‘We cannot turn our noses up at yet another sports documentary. They’re vital’
If you load up your favourite streaming service and begin to scroll it won’t be too long before you’re bombarded with back-to-back sports documentaries.
From ones that hone in on a single outfit to multi-team fly-on-the-wall documentaries spanning entire sports, they are everywhere.
But with every sport looking to get in on the act – the Six Nations will launch one this month and Formula E will see the return of their own behind the scenes show this weekend – are they losing their impact on the normal person looking for something to binge?
Changing the documentary game
Formula 1 changed the game with Drive to Survive, set this year for its sixth season. It put some of the biggest stars in the sporting world, in one of the most inaccessible disciplines, right in front of us.
It was raw and confrontational and, eventually, saw unimaginable growth for Formula 1.
New fans poured into the sport, picking allegiances and favourites to launch staunch defences of on social media platforms.
It sent millions of fans into echo chambers, obsessed with 20 cars going around a track.
And it is understandable, therefore, why every other sport wants to get in on the action.
We have seen tennis and cycling documentaries, ones that focus on the Australian Test cricket team and Newcastle United, and ones that cover Premiership rugby playoffs.
There are simply too many of them to make much of an impact on sports fans.
But that’s the point, isn’t it?
Help the helpful
You don’t scroll through Amazon Prime, Netflix or other streaming services and watch absolutely everything.
You pick and choose based on your tastes.
So while it is very annoying to see back-to-back documentaries in the same format for every sport fill up a Netflix timeline, the archive must be built somehow.
And when it is, and when it is firing on all cylinders, we will hopefully see a rise in the number of those who watch sports off the back of any given series.
It is easy to moan about the lack of necessity for these documentaries, but someone somewhere is being introduced to a sport for the first time.
Broadcaster beIN have released a series about tennis player Ons Jabeur given her impact on women’s sport in Africa and the Arab world. It’s the diversification of the offering that has become a delight to see.
Jabeur has a really interesting story and it is one that could resonate with millions. That’s the power of sport and how it can make us feel.
So next time you’re huffing at the lack of sports documentaries that interest you, or you’re irritated by the sheer number of them on any given platform, remember that they’re probably not there for you.
They’re growing sports desperate for more eyeballs, and that should be celebrated.