Olympic Fever Drives Sports Doc Boom; 7 Top Streamers for Sports Films
A new survey from Ampere shows that sports documentary releases accounted for one-quarter of all documentary debuts in July.
The rising tide of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris raised many boats. The games were watched by 30.6 million people on NBC, cable channels like USA Network and the Peacock streaming service, but new data from Ampere Analysis shows that other sports-related programming got a big lift thanks to the games. In the run-up to the 2024 Olympics, Ampere measured a big upswing in the release of sports-related documentaries. We’ll break down the numbers, and show you the best places to stream sports docs below!
Key Details:
- Ampere measured that 103 new sports documentaries were released between May and July 2024.
- A full 25% of all documentaries released in July were sports-themed.
- ESPN+ is the best place to stream sports docs on-demand, but there are several other good options available.
Ampere’s data shows that 103 new sports documentaries and docuseries were released in the three months leading up to the end of July when the Olympics got underway. The last time sports documentaries saw such a high release rate was the lead-in to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The numbers from Ampere show that 25% of all documentaries released during the month of July were sports-related. This is a new high watermark for Documentary Sports content, which has grown its share of first-run documentary releases from 6% in 2020 to 9% in 2022 and 12% so far in 2024 as a whole. Intriguingly, subscription video services released fewer of these types of documentaries than broadcast TV channels, especially in Europe.
“Content producers had prepared in earnest for the spike in interest in sport of all kinds that the Olympics produces,” said Ampere analyst Cyrine Amor. “This year there’s been a huge increase in the number of sports documentaries, docuseries, reality, and entertainment programming. Unusually, public broadcasters created more of this material than the global streamers. Sports fans have enjoyed a true summer of sport and documentary creators have turned July [2024] into a record month for global releases.”
Which Streamers Offer the Best Variety of Sports Documentaries?
ESPN+
ESPN+ is the top streaming home for sports documentaries available. It’s got a huge variety of documentaries covering every sport imaginable, starting with the venerated “30 for 30” series. Originals like “In the Arena: Serena Williams” are also available, and the service offers titles on some of the biggest names and programs in sports history, alongside its big selection of live sports for $10.99 per month.
Prime Video
Amazon’s streamer Prime Video is still building its sports documentary library, but it’s already got some big-name originals to its credit. The streamer hosts originals like “Kelce” and “Bye Bye Barry,” titles focused on legends like Roger Federer and Kobe Bryant, and more. This service starts at $8.99 per month but comes with a 30-day free trial for customers who sign up for a full Prime membership.
Peacock
Peacock, of course, served as host for the 2024 Paris Olympics and is currently offering live content from the Paralympics. As far as documentaries go, it hosts a wide range of titles, from the new series “Here Come the Irish,” which follows the 2024 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, to originals like link: https://thestreamable.com/shows/joe-montana-cool-under-pressure-2022 text: Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure)” and “For Ball and Country.” Peacock also has a huge selection of live sports for viewers to stream and starts at just $7.99 per month.
Netflix
The world’s largest streaming service offers some truly compelling sports documentary options, including NFL-themed titles like “Quarterback” and “Receiver.” Fans can also get to know the biggest names in Formula 1 racing with “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” or roll with the PGA Tour in “Full Swing.” Ad-supported plans to Netflix start at just $6.99 currently.
Paramount+
Paramount+ may not be a viewer’s first thought when looking for new sports documentaries, but it might be time to change that. The streamer carries fascinating titles such as “Football Must Go On,” which follows a Ukrainian soccer team as war envelopes the country, and SHOWTIME’s “Shut Up and Dribble,” which delves into the political climate of the United States through the eyes of NBA players. Paramount+ offers a seven-day free trial, after which plans start at $7.99 per month.
Max
Max is home to one of the most popular sports documentaries of all in “Hard Knocks.” New spinoffs including “Hard Knocks: In Season” and “Hard Knocks: Offseason” are also available on the service, but there’s much more available, including “BS High,” the HBO original “Shaq,” and many other titles.
Curiosity Stream
Curiosity Stream is a documentary lover’s best friend. It refreshes its catalog regularly, and offers hundreds of documentaries in just about every subject imaginable, including plenty of originals. Sports docs like “4th and Long,” call the streamer home, and it’s a great place to stream titles like “Engineering a Pro” and “Quest for the Perfect Athlete,” which dive deeply into the science behind sports greatness. This streamer has plans starting at as little as $4.99 per month.