Summary
All Americanseason 7 has finally been renewed at The CW after months of speculation and shifts at the broadcast channel, but the news comes with a caveat. A sports drama created by April Blair, with Nkechi Okoro Carroll as showrunner, Daniel Ezra and the rest of the cast recently celebratedAll American’s milestone 100th episode. But the long-term future of the sports saga has remained something of a question mark, particularly after media company Nexstar acquired The CW in late 2022 and made sweeping changes to the network in search of profitability and a broader audience.
Deadlinereports thatAll Americanseason 7 has been renewed by The CW. It will consist of 13 episodes, premiering in 2025. The spinoff,All American: Homecoming, still awaits a renewal decision.
With the cancellation ofWalker, theAll Americanfranchise is now the two last shows remaining from CW’s pre-Nexstar era.
Why All American’s Future Could Be Bright
The Sports Drama Was Boosted By A Netflix Deal
All Americanseason 7’s renewal chances looked somewhat favorable, given that the series is a strong ratings performer. Though its linear viewership numbers are in decline when compared toAll Americanseason 5, it still ranks asthe top show in the coveted 18-49 demographic. Even more importantly,All Americanbenefits from the fact that it streams on Netflix.The last remnant of a deal that Netflix made with production studio Warners Bros. TV (which produces the sports saga) means that the studio is incentivized to keep the show going.
Walker, which CBS Studios produced, streams on Max and does not fall under the same Netflix deal.
This speaks to the symbolic importance ofAll American, as the series harkens back to The CW model which favored young adult dramas. Before the Nexstar acquisition, The CW was jointly owned by Warner Bros. and Paramount. They would produce shows relatively cheaply and then license those shows to Netflix, where they would often attract streaming views, in a profitable deal for all parties. Though they still own a stake in the current iteration, WB and Paramount have their own streaming platforms and the old way of producing original CW shows was gradually phased out.
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Industry experts and even CW’s own executives, like network president Brad Schwartz, concede that the old version of The CW is over. But in these new times, under Nexstar, it stands to reason thatAll Americancould continue for another season or two so long as ratings remain at a certain level and costs are kept relatively low. It’s good news for those who’ve continued to support the series, even in a changing landscape.
All American
Cast
This sports drama, inspired by the real-life journey of football player Spencer Paysinger, follows a high school student from south L.A. when he is recruited to play for Beverly Hills High.
