ESPN8: The Ocho Is Officially Available to Stream Around the Clock, Becoming ESPN’s First FAST Channel
The channel will broadcast out-of-the-box sports like kickball, wiffleball, pillow fighting, sign spinning, and more.
At long last, ESPN and ABC have made ESPN8: The Ocho a permanent viewing option for fans of bizarre and unusual sports. In the past, the worldwide leader in sports has made the “seldom-seen sports” channel a special event to fill in the gaps when sports coverage was especially light, as it did in early August. However, ESPN has officially launched an around-the-clock, free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel that fans can watch on the ABC app or on the ABC website.
- The channel is ESPN’s first FAST offering and is available via ABC’s app and website alongside other “unlocked” channels.
- Inspired by the satirical channel featured in the movie “Dodgeball,” the channel will air unusual sports and competitions not found on traditional ESPN outlets.
- ESPNU has previously shown ESPN8: The Ocho content over the summer when college sports are quiet.
What Is ESPN8: The Ocho?
On Wednesday, the 24/7 ESPN8: The Ocho channel launched on the ABC app and website as the first FAST offering from ESPN. The channel is ad-supported, so there are commercial breaks built into the broadcasts. As of now, there is no on-demand option for the channel, as all broadcasts are presented linearly.
For the uninitiated, ESPN8: The Ocho stems from the 2004 film “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” serving as the broadcast home for the dodgeball world championships. The name was a clear exaggeration of ESPN’s foothold on linear cable television at the time, with the subtitle paralleling ESPN2’s nickname of “The Deuce.” Gary Cole and Jason Bateman played the broadcast duo of Cotton McKnight and Pepper Brooks who delivered iconic lines like, “It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ‘em,” “Let me tell you, a double-fault final-play elimination hasn’t occurred since the Helsinki episode of 1919, and I think we all remember how THAT turned out!”, and of course, “Effin’ A, Cotton. Effin’ A!”
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
When megalomaniacal White Goodman, the owner of a trendy, high-end fitness center, makes a move to take over the struggling local gym run by happy-go-lucky Pete La Fleur, there’s only one way for La Fleur to fight back: dodgeball. Aided by a dodgeball guru and Goodman’s attorney, La Fleur and his rag-tag team of underdogs launch a knock-down, drag-out battle in which the winner takes all.
Since 2017, ESPN has dedicated multiple days to seldom-seen sports during the collegiate offseason on ESPNU. But now with its own 24/7 network, will The Ocho continue to brighten our Augusts with cow chip throwing, breakdancing, roller derby, disc golf, sport stacking, and the Excel World Championships?
As of now, the channel is only available through the ABC app and website, but if it proves to be a success, it very well might be added to ESPN’s streaming platform ESPN+. Currently, ESPN+ is the home to a ton of sports content not found on the ESPN linear channels. While that does tend to lower-level matchups of traditional sports, in The Streamable’s expert opinion, The Ocho’s offerings could find an audience in the younger, cord-cutting crowd of ESPN+.
ESPN+
ESPN+ is a live TV streaming service that gives access to thousands of live sporting events, original shows like Peyton’s Place, the entire library of 30 for 30, E:60, The Last Dance, as well exclusive written analysis from top ESPN insiders. Sports available on ESPN+ include NFL, MLB, NHL, UFC, College Football, F1, Bundesliga, PGA Tour, La Liga, and more.
What Sports Will Be Featured on ESPN8: The Ocho?
There really is no limit to the types of things that an expanded ESPN8: The Ocho can air… other than that you should expect to see any football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer on the channel. The Ocho traffics in the unusual, so expect uber-competitive versions of traditional childhood games like kickball, wiffleball, table tennis, ultimate frisbee, horseshoes, and cornhole, as well as some familiar ESPN staples like the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Championships.
But the channel will also be offering more off-the-wall sports and competitions as well, like stone skipping, axe throwing, spikeball, roack climbing, dog surfing (whatever that is), slippery stairs (no really, what the is that?) sign spinning, dog agility, pillow fighting, and more. The channel will also be broadcasting a variety of video game and esports competitions, including the Tetris World Championships and Golden Tee Championships. I wouldn’t be surprised if we got some parkour and freerunning, extreme tag, and, of course, dodgeball.
ESPN+
ESPN+ is a live TV streaming service that gives access to thousands of live sporting events, original shows like Peyton’s Place, the entire library of 30 for 30, E:60, The Last Dance, as well exclusive written analysis from top ESPN insiders. Sports available on ESPN+ include NFL, MLB, NHL, UFC, College Football, F1, Bundesliga, PGA Tour, La Liga, and more.