Ted Lasso is one of the world's best TV shows.
The character was developed 20 years ago at a comedy club in Amsterdam.
Jason Sudeikis is now paid $1 million per episode, and the show has signed licensing deals with Nike, EA Sports, and the Premier League.
Here's the story ๐
The character was developed 20 years ago at a comedy club in Amsterdam.
Jason Sudeikis is now paid $1 million per episode, and the show has signed licensing deals with Nike, EA Sports, and the Premier League.
Here's the story ๐
1) The Ted Lasso story starts in 2001.
Brendan Hunt was living in Amsterdam while working for an improv comedy club called Boom Chicago.
He spent 5 years writing and performing at the club and fell in love with the culture and history of European football.
Brendan Hunt was living in Amsterdam while working for an improv comedy club called Boom Chicago.
He spent 5 years writing and performing at the club and fell in love with the culture and history of European football.
2) Jason Sudeikis then joined the comedy club shortly after, and Hunt kept talking about European football.
But there was just one problem:
Sudeikis knew nothing about soccer.
So Sudeikis and Hunt bought a PlayStation and played the FIFA video game before and after each show.
But there was just one problem:
Sudeikis knew nothing about soccer.
So Sudeikis and Hunt bought a PlayStation and played the FIFA video game before and after each show.
3) Hunt would use American comparisons to teach Sudeikis about the different players and teams.
And it was during these video game sessions that Hunt, Sudeikis, and fellow Boom Chicago member Joe Kelly came up with the fictional character Ted Lasso.
More on that in a second...
And it was during these video game sessions that Hunt, Sudeikis, and fellow Boom Chicago member Joe Kelly came up with the fictional character Ted Lasso.
More on that in a second...
4) The Ted Lasso character is simple.
He's an American football coach that is hired to coach an English football team without knowing anything about the sport.
And this character marinated in their heads for over a decade before they brought it to life in 2013.
He's an American football coach that is hired to coach an English football team without knowing anything about the sport.
And this character marinated in their heads for over a decade before they brought it to life in 2013.
5) NBC paid $250 million for US broadcasting rights to the Premier League in 2013.
So they asked Jason Sudeikis to create a promo to attract fans, and he immediately thought of Ted Lasso.
And the two commercials were a massive success, doing a combined 28 million views.
So they asked Jason Sudeikis to create a promo to attract fans, and he immediately thought of Ted Lasso.
And the two commercials were a massive success, doing a combined 28 million views.
6) Ted Lasso then became a bigger idea from there.
The creators โ Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly โ wrote a script for season 1 in 2015 and shopped the idea around to a couple of networks.
But no one wanted the show.
So this is where Bill Lawrence comes in.
The creators โ Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly โ wrote a script for season 1 in 2015 and shopped the idea around to a couple of networks.
But no one wanted the show.
So this is where Bill Lawrence comes in.
7) Bill Lawrence (creator of Scrubs) partnered up with the Ted Lasso team in 2017 as its TV producer.
But there was one caveat: the show had to be a workplace ensemble comedy โ not a soccer show.
Sudeikis and the others agreed & they eventually signed a test deal with Apple TV.
But there was one caveat: the show had to be a workplace ensemble comedy โ not a soccer show.
Sudeikis and the others agreed & they eventually signed a test deal with Apple TV.
8) Ted Lasso season 1 officially premiered in August 2020 โ and it was a massive success.
The show's first episode was Apple TV's most-watched season premiere ever, and that record was later broken by the season 2 premiere.
Even crazier, the show has won 11 Emmy Awards.
The show's first episode was Apple TV's most-watched season premiere ever, and that record was later broken by the season 2 premiere.
Even crazier, the show has won 11 Emmy Awards.
9) This success has turned Ted Lasso into a big business.
Nike is now selling their jerseys online, and they signed a $680,000 licensing deal with the Premier League.
The team will also be featured in FIFA 23, and they are even selling "Biscuits With The Boss" ice cream.
Nike is now selling their jerseys online, and they signed a $680,000 licensing deal with the Premier League.
The team will also be featured in FIFA 23, and they are even selling "Biscuits With The Boss" ice cream.
10) And the cast has benefitted also.
Jason Sudeikis will earn $1 million per episode this season after making $250k-$300k for seasons 1 & 2.
Other actors are seeing their pay double, from $75k per episode to $150k.
And Bill Lawrence has signed a $100M+ deal with Warner Bros.
Jason Sudeikis will earn $1 million per episode this season after making $250k-$300k for seasons 1 & 2.
Other actors are seeing their pay double, from $75k per episode to $150k.
And Bill Lawrence has signed a $100M+ deal with Warner Bros.
11) So while Ted Lasso started as a backstage joke at a comedy club in Amsterdam, the fictional character has become much bigger.
Sudeikis has hinted that this will be the last season, but it's hard to imagine Apple TV+ just letting a winner disappear.
We'll see what happens.
Sudeikis has hinted that this will be the last season, but it's hard to imagine Apple TV+ just letting a winner disappear.
We'll see what happens.
12) If you enjoyed this thread, you should follow me.
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I tweet interesting stuff like this all the time.
And you'll also probably enjoy my newsletter, where I break down the business and money behind sports.
Join 94,000+ others: huddleup.substack.com
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