OUR STORY
Bringing ADAPTIVE to life has been a deeply rewarding and personal journey for us. It’s truly an honor to shine a light on the Paralympians and adaptive athletes whose voices have too often been overlooked or misrepresented.
From the start, our mission was clear: to tell stories from within the community—not about it. Too often, narratives about people with physical disabilities are filtered through a lens of ableism or reduced to one-dimensional portrayals of inspiration. With the guidance of a passionate team of executive producers, advisors, and creatives—many with lived experience—we set out to change that.
ADAPTIVE aims to showcase the raw humanity and determination of our featured athletes—not to generate pity, but to foster connection. You may laugh or cry, but above all, we hope you walk away with a deeper respect for their journeys and an appreciation for their excellence. We worked to ensure our characters were seen first and foremost as elite athletes and individuals, not defined solely by their disabilities.
Our approach has always been to act as conduits, allowing our athletes to tell their stories in their voices, with honesty and vulnerability. It was our goal to create an immersive experience for viewers to connect deeply with our athletes and feel each celebration and each heartache. Every Paralympic cycle, the world cheers these athletes for a few fleeting moments. But rarely do we get to sit with the full story: the heartbreak, the training, the advocacy, the human cost—and the glory.
We also recognize that this work lives beyond the screen. With our impact partner, Angel City Sports, we’re committed to growing awareness of the adaptive sports movement. An estimated 15% of the U.S. population lives with a disability - yet only a small fraction are aware of or have access to programs like Angel City Sports. We hope
ADAPTIVE inspires people to engage, to participate, and to reimagine what’s possible in their lives - on and off the field of play.
Our ability to adapt is an important part of life. Athletes must adapt, evolve, and alter their life and training routines in order to stay healthy, focused, and motivated based on new conditions and environmental factors they face. This could include living situations, relationships, aging, injuries, work-life balance, family, and external distractions. However, we ALL have to be
adaptive in order to keep moving forward. Success in life is often achieved through failure, challenges, resilience, and ultimately our ability to be
adaptive.
If we are adapting to life, we are alive, we are growing, we are moving.
We are all ADAPTIVE.
OUR PARTNERS
ADAPTIVE is proudly presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, in partnership with NBC Sports. These founding partners have provided more than financial support—they’ve championed the mission to elevate the stories of adaptive athletes through powerful, authentic storytelling.
A key contributor to the project is Team USA, whose collaboration has been instrumental in securing access to elite athletes, training camps, national governing bodies (NGBs), and Paralympic events. Their involvement also extends to the official rights and marks of the Paralympic Movement in the United States—ensuring accuracy and legitimacy throughout the series.
Among the earliest corporate partners, Therabody is the Official Performance Partner of ADAPTIVE and brought its expertise in performance and recovery technology, supporting both the athletes during filming and the production team’s needs. Therabody also committed to amplifying ADAPTIVE’s launch through internal marketing and promotion efforts.
P&G, a long-standing supporter of the Paralympic Movement, recognized the significance of the series’ message and provided early-stage funding.
Apple, renowned for its commitment to accessibility and inclusive design, supplied essential content-capture technology used during the final production phase, including on the ground at the Paris Games.
Angel City Sports (ACS), founded by the Frech family, was one of the earliest champions of the project. ACS played a foundational role—covering initial development expenses, providing filming access to key events, and serving as a key community activation partner within the adaptive sports landscape.
The Ruderman Family Foundation, a global leader in disability inclusion and representation, brought a critical financial support and philanthropic perspective to the project. Their involvement reinforces the series’ broader mission: to challenge outdated narratives and celebrate the capabilities and diversity of people with disabilities.
Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children, a premier pediatric hospital in Los Angeles, contributes both medical expertise and advocacy, especially in areas of rehabilitation and orthopedic care for youth athletes navigating physical disabilities. The team at Luskin believed in the project from the start, providing crucial investment support and will continue involvement as we market the project to the broader public.
We’re also deeply grateful for the support of producers Mike Karz and Bill Bindley of Gulfstream Pictures, whose belief in the power of storytelling to drive systemic change aligns deeply with the series’ vision. Additionally, Ezra Frech, two-time Paralympic gold medalist and a featured athlete in ADAPTIVE, not only lends his voice and story to the series but also provides direct investment, demonstrating his leadership within and beyond the movement.
This diverse coalition—spanning corporate leaders, nonprofit advocates, healthcare institutions, elite athletes, and entertainment professionals—forms the backbone of ADAPTIVE’s funding and production strategy for Season 1. More than just supporters, these partners are strategic collaborators whose alignment with the series’ mission has strengthened its creative impact, operational sustainability, and long-term reach. Together, they are helping ensure that ADAPTIVE delivers a series that is emotionally resonant, visually immersive, and culturally relevant—while deepening understanding and respect for the broader disability community.
Finally, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the extended network of team members, vendors, friends, and family. Your belief in ADAPTIVE has fueled this journey from day one—and we are here because of your relentless support.
Producers
Clayton Frech
Ryan S. Porush
Jay Snyder
Christopher Stoudt
Ryan Suffern
Colin Weatherby
Executive Producers
Dave Pantano
Ezra Frech
Bahar Soomekh
Bill Bindley
Mike Karz
Jay Ruderman
Mallory Weggemann
UPCOMING PLANS
7/17 Pittsburgh Premiere with DICK’S Sporting Goods
7/18-22 New York Media Tour
7/28 Eugene, OR Premiere

