Both the Rams and NFL had said they were unaware of the project.
The Oprah Winfrey Network and St. Louis Rams star Michael Sam’s representation have announced that the documentary series based on him has been postponed.
OWN announced on Wednesday that they had acquired the rights to follow Sam in the early stages of his NFL career after he became the first openly gay athlete to be drafted into the league last weekend.
According to ESPN sources, the plan was to follow Sam’s personal life as he adjusted to life in the spotlight and attempted to make the Rams roster with the content set to be divided into six to eight segments.
However, both the Rams and the NFL said they were unaware of the project prior to its announcement, and it appears as though all parties concerned have decided that it might be in the best interests to postpone the idea for now.
“After careful consideration and discussion with the St. Louis Rams, ‘The Untitled Michael Sam Project’ has been postponed, allowing Michael the best opportunity to achieve his dreams of making the team,” OWN president Erik Logan said in a statement.
“OWN is about elevating and empowering people to achieve their best. It’s clear that we, along with the world, recognize the opportunity that Michael has in this moment. We will continue to support him in his journey to earn a spot playing for the Rams.”
The statement also included a note from Sam’s agent, Cameron Weiss, who met with the Rams on Friday and he insisted that after talks with the organisation they felt it was the best scenario to postpone the project which would in turn allow Sam to have total focus on football.
Earlier in the week, an unidentified member of the Rams team revealed that while they were welcoming Sam to the franchise they did have concerns that the documentary would prove to be a distraction for everyone.
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