF THE LARGEST
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS OF CHESS
MEMORABILIA ON EARTH.
>> THE QUEEN JUST PAWNED.
>> Narrator: THANKS TO REX,
VISITORS TO ST. LOUIS COULD
VISIT THE TALLEST FREESTANDING
STRUCTURE OF ITS KIND.
NO, NOT THAT ONE.
THIS ONE.
THE LARGEST CHESS PIECE IN THE
WORLD.
>> PLEASE GO AHEAD AND START.
>> Narrator: THEY COULD ALSO
WATCH THE WORLD'S BEST CHESS
PLAYERS GOING HEAD-TO-HEAD IN
PERSON.
SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR,
SINQUEFIELD LURED THEM TO THE
MIDDLE OF AMERICA BY STAGING
TOURNAMENTS WITH MASSIVE PURSES.
>> THE TOP PLAYERS IN THE WORLD
ARE ALWAYS HERE.
YOU COULD THROW A ROCK AND HIT A
GRANDMASTER WHEREVER YOU TURN.
>> Soledad: SO 25 OR SO
GRANDMASTERS JUST HERE IN ST.
LOUIS.
>> AND THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
YOU WOULDN'T EVEN FIND ONE
GRANDMASTER TEN YEARS AGO, AND
NOW YOU FIND SO MANY THAT
REALIZE THAT THIS IS THE
PLACE TO BE.
>> Narrator: MAURICE ASHLEY WAS
ONE OF THEM.
WE MET HIM IN 2018 AT
SINQUEFIELD'S ANNUAL BIG MONEY
CHESS TOURNAMENT CALLED WHAT
ELSE?
THE SINQUEFIELD CUP.
ASHLEY WAS THERE NOT AS A
COMPETITOR, BUT RATHER A
PLAY-BY-PLAY BROADCASTER.
>> THE MOVE KING TO H-8 CAN BE
MET WITH A MOVE LIKE BISHOP TO
G-5.
>> Narrator: HE WAS PART OF THE
TELEVISION CREW HIRED BY
SINQUEFIELD, TO GIVE HIS
TOURNAMENTS NETWORK-QUALITY
BROADCASTS, NO EXPENSE SPARED.
>> THE SINQUEFIELD CUP IS
FINALLY UNDERWAY AS 10 OF THE
BEST CHESS PLAYERS IN THE WORLD
RENEW THEIR RIVALRY IN ST.
LOUIS.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE WATCHING
AN NBA BROADCAST.
>> AND THEN YOU GET INTO TIME
PRESSURE, THE GUY DEFENDS LIKE
AN ANIMAL.
>> YOU HAVE A REAL BROADCAST
WITH A REAL BROADCAST TEAM.
>> Soledad: PRODUCTION TRAILER,
GRAPHICS...
>> YOU GOT PRODUCTION TRAILERS,
YOU GOT INSTANT REPLAY.
YOU GOT INSTANT REPLAY FOR
CHESS.
I MEAN, THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A
SECOND.
>> SLAM DUNK, BABY!
>> OKAY.
>> THAT'S WORD CLASS!
>> OKAY.
>> THAT'S A WORLD CHAMPION!
>> Narrator: WATCHING OVER IT
ALL WAS REX FROM A SATELLITE
TRUCK BEHIND THE CLUB, WHERE
LIVE VIDEO OF THE TOURNAMENT WAS
BEING BEAMED ALL ACROSS THE
WORLD.
>> IT'S GOING TO OVER 200
COUNTRIES.
>> Soledad: AND YOU'LL HAVE
HOW MANY PEOPLE WATCHING WOULD
YOU GUESS?
>> HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS TO OVER
A MILLION.
>> Narrator: LOCALS HAD BEGUN
TUNING IN, TOO, WATCHING CHESS
INSTEAD OF OTHER SPORTS YOU MAY
HAVE HEARD OF.
>> DURING THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL
SEASON, WE WERE STARTING TO GET
TWEETS FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE
CITY SAYING, "THE BARS IN ST.
LOUIS HAVE TURNED OFF THE
FOOTBALL GAMES AND TURNED ON THE
CHESS GAMES -- THAT'S A CITY OF
NERDS, LET'S FACE IT.
>> Narrator: BUT AS UNLIKELY AS
WAS THE RISE OF CHESS HERE IN
ST. LOUIS, SO TOO WAS THE STORY
OF THE MAN BEHIND IT.
SINQUEFIELD, YOU SEE, WASN'T
BORN A KING.
HE GREW UP A FEW MILES FROM HERE
AT ST. VINCENT'S HOME FOR BOYS,
AN ORPHANAGE, WHERE HE WAS LEFT
BY HIS MOTHER AT THE AGE OF
SEVEN.
>> Soledad: DID SHE SOB AS SHE
SAID GOODBYE TO YOU?
>> NO, SHE DIDN'T.
>> Soledad: DID YOU CRY AS YOU
SAID GOODBYE TO YOUR MOM?
>> I DON'T REMEMBER.
I MIGHT WELL HAVE TEARED UP.
IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE.
BUT YOU JUST HAD TO SORT OF, YOU
KNOW, TOUGH IT UP, YOU KNOW?
'CAUSE YOU WERE HERE FOR THE
DURATION, SO TO SPEAK.
>> Narrator: AND TO MAKE MATTERS
WORSE, HE HAD BEEN BORN WITH A
CLEFT LIP AND PALATE, WHICH
REQUIRED MORE THAN A DOZEN
SURGERIES TO FIX.
>> Soledad: THAT SOUNDS LIKE A
TERRIBLE START TO A LIFE.
>> WELL, THERE ARE BETTER
STARTS, YOU KNOW.
I DIDN'T GET THAT PART RIGHT,
YOU KNOW?
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND YOU COPE.
YOU DO WHAT YOU -- WHAT YOU HAVE
TO DO.
>> Narrator: HERE AT ST.
VINCENT'S, SINQUEFIELD WAS
RAISED BY TOUGH GERMAN NUNS, WHO
REQUIRED HIM TO SCRUB THE FLOORS
WITH STEEL WOOL.
BUT ON SPECIAL NIGHTS, HE'D GET
TO WATCH MOVIES, AND THAT'S WHEN
THE LONELY BOY FIRST FELL IN
LOVE.
>> I WOULD SEE CHESS IN THE
MOVIES SOMETIMES, AND I WAS JUST
FASCINATED BY THE IMAGERY OF IT.
AND FROM, YOU KNOW, VERY YOUNG,
SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS OLD.
AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN HOW
TO PLAY IT.
BUT NOBODY KNEW HOW TO PLAY IT.
>> Narrator: NOT FOR YEARS,
UNTIL HE WAS FINALLY RELEASED
FROM THE ORPHANAGE AS A
TEENAGER, DID SINQUEFIELD
FINALLY GET THE CHANCE TO
ACTUALLY PLAY CHESS FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
HE WAS HOOKED.
>> THERE'S JUST SOMETHING
AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL ABOUT IT.
THE COMBINATIONS THAT YOU
PRODUCE, THE CHECKMATES.
THE WHOLE LOGIC OF EVERYTHING IS
SO COMPELLING, IT MAKES THE
WHOLE THING VERY ADDICTIVE.
>> Soledad: WHAT DID CHESS TEACH
YOU ABOUT LIFE?
>> THAT I WAS VERY DETERMINED, I
DIDN'T LIKE TO LOSE, AND I
WORKED HARD TO WIN.
>> Narrator: SINQUEFIELD GREW UP
AND WENT INTO THE WORLD OF
FINANCE.
AND THERE, HE WON BIG TIME.
IT WAS THE 1970S, AND MOST
INVESTORS BINGED AND PURGED,
TRYING TO RIDE THE LATEST HOT
STOCK.
BUT REX INVENTED A NEW FORM OF
INVESTING, BASED ON THE CALM,
COLD-BLOODED LOGIC OF CHESS.
THAT INVENTION, THE INDEX FUND
IS NOW A STAPLE OF THE INDUSTRY.
AND SOON REX WAS MANAGING MORE
MONEY THAN HE KNEW WHAT TO DO
WITH.
>> $600 BILLION, BILLION WITH A
B.
>> Soledad: YOU SHOWED 'EM.
>> WE DID.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE STORY.
>> Narrator: IN TIME,
SINQUEFIELD BECAME SO RICH THAT
HE JUST RETIRED, "BORED" HE
SAYS, OF MAKING MONEY.
SO, HE DECIDED TO START SPENDING
IT INSTEAD TO PROMOTE THE GAME
THAT HAD INSPIRED HIM TO SUCH
GREAT HEIGHTS.
FOR YEARS, HE WAS MAKING STEADY
PROGRESS, BUILDING HIS CHESS
BEACH HEAD IN ST. LOUIS, WHILE
PLOTTING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD.
THEN, LAST MARCH, THE
UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED, WHEN THE
PANDEMIC STRUCK AND STOPPED HIM
IN HIS TRACKS.
>> YOU'D HAVE SAID, "BOY, THIS
IS GONNA BE A DISASTER."
AND IT LOOKED LIKE A DISASTER AT
FIRST.
WE HAD TO SHUT DOWN ALL THE BIG
TOURNAMENTS.
>> DAMN IT!
>> VOYBOY IS THE WINNER!
>> Narrator: BUT INTO THE VOID
RUSHED SEVERAL CONVERGING FORCES
THAT SINQUEFIELD NEVER FORESAW.
>> AND WE WIN ON TIME, BUT THE
POSITION.
>> Narrator: FIRST CAME THE BOOM
IN ONLINE CHESS AND ONLINE CHESS
INFLUENCERS.
YOUNG, TECH-SAVVY PEOPLE
PEDDLING AN OLD GAME TO A NEW
AUDIENCE.
>> JUST AN ONLINE GAME AGAINST A
BLIND MAN!
>> Narrator: THEN CAME THE
BLOCKBUSTER HIT THAT CAPTIVATED
THE MASSES.
>> YOU KNOW, THEY TALK ABOUT A
SURGE UPON A SURGE, THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT WE HAD.
>> Narrator: "THE QUEEN'S
GAMBIT" PORTRAYED A SELF-TAUGHT
AND EMOTIONALLY-TROUBLED
AMERICAN CHESS PRODIGY, THE
FICTIONAL BETH HARMON, WHO,
AGAINST ALL ODDS, CONQUERS THE
CHESS WORLD BY DEFEATING THE
SOVIET CHAMPION.
TO MANY, THE STORY EVOKED THE
TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS OF THE
LEGENDARY BOBBY FISCHER,
BUT THE HEROINE'S ORIGIN STORY
MORE CLOSELY PARALLELS THAT OF
ANOTHER KING OF AMERICAN CHESS.
AFTER ALL, BETH HARMON FIRST
DISCOVERED CHESS IN AN
ORPHANAGE.
>> WHAT'S THAT GAME CALLED?
>> Narrator: JUST LIKE REX
SINQUEFIELD.
>> Soledad: DID YOU IDENTIFY
WITH THE ORPHAN STORYLINE?
>> I DID.
THEY CAPTURED THE EMOTIONS
PERFECTLY.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST INCREDIBLE.
IT WAS LIKE BEING THERE AGAIN.
THE EMOTIONS RETURNED.
YOU'RE ALONE AND FORLORN.
IT ALL CAME RUSHING BACK --
VIVID IMAGES FOR ME OF 1952 IN
ST. VINCENT'S.
>> Narrator: AND WHILE
SINQUEFIELD HIMSELF WAS
ENTHRALLED BY THE SHOW, HE WAS
MOST GRATIFIED THAT ITS APPEAL
EXTENDED FAR BEYOND CHESS FANS.
>> YOU HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT
IT FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T PLAY
CHESS, AND YOU HEAR IT IN
CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU DON'T
INITIATE.
>> Soledad: HOW BIG OF A DEAL DO
YOU THINK "QUEEN'S GAMBIT" HAS
BEEN FOR CHESS?
>> I DON'T THINK YOU CAN
OVERSTATE IT.
IT'S INGRAINED IN THE POPULAR
CULTURE.
>> Narrator: AND IF CHESS IS
HAVING ITS MOMENT, REX
SINQUEFIELD, EVER THE BUSINESS
GURU, IS NOT ONE TO MISS THE
OPPORTUNITY.
HE RECENTLY BOUGHT UP ALL THE
PROPERTIES NEXT TO HIS CLUB,
WITH PLANS TO EXPAND IT TO
THREE TIMES ITS CURRENT SIZE.
>> Soledad: WHAT WILL YOU DO
WITH ALL THAT SPACE?
>> WELL, WE HAVE 6,000 FEET, BUT
WE'RE GONNA HAVE 20,000.
AND A LOT OF IT'S GOING TO BE
CLASSROOM SPACE, AND A LOT OF
IT'S GOING TO BE TOURNAMENT
SPACE.
>> Soledad: DO YOU FEEL LIKE
CHESS FINALLY IS HITTING THE
POPULARITY THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS
WANTED?
>> I THINK IT IS, AND WE'RE
GONNA BE THE BENEFICIARIES OF
THAT.
WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL BEYOND
OUR WILDEST DREAMS.
>> Bryant: A COUPLE OF QUICK
NOTES: ALTHOUGH IT FITS THE
SCREEN QUITE NICELY, THE CHESS
BOOM HAS NOT BEEN LIMITED TO THE
VIRTUAL WORLD.
SALES OF ACTUAL CHESS SETS WENT
THROUGH THE ROOF THIS PAST
HOLIDAY SEASON.
AS FOR THE FICTIONAL BETH HARMON
OF "THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT," THERE'S
NOW A BOT PROGRAMMED TO PLAY
JUST LIKE HER ON Chess.com,
WHERE FITTINGLY, WE'RE TOLD, SHE
RARELY LOSES A GAME.
AND THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS
EVENING.
FOR ALL OF THE GOOD FOLKS AT
"REAL SPORTS," I'M BRYANT
GUMBEL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING WITH US.
PLEASE STAY SAFE.
AND GOOD NIGHT.
♪ ♪