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ABC green lights sitcom inspired by life of LA Galaxy player Robbie Rogers

Yahoo Sports Staff

Robbie Rogers came out and retired in February 2013. Then, the LA Galaxy player became a pioneer of sorts when he unretired in May 2013 and broke new ground as the first openly gay athlete in a major American sports league. Now, the 27-year-old's story is the inspiration for an upcoming ABC sitcom called Men in Shorts. No air date or casting decisions have been made yet. But the project has some heavy hitters in the industry behind it. Jordin Nardino, who has worked on such shows as Desperate Housewives and Gilmore Girls, along with Claudio Lonow (Less than Perfect) will write the pilot. And Storyline Entertainment, the same company that puts together the Oscar telecast, will produce the show. Rogers will also serve as a producer.

Deadline has more.

Men In Shorts will combine elements of a family and workplace comedy. “To me, a sports team locker room is a workplace we haven’t seen before,” [Lonow] said. Like in real-life, the protagonist comes from a conservative family. The project naturally takes liberties — on the show, the guy’s parents are still together, and, while Rogers’ father had been completely supportive and accepting, the soccer dad on the series “has more of a journey to go,” Lonow said. The comedy will chronicle how the soccer player’s teammates and friends interact with him after his coming out and how they start evaluating their own secrets that are keeping them from “being happier and more authentic.”

Rogers' book, Coming Out to Play, will be published by Penguin on November 25th.