It was 1977 and one of New York's most tumultuous and decadent summers. Then, in the midst
of blackouts, riots, the Son of Sam serial killer scare and the dawn of Studio 54, came an entirely
unexpected moment of inspiration: the rise of the New York Cosmos, America's first great
soccer team, and its larger-than-life superstar, Pele. Suddenly embraced by a city obsessed with
celebrity and flamboyance, the Cosmos kicked off America's first passionate love affair with the
world's most popular sport. But swept up in a careening path of glory, glamour, debauchery and
controversy, the Cosmos themselves imploded.
Narrated by Matt Dillon,
Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos reveals how
the Cosmos rose from total anonymity to become the hottest ticket in town -- taken under the
wing of Warner Bros. Chairman
Steve Ross, beloved by rock stars and fashionistas -- only to be
overwhelmed by a wild world of wealth, groupies, rivalries and power struggles.