Quick Facts
Biography
Roger James "Rog" Bennett (born September 14, 1970) is a British-American journalist, author, radio presenter and filmmaker. He has written about sports, music, and culture for the New York Times, ESPN: The Magazine, and Time, among others. He is the co-host, with Michael Davies, of the Men in Blazers. The duo records a weekly podcast (formerly on the Grantland network) and a show on NBCSN. The weekly half-hour NBCSN television show "The Men in Blazers Show" covers the English Premier League. It debuted Monday, September 15, 2014 and is filmed in a studio in the SoHo area of New York City. They formerly had a show on Sirius XM.
Documentaries
In 2009, he produced a documentary After the Cup: Sons of Sakhnin United, which covered Bnei Sakhnin F.C.'s 2004 Israel State Cup title and their subsequent campaign in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup competition.
In 2014, he directed "Inside: U.S. Soccer's March to Brazil," for ESPN ahead of the 2014 World Cup. The multi episode documentary series offered a fly-on-the-wall look at the U.S. Men's National Team as they prepared for the 2014 World Cup.
In 2014, he made a documentary about Landon Donovan and his final game with the MLS team L.A. Galaxy before retiring.
In 2015, he made a documentary "The Southampton Way" about Southampton F.C..
In 2015, he made a documentary "Inside the Mind of Jose Mourinho" about Jose Mourinho.
In 2015, he made a documentary "Crystal Palace South London and Proud" about Crystal Palace.
In 2015, he made a documentary "BOURNEMOUTH: TOGETHER, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE" about AFC Bournemouth.
In 2015, he made a documentary "THE GOALKEEPERS’ UNION"
IN 2016, he made a documentary "THE LEICESTER CITY STORY" about Leicester City F.C.
In 2016, he made a documentary "Inside the Mind of Jurgen Klopp" about Jurgen Klopp.
In 2016, he made a documentary "Inside the Mind of Arsene Wenger" about Arsene Wenger.
He also produced, along with Jonathan Hock, ESPN's 30 for 30 episode "Barbosa: The Man Who Made Brazil Cry," which looked at Brazil's doomed attempt to win the 1950 World Cup on home soil and a behind-the-scenes look at Brazil in the run up to the 2014 World Cup.
In 2016, he made a report with VICE Sports about Iceland's rise in soccer called "The Vikings’ Shocking Euro Run: The Unbelievable Rise of Icelandic Soccer".
In 2016, he made a documentary with Vice Sports called "Das American: Christian Pulisic's Spectacular Rise" about Christian Pulisic.
Personal Life
Roger Bennett married Vanessa Kroll in 2000. His brother-in-law is the comedian Nick Kroll.
In 2014, he announced he would be becoming a naturalized American citizen based upon the United States men's national soccer team's progress in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Bennett is a longtime supporter of the Everton Football Club that plays in the English Premier League.
Other Projects
In 2010, he created the architectural design competition Sukkah City with journalist Joshua Foer.
Bennett is also co-founder of a record label, Idelsohn Society for Musical Preservation, that has tracked down lost music from the 1950s and 60s and reissued it including BAGELS AND BONGOS and BLACK SABBATH.
