BTN to produce 'Hard Knocks'-style show from Michigan State camp

CHICAGO -- Big Ten Network is going behind the scenes in East Lansing.

The conference’s television network announced today a new original series called “Green and White Days: Inside Michigan State Training Camp.”

The series will give fans a look at MSU preparing for its season opener against Furman on Sept. 2 at Spartan Stadium.

“It’s our second time we’ve done it, and we thought it would make sense to follow the team that won the Big Ten last year,” BTN president Mark Silverman said. “MSU is always very open with us and letting us come in and show a lot of behind-the-scenes and special-access kind of content.”

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Silverman said the series will be three parts, and will debut a new episode once a week. Shows will be at least 30 minutes long but could extend, depending on the kind of content gathered.

"Green and White Days" will debut at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 18.

“Coach (Mark) Dantonio, behind the scenes, he lightens up a lot,” Silverman said. “He’s not always what you see on the sidelines. If we get a lot of good stuff, we might go longer.”

It is the second consecutive year Big Ten Network will feature a behind-the-scenes series in the same mold of HBO’s NFL training camp show, “Hard Knocks.” Last season, the network featured Ohio State.

“We think, since they're the defending champions, it works out,” Silverman said. “We’re thrilled that they’re able to come on board.”

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Contact Anthony Fenech: afenech@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech.