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Last Chance U

2016
Posted By Monica Nawrot

In Last Chance U college football players must fight against adversity in order to achieve their dreams.

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About Last Chance U

A Netflix original, Last Chance U follows the story of various college football athletes as they train in hopes of making the NFL. Many come from a rough upbringing and must use this opportunity as the last chance to turn their lives around. The first two seasons focus on East Mississippi Community College. An important theme with this team is their dynamics. At EMCC many of the players face challenges surrounding academics and their personal lives and must work even harder in order to keep up in the classroom and on the field. With many sharing in the struggle, they understand how to support each other in order to make the team successful.

In seasons three and four viewers are introduced to Independence Community College in Kansas. In the third season of the show we learn about ICC’s poor record and how the team plans on turning it around. Eventually the team goes on a winning streak, however their stroke of luck would be cut short. Poor reputation of the head coach, the team’s poor record and budget cuts for the school become a series of challenges the team must overcome. 

The fifth and final season showcases the story of the Laney College football team from Oakland, California. Although we only spend one season following the team we learn a lot about their players and the opposition they face. From family strains, academic issues, injuries, and the struggle to afford housing are all problems facing the players and affecting their performance.

Last Chance U's Relation To Sport Business

In Last Chance U we witness a lot of the pain, both mental and physical, the players go through in their sport, often for little or no pay. Putting your body on the line for the sake of the team and winning was something that was reiterated time and time again by the coaching staff to their players. Unfortunately, this meant that many athletes were playing through injuries which only hurt their chances of playing at the top level. In one case an athlete was playing with a concussion.Luckily his injury improved over time, but had he gotten hurt again on the field, not only would his football career be over, his personal life would greatly suffer. On the positive side, the players were able to rely on their teammates in times of need. Speaking of his teammates, Kuony Deng, a linebacker for ICC said, “We all struggle together. Once you build those relationships it's really all love." This just goes to show how important teammates are in times of crisis. 

Another key theme throughout the series would be life after sport. Every student athlete dreams of making it to the pros, and for most that will never be reality. With each school featured in the series there is the similar belief among their student's, that without football they are nothing. Growing up many of these young men were taught that the only way for them to be considered successful in life was to be a professional football player. As a result many neglected their academics, and are now left in limbo as they do not have the grades to graduate nor the talent to go pro. 

Last Chance USport Industry Areas Touched

Related Industry Trends

Last Chance U Industry Endorsements

Last Chance U has been suggested to us by sport industry professionals we talk to on a regular basis. See a list of those individuals below.

 Industry Professional  Organization  Position
Amanda Ballestero Buffalo Bisons Game Day Entertainment Coordinator
Patrick Osborne Oklahoma State University Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
Blair McIntosh Special Olympics Canada Vice President of Sport
Wesley Robinson Charlotte Hornets Social Media Coordinator
Ian Duffy Global News Regina Sports Anchor

Why watch Last Chance U?

If you plan on binge watching another Netflix series anytime soon Last Chance U should be it. Each episode brings the viewer on a rollercoaster of emotions. By getting to learn about different players and their backgrounds we experience the highs and lows right alongside them. To make the show more personable, we meet their coaches, team staff, academic advisors and their families who only want the best for them. This pulls at the heart strings which makes the audience more invested in the series. As someone who never watched football or had an interest in collegiate sports I found myself captivated by this show and really enjoyed getting to learn the journey’s of the athletes. With its light hearted moments and intriguing themes Last Chance U belongs on The Shelf and on your must-watch list!  

Trailer & Extras

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