ESPN has postponed the premiere of its 30 for 30 documentary "Down In The Valley," the story of Sacramento's fight to keep the city's NBA franchise from relocating to another city.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, one of the principal figures in the film, was alleged to have molested a teenage girl while playing for the Phoenix Suns in the 1990s. The allegations came up during his 2008 mayoral campaign and were widely covered. Johnson denied any wrongdoing, though there was a $230,000 financial settlement between Johnson and his accuser.
Phoenix authorities never charged Johnson.
"The film was initially completed in the spring for a film festival premiere, but in light of the recent, renewed focus on past allegations against one of its key characters, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, we have decided to postpone the ESPN premiere as we, along with director Jason Hehir, reexamine the presentation and content," the company said in a statement Monday.
The documentary was scheduled to air Oct. 20.
