BROKE — ESPN's 30 for 30 Documentary Films
Directed by Billy Corben
Film Summary
"According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, 60 percent of NBA
players are broke within five years of retirement. For 78 percent of NFL
players, it takes only three years. Sucked into bad investments,
stalked by freeloaders, saddled with medical problems, and naturally
prone to showing off, many pro athletes get shocked by harsh economic
realities after years of living the high life. Drawing surprisingly
vulnerable confessions from retired stars like Keith McCants, Bernie
Kosar and Andre Rison, as well as Marvin Miller, the former executive
director of the MLB Players Association, this fascinating documentary
digs into the psychology of men whose competitive nature can carry them
to victory on the field and ruin off it.
Director Billy Corben (The U, Cocaine Cowboys, Limelight) paints a complex picture of the many forces that drain athletes' bank accounts, placing some of the blame on the culture at large while still holding these giants accountable for their own hubris. A story of the dark side of success, "Broke," is an allegory for the financial woes haunting economies and individuals all over the world." — ESPN.com
Director Billy Corben (The U, Cocaine Cowboys, Limelight) paints a complex picture of the many forces that drain athletes' bank accounts, placing some of the blame on the culture at large while still holding these giants accountable for their own hubris. A story of the dark side of success, "Broke," is an allegory for the financial woes haunting economies and individuals all over the world." — ESPN.com
"In June 2009, we interviewed quarterback Bernie Kosar for the ESPN 30 for 30, The U. Anyone who knows Bernie will tell you, he's as kind and generous a guy you could ever meet. In fact, he was extremely generous with his time that morning; he talked with us for several hours and, afterwards, took pictures and signed autographs for the crew.
A few weeks later, Dan LeBatard broke the news: Following a series of bad investments and a costly divorce, Kosar had filed for bankruptcy. It was a shock. Beyond football, Kosar was renowned for his business savvy and known to have been even more financially successful after his decade-long NFL career than during it.
Personally, it broke my heart. Other than appearing tired at times, there was little or no indication during the hours Bernie spent with us that he was in the midst of this ordeal.
In the early part of the millennium, you'd occasionally hear about a high profile athlete suffering financial difficulties, but Pablo Torre's article, 'How (and Why) Athletes Go Broke,' in the March 2009 Sports Illustrated, cast a spotlight on what seemed to be an emerging epidemic in the wake of the 2008 economic meltdown.
These days, it seems there's a new story every week and we felt these stories were worth exploring. Not everyone was so enthusiastic about it, though.
They say the most uncouth subjects for dinner conversation are politics and religion. I gotta add money to that list. Athletes, a famously proud group, were not particularly anxious to discuss the state of their finances, so getting interviews for this project, not surprisingly, proved to be a challenge. I really admire the people who agreed to speak with us because they sincerely felt like they have something to offer the next generation and hope that others will learn from their experience.
The way "Broke" is structured, it's not about people, per se, but the problem, told by the people who experience(d) it. It's essentially a step-by-step guide, How To Lose Millions of Dollars Without Breaking a Sweat.
Conventional wisdom is that professional athletes blow a lot of money on useless crap. Spoiler alert: professional athletes blow a lot of money on useless crap. But that's barely the tip of the iceberg. I was surprised to discover -- and I think others will be, too -- how easy it is to go broke." — ESPN.com
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