Charlie Ebersol

Charles Duncan Ebersol[1] (born December 30, 1982)[2] is an American television and film producer and director. Ebersol is best known as the co-founder of The Company with Justin Hochberg,[3] executive producer of USA Network's NFL Characters Unite and a co-producer of The Profit on CNBC.[4] He is also the co-founder and CEO of the now-defunct Alliance of American Football.[5]

Charlie Ebersol
Born
Charles Duncan Ebersol

(1982-12-30) December 30, 1982
Torrington, Connecticut, US
Alma materUniversity of Notre Dame
OccupationTelevision producer, television director, film producer, film director, co-founder and CEO of the Alliance of American Football
Spouse(s)
Melody McCloskey (m. 2017)
Parent(s)Dick Ebersol
Susan Saint James

In 2012, Ebersol was named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of Reality Television's 50 Most Powerful Producers.[6]

Early life

Charlie Ebersol was born in Torrington, Connecticut,[2] the son of actress Susan Saint James and senior television executive Dick Ebersol.[7]

Plane crash

On November 28, 2004, during Charlie Ebersol's senior year at the University of Notre Dame, a private chartered jet carrying Dick Ebersol and his two sons Charlie and Teddy crashed during takeoff.[8][9] Charlie rescued his father from the wreckage, but Charlie's younger brother, Teddy, along with the pilot and a flight attendant were killed.[10][11]

The injuries the Ebersols sustained in the plane crash were extensive; Dick Ebersol fractured six vertebrae, sternum, three ribs, pelvis, and coccyx, and Charlie Ebersol burned his arm and suffered a less severe back injury.[12] Charlie Ebersol returned to Notre Dame shortly after the plane crash to finish his senior year and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree on May 15, 2005.[13]

Early projects

While studying at Notre Dame, Ebersol created his first documentary entitled Ithuteng: Never Stop Learning in 2006.[14] The movie received critical acclaim, winning the Toronto International Film Festival's first OneXOne award and inspired Oprah Winfrey to donate $1.14 million to the Ithuteng Trust School.[15]

Ebersol also produced the documentaries Don't Look Down, about the life of Olympian Shaun White after he won Olympic Gold in 2006,[16] and Tradition Never Graduates, a film about Notre Dame Football.[17]

In 2009, Ebersol formed and sold Saint James Films and also co-created and executive produced NBC's The Wanted, a primetime show in which Ebersol and producing partner Adam Ciralsky led a team of former Navy Seals, a former UN Ambassador and a former Lieutenant Green Beret around the world in search of the most wanted terrorists and war criminals.[18]

The Company

In 2011, Charlie Ebersol co-founded The Hochberg-Ebersol (THE) Company with Justin Hochberg and Mike Lanigan.[19]

Early projects included TNT's The Great Escape,[7] executive produced with Bertram Van Munster, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, and History's Off the Grid: Million Dollar Manhunt.[20]

Ebersol created USA Network's The Moment in 2013, a show hosted by Kurt Warner devoted to giving Americans a second chance to achieve their dreams. Ebersol was inspired to create the show after receiving his own second chance at life after surviving a plane crash in 2004.[21]

Ebersol is also the co-creator and executive producer of NFL Characters Unite, a yearly television special with USA Network[22] and The Profit on CNBC. In 2013 he worked with Dolph Lundgren on the Reelz competition show Race to the Scene.[23]

Ebersol's production company changed its name from THE Company to The Company in 2013, upon the exit of Justin Hochberg.[24] Ebersol's stated mission with The Company is to bring "Joy, Happiness, and Change…to the world through entertainment."[25]

In 2014, The Company announced a production and finance partnership with Israeli production house Dori Media.[26][27]

Ebersol was rumored to be attached to produce Space Jam 2, with his brother Willie Ebersol writing.[28]

Ebersol executive produced The Untitled Yale Drama for USA Network along with Rob Reiner. [29]

Ebersol directed This Was the XFL, a documentary in the 30 for 30 series about the XFL. He was chosen by ESPN to direct the documentary because of his father's co-founding of the league, and he used the longtime friendship between Dick and WWE chairman Vince McMahon as the centerpiece for the film.

Alliance of American Football

In March 2018, Ebersol announced the creation of a new professional football league called the Alliance of American Football.[30] The announcement was made at a press event at the Park Hyatt in Manhattan, and was streamed live on Facebook.[31] Ebersol co-founded the league, which started playing in 2019, with former NFL executive and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Bill Polian.[32] Ebersol's father, who co-founded rival league XFL and who led NBC Sports and created Sunday Night Football, sat on the league's board.[33] The league was backed by investors such as Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, The Chernin Group and former NFL player Jared Allen, and employed coaches Mike Singletary, Brad Childress and Steve Spurrier as well as former NFL players including Justin Tuck, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu who held executive roles.[34][35] Games were played during the "off-season," from February to April, and aired on CBS, CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, TNT, B/R Live and the league's mobile app.[36] After giving unilateral control of the league to Thomas Dundon, (owner of the Carolina Hurricanes NHL franchise) the league was suspended against the wishes of Ebersol and Polian. Ebersol consistently showed signs of dishonesty and evasiveness whenever pressed on the league's financial matters.[37][38][39][40]

In 2019, he was listed among the 40 Under 40 List put out by Connecticut Magazine.[41]

Philanthropy

For his 30th birthday, Ebersol held a party entitled "Charlieland" benefiting Charity: Water, raising nearly $60,000 for the charity.[42]

In 2014, Ebersol and The Company became entertainment partners of the veteran campaign Got Your 6 together with First Lady Michelle Obama and actor Bradley Cooper.[43][44][45]

Personal life

On March 17, 2017, Ebersol announced via Twitter his engagement to Melody McCloskey, Founder and CEO of StyleSeat. On July 29, 2017, Ebersol and McCloskey were married at a farm in Walland, Tennessee.[46] He previously dated pop star Britney Spears and tennis player Maria Sharapova.

References
  1. "Susan Saint James". Yahoo Movies Canada. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015.
  2. "Newsmakers > Susan Saint James [gives birth to William James Ebersol]". Kentucky New Era. Associated Press. October 23, 1986. p. 8E. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  3. AJ Marechal "THE Co. Co-Founder Justin Hochberg Exits Shingle (Exclusive)"] "Variety" July 3, 2013
  4. "The Profit (2013– ) Full Cast & Crew on CNBC"
  5. Ourand, John. "Ebersol says upstart football league will showcase technology". New York Business Journal. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  6. THR Staff "Reality TV: THR's 50 Most Powerful List", The Hollywood Reporter, May 16, 2012
  7. John Ourand “Young Ebersol finds his place in TV production”, "Sports Business Journal", April 1, 2013
  8. Sam Davis “Notre Dame senior Charlie Ebersol survives Colorado plane crash”, "The Observer", November 29, 2004
  9. "National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Final Report, Accident Number DEN05MA029". NTSB. May 3, 2006. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  10. “Ebersol family discusses plane crash that killed son”, "USA Today", February 2, 2006
  11. “Susan Saint James remembers her son Teddy”, "TODAY.com", December 12, 2004
  12. Claire Heininger "The Observer", Wednesday, January 12, 2005
  13. Klowetter, Barbara. Records Management Team, Office of the Registrar, University of Notre Dame.
  14. Kaitlynn Riely “Ebersol to again go on ‘Oprah’”, "The Observer", April 20, 2006
  15. Richard Sandomir “Film About Despair in South Africa, and School That Offers Hope”, "The New York Times", July 2, 2005
  16. “Don't Look Down: Shaun White”, "Eye Candy Cinema", November 30, 2014
  17. “Notre Dame: Tradition Never Graduates”, "www.stephanmazurek.com", November 26, 2014
  18. Jim Halterman “Interview: "The Wanted" Executive Producers Charlie Ebersol & Adam Ciralsky”, "Futon Critic", July 20, 2009
  19. Stuart Levine “Hochberg Ebersol Co. takes off”, "Variety", November 11, 2011
  20. Jacob Goodwin “Off the Grid reality TV depicts real-world surveillance technologies”, "GSN: Government Security News”, November 29, 2011
  21. Randee Dawn “Charlie Ebersol seizes 'The Moment,' offers people a second chance at dreams”, "TODAY.com", April 12, 2013
  22. “"NFL Characters Unite" film to air Friday on USA Network”, "NFL.com", February 6, 2013
  23. Deadline Team “Dolph Lundgren To Host ReelzChannel Competition Series 'Race To The Scene'”, "Deadline", July 25, 2012
  24. AJ Marechal “THE Co. Co-Founder Justin Hochberg Exits Shingle (Exclusive)”, "Variety", November 10, 2013
  25. “The Mission” Archived November 20, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, "The Company", November 29, 2014
  26. Brian Steinberg “Charlie Ebersol, Israel’s Dori Media Set Production Venture”, "Variety", March 5, 2014
  27. Daniel Holloway “The Company Partners With Israel’s Dori Media on International Venture”, "Broadcasting & Cable", March 5, 2014
  28. Anita Busch “Ebersols Aboard To Produce And Script Warner Bros’ ‘Space Jam 2′ As A Starring Vehicle For LeBron James”, "Deadline", February 21, 2014
  29. Nellie Andreeva “Rob Reiner & Andrew Lenchewski Sell Spy Drama Set In Yale’s Skull & Bones Society To USA”, "Deadline", August 13, 2014
  30. Bixenspan, David (March 21, 2018). "Why Is Charlie Ebersol Launching A Direct Rival To His Buddy Vince McMahon's XFL?". Deadspin. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  31. Joyce, Greg (March 20, 2018). "Why Alliance of American Football thinks it will be different". New York Post. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  32. Fowler, Jeremy. "A new football league is here: The AAF has big plans". ESPN. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  33. Spangler, Todd (March 20, 2018). "New Pro Football League Sets 2019 Debut With CBS Sports Pact". Variety. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  34. Perez, A.J. (March 21, 2018). "New AAF pro football league, set for 2019 debut, described as 'complementary' to NFL". USA Today. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  35. Rovell, Darren. "Former NFLers involved in league to rival XFL". ESPN. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  36. Moore, Greg (May 21, 2018). "Alliance of American Football might work by appealing to fans, gamblers in post-NFL window". USA Today. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  37. Ourand, John (April 17, 2019). "SBJ Media: Charlie Ebersol Speaks". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  38. Fernandez, Gabe (April 10, 2019). "Lawsuit Claims The AAF Intentionally Misled And Defrauded Its Players". Deadspin. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  39. Brent Schrotenboer and Kevin Allen (February 22, 2019). "Why AAF investor sees long lifespan for new football league". USA Today. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  40. Meyer, Brendan (February 6, 2020). "Landry Jones is the face of the XFL. Does he want to be?". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  41. "40 Under 40: The Class of 2019." (Connecticut Magazine) (January 23, 2019) Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  42. “CharlieLAND”, "Charity: Water”, December 31, 2012
  43. "Charlie Ebersol Teams Up with Michelle Obama & Bradley Cooper to Advocate for Veterans". People.
  44. Andrea Seikaly “Bizzers Meet to Discuss Media’s Portrayal of Veterans”, "Variety", May 29, 2014
  45. Jeff Nelson “Meet Britney Spears's New Beau: 5 Things to Know About Charlie Ebersol”, "People", November 6, 2014
  46. "Melody McCloskey, Charles Ebersol". Retrieved September 7, 2018.
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