Spike TV has greenlit a new, original half-hour comedy, "Players," which follows two brothers with opposite personalities trying to run a sports bar. Created by Matt Walsh, one of the founders of the improvisational comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade, "Players" is a Principato Young Entertainment Production and shoots in Los Angeles in February and premieres this summer on Spike TV.
"Players" stars Walsh as Bruce, a free-spirited, fun-loving, guy’s guy who is living out his fantasy of owning a bar that allows him to freely bet on sports along with dating the cocktail waitresses. His older, more subdued and uptight brother, Ken (Ian Roberts), serves as his antagonist, and tries to keep the focus on the bar turning a profit. The series also features Vicky (Danielle Schneider), the promiscuous waitress who has an affinity for B-list athletes, Hickey, the senior member of the staff who instead of actually working, spends most of his time bidding on sports memorabilia on eBay, and Calvin (James Pumphery) the young bartender who idolizes the fun-loving Bruce.
Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, Jay Martel as well as Peter Principato, Paul Young, Tucker Voorhees, John Lynch of Devlin Entertainment serve as executive producers. Jason Woliner, who directed the presentation, serves as a co-executive producer. Walsh, a Chicago native, is a former "Daily Show" correspondent who was a founding member of the successful improv comedy troupe, Upright Citizens Brigade. Walsh has appeared in such popular comedy films as "Old School," "Semi-Pro," and "Bad Santa."
