In April 2023, Fort Myers High School baseball players staged a walkout on their own teammates six weeks after an assistant coach sent a text message to the team that included a racial slur. The culture wars playing out in Florida schools over the teaching of race and culture, book banning and more, are in full effect in Lee County, and they exploded in real time during that baseball season, tearing the team apart. 

ESPN presented an in-depth report exploring the events leading up to that day, and the fractures in the community – personally, professionally and legally -- from the ensuing fallout. Told by ESPN senior writer Howard Bryant and director Nicole Noren via longform text and investigative documentary, this is the story of two players of color who were left behind on the field, while their teammates walked out. This is a film about the players, parents and program who were affected and what this situation can teach about divisiveness in America and its effect on young people.

The fallout continues, with the filing of two federal discrimination lawsuits, including one by former Major League Baseball player Michael Tucker, whose son is on the team. ESPN obtained never-before-released school district investigative materials, body camera footage from police who were at the scene, extensive cell phone videos taken by witnesses, and key text messages. Combining this original reporting material with exclusive interviews, the film laid out a detailed timeline of events and confirmed that numerous school officials not only knew about the walkout before it occurred and did nothing to stop it, but that an assistant coach helped orchestrate it.

An 8000-word written piece was first published on ESPN.com and the film debuted on YouTube. The impact of this project has been powerful; multiple news organizations, podcasts and TV/radio stations have covered “The Walkout”. The film and social media posts prompted nearly 5000 comments, over 350,000 likes, and over 2.5 million views across all platforms. In December 2024, Editor & Publisher (E&P) Magazine honored the film with an EPPY Award for “Best Sports Video”