HBO SPORTS BEGINS PRODUCTION ON DOCUMENTARY
BATTLE FOR TOBACCO ROAD: DUKE VS. CAROLINA,
EXAMINING COLLEGE BASKETBALL’S FIERCEST RIVALRY,
DEBUTING FEB. 23
NEW YORK, Jan. 6, 2009 — HBO Sports has begun production on the documentary BATTLE FOR TOBACCO ROAD: DUKE VS. CAROLINA, chronicling what many hardwood observers consider college basketball’s fiercest rivalry, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports. Tracing the history of the rivalry, as well as examining the different cultures and characteristics of the programs in Durham and Chapel Hill, the special debuts MONDAY, FEB. 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
“This film will explore how a cross-town rivalry between two prestigious academic universities in North Carolina has escalated into one of the most scrutinized and intense rivalries in college sports,” said Greenburg. “The regular season showdowns and the ACC Tournament meetings between these two schools have become national events, and we’ll explore how it all started and what it means to have played in one of these contests.”
Separated by fewer than ten miles, the two schools have been going at it on the hardwood since 1920. But over the past 25 years, their heated competition has steadily grown in intensity, with Duke and North Carolina gearing up each season to reach a common goal: to beat their archrival twice in the regular season, regardless of rankings or won-loss records. These two Atlantic Coast Conference powerhouses frequently dominate the conference standings, and routinely compete for the top spot in the national polls. Remarkably, since the NCAA Tournament expanded to its current configuration in 1985, these two schools alone have combined for more national titles (five) and made more Final Four appearances (18), than any other entire conference.
The high-profile list of interviewees from the Blue Devils and Tar Heels weighing in on the intense rivalry in BATTLE FOR TOBACCO ROAD: DUKE VS. CAROLINA includes Hall of Fame coaches Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski, and all-time great players Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Charlie Scott, Grant Hill, Johnny Dawkins and Christian Laettner.
The executive producers of BATTLE FOR TOBACCO ROAD: DUKE VS. CAROLINA are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; produced by George Roy.
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HBO and HBO Sports already understandably has a wide range, if not cult following. I certainly am a member of this group of viewers. HBO is missing the boat if they don’t advertise the date of the production “Battle for Tobacco Road: Duke vs. North Carolina. You might discover that more people sign up for your cable service than ever just to see this program. I already have 3 guys who want to know the date and join me in front of my T.V. just to watch this presentation. I’m also going to video tape the program so family and friends won’t miss out. HBO must really appreciate the ratings this basketball season with UNC holding the #1 spot the first eight weeks of the season and Duke probably gaining the #1 spot on Mon, Jan.26. UNC – Class of “70.