— The underdog story, the comeback wins, the Cinderella moments, the historic rivalries, the regional loyalties. Sports aren’t just compelling in the midst of the game; it’s the adjacent drama that often draws people in the most.
Studios, streamers and sports leagues have all been paying attention to this growing genre. Not only does it transfix audiences, it’s also a powerful marketing tool — one that nets new fans and keeps people engaged even after the clock runs out.Part of this growing sports-adjacent trend comes from the Covid-19 pandemic, which put live sports on hiatus. In its place, we got sports docuseries, shows like ESPN’s “The Last Dance,” about Michael Jordan and a legendary Chicago Bulls season.
The main purpose of “Hard Knocks,” Vogan says, isn’t to tell heartwarming stories about a team. It’s to “glorify pro football.” Other sports entertainment is built around the same objective. But in the US, the sport has struggled. While F1 has attempted to break into the US market, it has largely been unsuccessful, said James Gay-Rees, co-founder and executive producer at Box To Box Films, which produces “Drive to Survive.”
“It’s definitely a means to an end,” Gay-Rees said. “There was room to expand these brands in the states and shine a light on some of the stories that maybe American audiences weren’t that familiar with.” By giving younger, current stars new platforms — like a popular streaming docuseries — leagues can generate audience interest in these players. Those audiences will then, hopefully, watch them compete.
In last season’s Super Bowl, Travis Kelce went head-to-head against brother Jason Kelce, when the Chiefs faced the Philadelphia Eagles. Dubbed the “Kelce Bowl,” fans ate the brotherly rivalry up. The two even appeared on “Saturday Night Live” together, with Travis hosting. Then, this year, Kelce started dating pop music star Taylor Swift, launching him from NFL-player-famous to A-list famous.
Vogan names boxing as an example. Though once the most popular sport in the US, boxing is now “fringe at best,” he said. There’s no Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson dominating, and Vogan can’t name the top five heavyweight boxers at the moment.