Ballers

Face of the Franchise

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by</b> Evan Riley<br><b>Directed by</b> Julian Farino</p><p>Spencer and Joe attend the opening of their client Ndamukong Suh's new restaurant &quot;Suh Casa.&quot; Spencer addresses the crowd, and is distracted when big-time money manager Andre Alan and football player Terrell &quot;T-Sizzle&quot; Suggs show up. Following the speech, Spencer and Andre have an intense exchange of words, then Joe and Old Man Anderson convince Spence to appear on insider Jay Glazer's show.</p><p>Poolside, Ricky plans his low-key 30th birthday party with Dennis, his father, and TTD, his friend. TTD is glad Ricky has cleaned up his act, but admits things have gotten dull.</p><p>Charles arrives to sign autographs at the Chevy dealership alongside other Miami legends. Larry Csonka warns Charles that there may be some changes on the team this summer.</p><p>On the set of Jay Glazer's show <i>Glazed and Confused</i>, Spencer and Joe begin their interview. It starts out rocky, and worsens when Glazer brings out T-Sizzle. Sizzle mentions a tweet in which Spencer said Sizzle was &quot;more about the stats than the standings.&quot; The conversation quickly heats up, and Spencer lunges at Suggs. The men wrestle on the ground until security, Jay, and Joe are able to break them up. Outside the studio, Spencer limps to his car.</p><p>At the Anderson Sports Management offices, Anderson rebukes Spencer for his performance on <i>Glazed and Confused</i> and tells him one new client and a restaurant isn't enough for the newly minted division.</p><p>Jason and Spencer discuss Miami's lowball offer to Ricky; Jason decides to wait until after Ricky's birthday to bring it up. Jason suggest that Spencer's fight with Sizzle was actually about Andre, who encouraged Spencer to put his money into a real estate venture that failed.</p><p>Looking over final preparations for his classy party, Ricky is shocked when he sees on television that Miami has signed Alonzo Cooley with the money they had put aside for him. Dennis tells him to shake it off and head to the Fun House.</p><p>Spencer is surprised when Sizzle shows up to Ricky's Fun House party. Sizzle and Spencer decide to bury the past and part on good terms. Joe and Jason commend him on his maturity, but Spencer reveals he has a bigger plan: he's going to sign Sizzle, then take the rest of Andre's clients.</p></div>

Enter the Temple

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by</b> Evan Reilly<br><b>Directed by</b> Julian Farino</p><p>Spencer checks out his badly bruised hip from the tussle with Sizzle. He grabs a bottle of pain pills and pops a few in his mouth.</p><p>Arriving at the pharmacy for a prescription refill, Spencer is anxious when they tell him he is overdrawn and they will need to call his doctor. Feeling uncomfortable, he leaves.</p><p>Sizzle shows up at ASM for an appointment Spencer set up. Without running it by Anderson first, Spencer tells Joe its time to make a go at getting Sizzle on as a new client. Joe is concerned about moving ahead when they aren't officially cleared by the league yet.</p><p>Tracy has lunch with her boss to discuss receiving unequal pay compared to a male coworker. But when his response is just as sexist, she ends up quitting her job.</p><p>Reggie, tired of being taken for granted, asks Joe's opinion on how much he should be paid for helping out Vernon. Joe follows up with Vernon to suggest Reggie be put on payroll.</p><p>After Spencer admits that he is constantly in pain, Dr. Robbins writes him a prescription for 20 pills, on the condition that he has a full exam.</p><p>Jason pitches new locations and teams to Ricky, who dismisses most of them. He puts Buffalo on the backburner, but smiles at the thought of working in &quot;The Big Easy&quot; - New Orleans.</p><p>Meeting with Coach Berg, Charles discovers they aren't going to drop him, but want to try him on right tackle.</p><p>Reggie and Vernon don't see eye-to-eye on Reggie's salary. While &quot;negotiating&quot; playing paintball, Vernon injures his leg.</p><p>Spencer and Joe drop in on Andre to discuss Sizzle's future. Andre clearly doesn't take the pair seriously. Spencer looks Andre in the face point-blank and says, &quot;on behalf of Sizz and all the other football players out there, you're ******* fired.&quot;</p></div>

Elidee

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by</b> Steve Sharlet<br><b>Directed by</b> Julian Farino</p><p>Reggie calls Spencer in the middle of the night to tell him Vernon hurt his leg. Spencer and Jason meet them at the Sports Medical Center where the doctor recommends surgery for Vernon's torn Achilles. Everyone agrees that it'd be better for Vernon to tell the team he injured himself training, rather than playing paintball.</p><p>Joe calls Spencer at the hospital to let him know Andre has started in on their other clients, including the retired Spice Adams, who is interested in building a hotel to honor his mother. Joe wants to indulge Spice to keep him on as a client, but Spencer levels with the ex-player - they need to find a better location for the venture.</p><p>Flown in to visit the New Orleans facility, Ricky is wooed by coaches, coordinators, execs and a solid offer. He has just one question though: where's the love?</p><p>Vernon holes up in his house, ignoring all incoming calls and visitors - including the team exec from Dallas. With Spencer's prodding, Vernon calls them up and comes clean about his injury.</p><p>Ricky heads to board the jet to leave New Orleans for home, when he is stopped by a team rep: they are going to show him the love. Along the tarmac comes a parade, complete with band, float, cheerleaders and gospel choir. Ricky turns to Coach Sean Payton and shouts, &quot;Coach! We're gonna win the championship!&quot;</p></div>

World of Hurt

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by</b> Rob Weiss<br><b>Directed by </b>Julian Farino</p><p>Jason heads out to the glades to try to sign young linebacker Travis Mack, who skipped out on the rookie combine. Out on Travis's airboat, Mack tells Jason he skipped the combine because he's not a &quot;beauty queen.&quot; Jason hops in the water to give the stalled boat a push, and Travis takes off, leaving the agent in the swamp.</p><p>At lunch with Tracy, Spencer finds out she's auditioning for a job at ESPN in Connecticut. He's distracted when he sees Victoria -- who works with his client Ndamukong Suh -- enter the restaurant with Andre.</p><p>Spencer and Joe meet with Anderson, who is unhappy with their work, and outraged that Spencer's poached a client from Andre. Not ready to back down, Spencer tells Joe to dig up dirt on Andre.</p><p>Charles talks to Siefert about switching to the right side of the offensive line. Seifert tells him they'll actually be letting him go entirely.</p><p>At a bar, Ricky asks his father why he took off. Dennis, drunk and distracted by women, gets physical with another customer, tosses Ricky his house keys and leaves. Inside his father's house Ricky finds books of photos and clippings of both Dennis and his football careers.</p><p>Dallas holds a press conference and announces that Vernon injured himself training. They expect him to be back on the field next season.</p><p>Returning from the glades, Jason tells Travis he's not interested in putting up with his attitude. Travis apologizes and confesses he really does need Jason's help.</p><p>Joe hands Spencer an envelope of information about Andre he received from Maximo Gomez. Spencer tries to reason with him, but Andre is dismissive of the envelope, responding that digging up dirt on Joe would be even easier. &quot;Or,&quot; he threatens, &quot;imagine what I could do with what I already know about you, my friend.&quot;</p></div>

Most Guys

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by</b> Neena Beber &amp; Evan Reilly<br><b>Directed by</b> Simon Cellan Jones</p><p>In Dr. Robbins's office, Spencer finds out he may need a hip replacement. The doctor refuses to write him any more prescriptions.</p><p>Spencer tells Jason he wants to meet with Travis Mack. Jason reminds him his registration has yet to clear, and talking to a player before he is drafted is dangerous territory.</p><p>Reggie decides to get Vernon a pet to cheer him up. With most of the animals at the sanctuary already claimed, Reggie ends up buying an alpaca that looks like Rhianna, who takes off. Reggie and Joe get her back home, but are stopped from presenting her when they see Vernon's new gift from Nate: a puppy.</p><p>With a fake name and a recommendation from Maximo, Spencer visits a different doctor who immediately writes him a prescription for pain meds.</p><p>Ricky gets a great offer from Buffalo and asks for 24 hours to think it over. He brings Charles and TTD with him to a fashion show, and tells Charles to go tell Siefert off for cutting him from Miami. Ricky is surprised to run into Bella, his ex, and asks to buy her a drink. She tells him Buffalo doesn't seem like the right fit for him.</p><p>Charles shows up at Siefert's office to give him a piece of his mind. Siefert offers him a position working in the front office.</p><p>At the gym Ricky tells Spencer he may be rethinking Buffalo, and Jason brings Travis Mack over. &quot;You quit the combine because you knew they'd see what I see. Most guys,&quot; Spencer tells the kid. After beating Mack in a rep-off on the bench, Spencer tells him it's time to show the critics what he's worth.</p><p>Joe alerts Spencer that the players' association rep is not the friendly face he was expecting. The rep asks Spencer about his finances, including the real estate deal with Andre, ultimately concluding that they'll need to look deeper into the situation before approving his registration.</p></div>

Saturdaze

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by</b> Rob Weiss<br><b>Directed by</b> Simon Cellan Jones</p><p>Jason and Spencer drink together at a bar and catch analyst Mark Schlereth blasting Travis Mack's draft prospects. Spencer offers to call Schlereth and see what he can do.</p><p>Ricky finds TTD and Dennis in his kitchen arguing over Buffalo versus New Orleans. Dennis tells his son it's &quot;all about the dollars,&quot; and that's what Buffalo is offering.</p><p>Invited to a swanky waterfront mansion party by a friend, Joe discovers he is at Andre Alan's home and is caught off guard when Andre offers him a job.</p><p>Siefert tells Charles to fire Nick Kovac. Charles decides it will be more respectful to do it in person, but shows up at Kovac's house during his daughter's birthday party and chickens out. He returns later to find Kovac angry after getting the news from Siefert. Charles apologizes for not telling him first.</p><p>Spencer arranges a fishing day for Jason, Travis, Schlereth and himself. Travis immediately gets in Schlereth's face, but Spencer manages to convince the analyst to acknowledge that the &quot;science of the combine is flawed.&quot; The group anchors off the coast to prove that Travis can run.</p><p>Jason uses his phone to film, while Schlereth tracks Travis Mack's time on a stopwatch. Mack impresses him with a 4.58 time, and Schlereth owns that he was wrong about the kid.</p><p>Ricky gets a call telling him New Orleans has pulled its offer because of a comment Dennis tweeted. Angry, Ricky confronts Dennis, telling him it's too late to be a &quot;hands-on parent.&quot; Dennis challenges Ricky by bringing up his chat with Bella, and Ricky tackles his father.</p><p>Under the guise of looking for the bathroom, Joe sneaks into Andre's office, but is caught. Joe tells Andre he's going to pass on the job offer, as he's &quot;more loyal than ambitious.&quot; Andre mentions Spencer's financial issues and asks, &quot;If Spencer doesn't trust you enough to tell the truth about his past, how could you possibly trust him with your future?&quot;</p></div>

Everybody Knows

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by</b> Rashard Mendenhall &amp; Zach Robbins<br><b>Directed by</b> Simon Cellan Jones</p><p>After his talk with Andre, Joe tells Spencer he's concerned he doesn't know enough about Spencer's past.</p><p>Ricky, still upset with his father, visits Charles. Charles tells him if he had really wanted to sign with New Orleans he would've already, and to give Dennis a pass. Ricky apologizes to his father and presents him with a new car.</p><p>At ASM, Andre tells Anderson he wants to make an offer for the company and reveals that Ndamukong Suh is now his client.</p><p>Joe meets with Maximo who gives him some info on Spencer. He heads to the doctor where Spencer got his new pill prescription, and bribes him for information.</p><p>Spencer gets a call from Jay Glazer asking for Travis Mack to be on his show. Spencer maintains that until he is registered he is only mentoring the young player. While filming the show, Travis is frustrated when it is made clear that he is dyslexic, but is able to get it together and impresses both Spencer and Jay.</p><p>Charles approaches Siefert with a plan to keep Ricky in Miami. Needing a player to restructure, he visits Alonzo Cooley and sells him on the idea as well. Ricky calls Jason, but before he can share the good news, Jason informs him St. Louis has come back with a new offer: $36 million over three years, half guaranteed.</p><p>Before a dinner meeting with Anderson, Joe tells Spencer about his visit to Dr. Frey's. Spencer confesses to losing $6 million in the bad real estate deal with Andre. At dinner, Anderson tells Spencer he has failed his registration, and he's finished at ASM.</p></div>

Laying in the Weeds

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by</b> Steve Sharlet<br><b>Directed by </b>Simon Cellan Jones</p><p>Spencer helps Tracy pack for the airport for her move to Bristol; they realize neither of them have been as focused on their relationship as they have been on their careers. </p><p>Joe delivers the contents of Spencer's cleared-out office. Spencer tells him he's not going to cancel his draft party so he can &quot;keep up appearances and move forward.&quot;</p><p>After letting Ricky know he's been let go from ASM, Spencer asks him for a loan to buy out his former employer. Ricky tells him he needs to think it over. Spencer heads to the bank, and asks his banker to re-examine his loan application.</p><p>On his way home to prepare for the draft party, Spencer receives a text from Andre asking if his clients know he was fired. Spencer throws his phone out of the car.</p><p>Dressed in his a new custom-tailored suit, Travis meets with team reps from Miami and Dallas. When he shows up at Spencer's, though, he's stressed that he is still projected so low in the draft. Ricky offers Spencer $5 million to help out with the ASM deal.</p><p>As the draft continues, Spencer asks Sizzle to make a call for him. Just as Travis starts to get angry that he wasn't drafted in the top five, the phone rings. Baltimore takes him at No. 6; everyone, including Travis, is thrilled. As the crowd toasts, Sizzle surprises everyone by applauding Spencer for going out on his own after being fired.</p></div>

Million Bucks in a Bag

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by </b>Evan Reilly &amp; Steve Sharlet<br><b>Directed by </b>Julian Farino</p><p>Spencer wakes up and finds his house full of passed-out party guests. Jason calls and reminds Spencer that his clients will only stay with him for so long if he doesn't have backing.</p><p>Jason reveals to Vernon and Reggie that the $300,000 Spencer loaned them before Vernon got his contract was all the money Spencer had. They write Spencer a check for $1 million, but he refuses it.</p><p>Andre makes Anderson an offer, but it's a lower number now that Spencer is gone. Anderson flatly rejects it, and Joe reports back to Spencer that Anderson won't take less than $12 million.</p><p>Spencer and Joe stop by Ricky's to get several stacks of cash to show Anderson they're serious about buying the company. Ricky asks his father for advice about playing in L.A., and Dennis tells him he has a real chance at the Hall of Fame but that he needs to be playing with the best quarterback in the league.</p><p>Dropping a bag of cash on Anderson's desk, Spencer makes his former employer an offer. Anderson tells him to come back with the full asking price, and &quot;we'll talk about making a deal.&quot;</p><p>Dr. Robbins calls to ask when Spencer is coming in, but Spencer deflects to take a call from Andre. Andre offers Spencer the chance to run ASM once his company buys it. Lacking trust in Andre, Spencer returns to Vernon's and asks for $5 million.</p></div>

Game Day

<div class='episode-body-left-aligned' style='text-align: left'><p><b>Written by</b> Evan Reilly &amp; Steve Sharlet<br><b>Directed by </b>Julian Farino</p><p>Spencer returns to ASM with a check for $11 million, but Anderson counters with a different deal: a percentage of the company if Spencer gets his registration taken care of.</p><p>While getting a shot for the pain in his hip, Spencer gets a call from his friend Clyde at the players' association to talk about his registration. Spencer finds out a grievance was filed against him by former player Eddie George. Spencer persuades Clyde to tell him where Eddie is, and Spencer heads to the rookie symposium to find him. Joe surprises Spencer by meeting him on the plane.</p><p>Siefert tells Charles he wants to promote him and asks if the increased travel load will be an issue. Charles tells him it won't be a problem.</p><p>Arriving at the hotel for the symposium, Spencer immediately goes to find Eddie. His former friend is still furious over losing everything from Spencer's real estate venture with Andre, and refuses to hear him out. Having played their final move, Spencer and Joe spend the evening partying at a local strip club.</p><p>A mess from the night before, Spencer takes the hotel conference room stage to talk to a room full of rookies. He makes a public apology to Eddie and walks off. Travis leads the room in enthusiastic applause that starts to grow, but Spencer is nowhere to be found.</p><p>Vernon heads to Dallas, where he meets his competition for his position. He's determined to prove himself the better man.</p><p>TTD and Dennis argue about Ricky's future, when the phone rings. Ricky meets up with a few New England players to run drills. Jason tells Ricky the team is offering $1.5 million for the season.</p><p>Alone at the Sports Medicine Center, Spencer signs in for his hip replacement surgery.</p></div>

Seeds of Expansion

Season Three Premiere. Looking to score some high-profile clients to pay off his debts to Ricky and Vernon, Spencer hits a roadblock with Mr. Anderson, who wants to focus on the Las Vegas market by partnering with casino magnate Wayne Hastings. Ricky ponders fatherhood; Vernon and Reggie eye an edgy endorsement; Larry makes Charles the face of bad news at a press conference.

Bull Rush

In Las Vegas on business, Spencer gets reacquainted with Chloe, an old flame now working for Wayne, while Ricky challenges the odds in a game of dice. Set up by Joe to represent Kisan, a top running back, Jason ends up sweating it out in a tough neighborhood. Charles gets a public-speaking primer from Julie; Vernon and Reggie make a risky endorsement deal.

In the Teeth

Spencer encounters resistance in LA and Oakland to his Vegas expansion initiative. Joe takes a detour with Reggie; Jason blasts Kisan for his lack of transparency; Charles bristles over Larry's failure to give him credit for a lineman he landed; Ricky jumps to conclusions.

Ride and Die

Desperate to score a key owner's blessing to bring pro football to Vegas, Spencer and Joe find themselves in a race against the clock involving a pair of equally critical meetings. Spurned by his new teammates, Ricky stages his own private workout. Vernon looks for a second chance; tensions between Charles and Larry escalate after a tryout for Kisan.

Make Believe

Spencer faces new challenges getting Wayne to finance his Vegas initiative, and ponders his place in the big picture. Looking to mend a long-festering feud between Larry and Coach Berg, Julie persuades Charles to invite both over for a home-cooked meal. Vernon is surprised by an unscheduled visit from a league official; Joe becomes obsessed with virtual reality.

I Hate New York

With the owners' meeting a week away, Spencer, Joe and Mr. Anderson head north in search of financing for a Vegas stadium. Larry tests the limits of Charles' loyalty and patience; Ricky gets a sobering diagnosis, and presses Jason to close a deal.

Ricky-leaks

Spencer finds himself in damage-control mode after an incident involving Ricky and a brash high-schooler. Excited over a possible plum job, Charles bristles over Julie's lack of disclosure at work. Looking to reduce Vernon's suspension, Reggie impresses Candace at the league office. Spencer and Joe find themselves at odds with Anderson over ASM's future.

Alley-Oops

Spencer gets unexpected info that leads him to reassess his priorities. Joe considers the best way to break some bad news to the ASM staff. Marginalized once again by Siefert, Charles decides to take matters into his own hands.

Crackback

Spencer learns his master plan to bring a team to Las Vegas may be in jeopardy. Ricky arrives at a crossroads, personally and professionally. Charles sees his wish come true in Miami, but ends up with regrets.

Yay Area

Season Three Finale. Spencer and Joe get a late-game assist in their efforts to win over team owners. After some soul searching, Ricky maps out a new future. Jason gets Charles another crack at a coveted job. Reggie makes an impact at training camp.

Rough Ride

Season 4 Premiere. Spencer and Joe weigh the pros and cons of acquiring an extreme-sport agency. Ricky sets down roots in LA with Amber and their daughter, but finds himself yearning for something else. Charles rallies a group of disgruntled employees as he begins his new tenure with the Rams.

Don't You Wanna Be Obama?

Spencer becomes immersed in a marketing controversy. Still smarting from their feud in Miami, Charles agrees to give Ricky a chance despite his better instincts.

This Is Not Our World

Spencer looks to reign in Lance's excesses. Vernon gets carried away at a ceremony retiring his number at his old LA high school, to Reggie's dismay.

Forgiving Is Living

Spencer and Joe find themselves in a crisis at SportsX. Ricky considers his motivations in ending his retirement. Jason turns to Donna for help. Next episode premieres Sept. 9 at 10 PM.

Doink

Spencer looks to elevate the SportsX TV brand, while Joe weighs a new offer. At Jayda's insistence, Spencer meets Quincy. Ricky tries to prove to Kisan he's still got the goods, while Charles is encouraged by Julie to bring more flair to his job.

No Small Talk

Spencer recruits Q to help him leverage a deal. With Reggie in tow, Joe talks business with some extreme skateboarders, collectively known as Illegal Civilization. Charles hosts a pre-free-agent reception.

The Kids Are Aight

Spencer calls on the Anderson Brothers for help. Joe pitches Illegal Civilization to a major shoe brand. Ricky loses his cool at a neighbor's pool party. Julie accuses an overworked Charles of being afraid to succeed.

The Devil You Know

Spencer takes a big risk with the potential to blow the deal. After a heart-to-heart with Ricky, Charles spells out his vision for the team. Joe and Reggie enlist Vernon and Terrell "Sizzle" Suggs, to persuade Illegal Civilization.

There's No Place Like Home, Baby

Season Four Finale. Spencer takes his fight to the next level. Ricky jeopardizes his comeback.

Protocol Is for Losers

Season Five Premiere. While enjoying retirement, Spencer gets a tantalizing offer to become the first black majority team owner in pro football history. A year after splitting with Spencer, Joe eyes a big swing at Sports X with his new partner, Lance. Ricky finds himself in hot water with Charles, and Vernon considers a life outside of football, much to Reggie's chagrin.

Must Be the Shoes

After learning of competing owner offers, Spencer returns to the Anderson brothers for financial help. Joe is tasked with apologizing for creating a hostile work environment and, later, sells a big idea to a major client with the help of Kate, a sharp Sports X exec. Ricky and Vernon each consider different kinds of futures, while Charles tries to hide some unwelcome news.

Copernicursed

Just as Spencer reaches out to him with the job of a lifetime, Jason gets an interesting counteroffer from Joe, who's determined to bring his old partner down. Vernon has a tryout at an Esports company and Reggie bemoans his position at Sports X. Ricky turns to partying to deal with his depression. Charles considers what to do about Kisan.

Municipal

Spencer settles into his new position and makes a potentially unpopular decision. With Sports X teetering on the edge financially, Joe gets jealous when Kate tries to woo an important editor at a launch party. Ricky tries his hand at being a radio host and voices his true feelings about Spencer. Reggie comes to Vernon with a proposal that will make them both happy.

Crumbs

Spencer faces pressure from all sides as he fights for Kisan. Ricky gets mixed feedback about his radio show. Reggie, Vernon and Lance struggle to convince Joe to get into the gaming business. Charles works hard to land a big player. Jason goes through tough negotiations with the Anderson brothers.

Edutainment

In the wake of an unexpected tragedy, Spencer prepares for his first owners meeting. While trying to balance work and his relationship with Kate, Joe decides to go on Ricky's radio show. Charles deals with an unexpected health crisis. Vernon, Reggie and Lance try to recruit a trio of gaming siblings for their new league. Jason celebrates his anniversary.

Who Wants a Lollipop

When Spencer returns to the Sports X offices to work out a major player deal, he and Joe air past grievances and later, Spencer makes a big public statement that's sure to have consequences. Charles mulls over a new deal from Werner after getting a wakeup call about his health. Ricky gets defensive in a meeting with a Hollywood bigwig.

Players Only

Season Five Finale. Despite having a bullseye on his back, Spencer refuses to back down in his fight for the league's players. Joe embraces a new state of mind as he finds peace with himself. Julie encourages Charles to take care of unfinished business. Ricky decides to strike out on his own with his latest project. Reggie takes the next step in his career.