US pay-television broadcaster HBO has extended its partnership with the NFL American football league, through which it will continue to air the Hard Knocks documentary series.
HBO has signed a new long-term deal with the league’s NFL Media and NFL Films divisions, which produce the series. A new five-episode season of Hard Knocks will begin on HBO on August 8 ahead of the start of the new NFL season.
Hard Knocks, which debuted in 2001, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of NFL players, coaches and staff. To date, there have been 57 episodes and one anniversary special in the show’s 11 seasons.
Hard Knocks launched with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, followed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2002, and resumed in 2007 with the Kansas City Chiefs. It went on to showcase the Cowboys again in 2008, Cincinnati Bengals in 2009, New York Jets in 2010, Miami Dolphins in 2012, Bengals in 2013, Atlanta Falcons in 2014 and Houston Texans in 2015, before documenting the Rams’ move from St Louis to Los Angeles last year.
A team for the 2017 season has yet to be selected.