Case Study: A League of Their Own

Red Arrow International’s Harry Gamsu discusses the various adaptations of A League of Their Own, the sports-based comedy entertainment program that has turned the panel show genre on its head.

The series has been a homerun for Sky 1 in the U.K., where it’s aired since March 2010. Eleven seasons later—and with another two on the way—the BAFTA Award-winning show continues to be a success for the broadcaster and has traveled as a format thanks to Red Arrow International.

Produced and created by Red Arrow’s CPL Productions, the series features two teams of three—with comedians paired up with sports-loving star guests—who go head-to-head to correctly rank comedic sporting lists over a number of rounds, building to a large-scale physical endgame.

The Sky original boasts James Corden as host, who is perhaps best known to British fans from Gavin & Stacey and is now a big star Stateside with The Late Late Show.

The format has been licensed to multiple territories, including Australia and across Scandinavia. The Danish version has been airing successfully on Kanal 5 for three seasons, with season four now commissioned. It is presented by comedian Carsten Bang, and the captains are former professional cyclist Jesper Skibby and comedian Jesper Juhl.

The show recently premiered in Norway to ratings success. Sky Germany marks the latest commission for the format, with Eine Liga für sich—Buschis Sechserkette premiering March 13, hosted by popular TV presenter and sports commentator Frank Buschmann.

“There are very few entertainment panel shows that have traveled as well as this one,” says Harry Gamsu, the VP of non-scripted at Red Arrow International. “Traditionally, panel shows struggle to sell as formats as they’re very talent-dependent. With A League of Their Own, even though it features excellent talent like James Corden, the core format itself is very strong. The show’s reputation, combined with its high-octane stunts and set pieces, attract a high caliber of sports star; and the format gets them to do things and reveal things they wouldn’t usually on any other show.”

Gamsu says that the local versions have stuck very closely to the original, staying faithful to having big challenges outside the studio and smaller challenges within the studio setting. They also maintain the same setup with regard to the panels, featuring famous sports stars with comedians and celebrities. “Initially, the thought [with the format] was, who can fill James Corden’s shoes?” Gamsu admits. “People like him don’t grow on trees!”

Nevertheless, he points out that Denmark has had much success with Bang as host. “He’s done a great job of maintaining the high level of entertainment and being into sports but not in such a way that it alienates a big audience.”

The format has also spawned some spin-offs of the U.K. version, with a U.S. road-trip show featuring Corden, Jack Whitehall, Jamie Redknapp and Freddie Flintoff proving a huge success for Sky as the highest rating series of A League of Their Own. “They have recommissioned a second season,” says Gamsu, “and it is something other territories are looking at.”