VICE TV SCHEDULES "PITINO: RED STORM RISING" PREMIERE

New, In-Depth Docu-Follow Series Debuts Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 10:00 PM ET First-Look Trailer Now Available

NEW YORK (Jan. 17, 2025) - VICE TV today announced that Pitino: Red Storm Rising, a new six-part docuseries following Rick Pitino in his second season as head coach of the St. John's University men's basketball team, will premiere on Tuesday, Feb. 11 (10:00-11:00 PM ET), with new episodes weekly. Through months-long access, the series will give viewers an in-depth backstage pass as Pitino and the Red Storm work to win the school's first BIG EAST Conference title since the turn of the century and chase their first-ever National Championship.

Filming for Pitino: Red Storm Rising began in the fall, well before the season tipped off against Fordham, as Pitino and the Johnnies look to build off the progress made last season. Besides seeing the inner workings of his team and his coaching, the series takes a candid look back at the highs and lows that mark Pitino's storied career as he strives to return St. John's to prominence in his hometown of New York City.

"We are on a mission to bring this program back to respectability, one that would make Louie [Carnesecca] proud," said Pitino. "VICE takes you up close to see our motivational methods, the teaching of fundamentals, and the ups and downs of BIG EAST basketball. Forgive me for my language; I'll wash my mouth out with soap!"

During his 36 seasons as a collegiate head coach, Pitino made 23 NCAA Tournament appearances with five different schools, advancing to the Final Four seven times, a total achieved by only six coaches all-time. He became the first coach to take three different schools to the Final Four and is the only coach to win an NCAA Championship at two different schools (Kentucky, 1995-96; Louisville, 2012-13). With a 54-21 record in the NCAA Tournament, Pitino holds the third-highest winning percentage among active coaches in NCAA Tournament games (.720).

Pitino: Red Storm Rising is produced for VICE TV by The WorkShop Content Studios.

Also coming to VICE TV next month is Calipari: Razor's Edge. Premiering Monday, Feb. 10 (10:00-11:00 PM ET), the new docuseries chronicles the career of Hall of Fame coach John Calipari and his first season leading the University of Arkansas men's basketball team.

As global demand for sports programming continues to grow, VICE Media recently launched the VICE Sports brand, coupled with a significantly expanded original sports programming strategy. VICE TV, the company's 40M plus subscriber cable television network in partnership with A+E, has shifted its prime-time programming to a sports-first model (find VICE TV viewing and streaming options here). VICE TV will co-produce and air seven original sports series early next year with prime-time programming blocks branded VICE Sports as part of this shift. Overall, the company will produce more than 50 hours of sports-themed docuseries, programs, events, and podcasts for global distributors across television and digital.

ABOUT VICE MEDIA

VICE Media is a global media and entertainment company that produces authentic, high-quality content across television, digital, film, news, and branded advertising. The company has four main businesses in its portfolio: VICE Studios (award-winning television, documentary, and film production company); VICE TV (40M plus subscriber sports and entertainment cable network in partnership with A+E); VIRTUE Worldwide (a global, full-service strategic, creative, and branded entertainment agency that excels in increasing brands' cultural capital in today's ever-changing, digital-first world) and Pulse (leading commercial and music video production company). Recent Vice Studios content includes hit UK series Gangs of London (now available on Netflix in the U.S.), MAX documentary Bama Rush, and the newly launched video podcast Shane Smith Has Questions, which has attracted millions of views on YouTube.

The company's owners (funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group, Soros Capital Management, and Monroe Capital) are committed to future growth, with potential M&A as part of the long-term strategic plan.

St. John's Men's Basketball

Boasting the ninth-most victories all-time in NCAA Division I, St. John's has recorded 91 winning seasons in its storied 118-year history. With 29 NCAA Tournament appearances in program history, the Red Storm has made nine runs to the Sweet 16, advanced to the Elite Eight six times and made a pair of trips to the Final Four in 1952 and 1985. St. John's postseason success also includes an unprecedented five National Invitation Tournament titles and 29 appearances in the NIT.