HBO aired the Season 4 premiere of “BALLERS” last night, and after a focus on landing a Las Vegas NFL team in Season 3, the plot moves back to financial investments for athletes for lead character Spencer Strasmore, played by DWAYNE JOHNSON, who wants to pump $50M into agency expansion. The show also shifts from a Miami setting to Southern California for Season 4, and that is evident early on in the opening montage. Whereas the credits in first three seasons included an image of Hard Rock Stadium, the opening credits now feature aerial footage of the still-under-construction NFL venue in Inglewood that will house the Rams and Chargers. Also new to the credits are images of skateboarders and surfers, as Strasmore and partner Joe Krutel (played by Rob Corddry) are considering the purchase of an action sports agency.
ACTION NEWS: Strasmore and Krutel head to L.A. for a meeting with a fictional, vertically-integrated outfit called SportsX, which has 250 employees, a linear TV channel in 20 million homes and is looking to get into owning action sports events. When asked about the current roster of athletes, its founder, Lance, played by RUSSELL BRAND, lists surfers KELLY SLATER and LAIRD HAMILTON; skateboarders TONY HAWK, ZION WRIGHT and NYJAH HUSTON; and motocross/supercross riders ROBBIE MADDISON and TRAVIS PASTRANA. But Lance says the “jewel” in the agency's stable is a fictional African-American surfer who could be the “JACKIE ROBINSON of surfing.”
NFL STORYLINES: As hinted in the Season 3 finale, the NFL team focus shifts from the Dolphins to the Rams in Season 4, with the character of Charles Greane, played by OMAR BENSON MILLER, becoming GM of the club. The plot even references the removal of Rams GM LES SNEAD, who in reality remains with the club. Greane is shown having to deal with a demanding team president and nervous employees who think their jobs are on the line. Meanwhile, WR Ricky Jerrett, played by JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON, remains out of football after having post-concussion issues. But now he is trying to get back on an NFL roster after sitting out a season. His agent informs him that the Browns are the only team interested, which Jerrett says is worse than being stuck at home with his girlfriend and young baby ("Ballers," HBO, 8/12).
NOTES:
- Strasmore learns in the premiere that he is on the ballot for the Pro Football HOF.
- The one notable cameo in the premiere is by Jaguars DE CALAIS CAMPBELL. Campbell, along with the likes of Huston and Hawk, is a CAA client.
- Strasmore is set to take a meeting with a highly touted SoCal high school QB in a future episode.
