“The work that Search for Common Ground is doing with the groundbreaking television project, The Team, matches our aims.  Football (soccer) is a remarkable tool which can break down barriers, foster understanding, and teach people valuable lessons on a wide range of social issues.”

--Richard Scudamore, Chief Executive of the Premier League

In its multi-nation, episodic drama The Team, Search for Common Ground has merged the global appeal of soccer/football* with soap opera to help transform social attitudes and diminish violent behavior in countries grappling with deeply rooted conflict. The television series addresses the very real divisive issues facing societies in a dozen African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries, using sport as a unifier to surmount barriers. Each production of The Team follows the characters on a football team who must overcome their differences – be they cultural, ethnic, religious, tribal, racial or socio-economic – in order to work together to win the game.

The Team rings true for viewers, given that all of the series are created and produced locally. Actors and scriptwriters, who have experienced violent conflict and divisions firsthand, are drawn from local populations in countries like Kenya, Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire. Local production companies and technicians take the lead, with additional technical assistance and support from Common Ground Productions.

Inspired by worldwide passion for football, The Team is now especially timely as teams and fans prepare for the summer 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Just as the World Cup unites fans globally, despite boundaries that may seem insurmountable in every-day life, The Team sparks in viewers a sense of belonging to a whole that transcends often narrowly-defined identities.  

* The sport known as soccer in the United States will hereafter be referred to as football, as it is known in the rest of the world.

WHAT MAKES THE TEAM SO INNOVATIVE?

• The Team uses popular culture to communicate positive messages.  Well-crafted, entertaining programming can have a profound impact on how people think about themselves, their neighbors, and their society. Using this “edutainment” medium, The Team is able to promote co-existence and connect with a broad and diverse audience otherwise hard to reach.
• The series portrays positive role models and young people taking responsibility for their actions.
• In rural areas where TV is not accessible, mobile cinema screenings are set up for public showings, followed by moderated discussions.
• Each TV series will have a companion radio series to expand the program’s reach.

GOALS OF THE TEAM

• Increase tolerance, cooperation and national unity in societies traditionally wracked by conflict.
• Encourage dialogue instead of violence to address conflicts and differences.
• Develop and expand the creative and technical capacities of local writers and technicians.

OUTREACH AND EVALUATION

• Social media tools will be used for outreach and to receive audience feedback.
• Evaluation Surveys will be conducted pre- and post-broadcast. 
• Focus groups and case studies will be utilized to gather information on program impact.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

• DVDs of the series will be distributed through local associations, community groups, schools, religious groups and universities.

"On the football pitch and in everyday life, cooperation, respect and tolerance are values that will make all of us real winners. The TV drama series, The Team, has managed to capture this philosophy in an informative, entertaining and eye-opening way."

--Lord Triesman, Chairman of the English Football Association

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The Team has received funding from the following: