Must-See Sports Documentaries in 2021: These documentaries will make you fall in love with sports 

The success of last year’s Last Dance documentary was completely unprecedented. The unique ten-episode Netflix series which featured never-before-seen footage of Michael Jordan’s last season with the Chicago Bulls was one of the platform’s most watched shows with an audience of 23.8 million.

This docuseries was watched all over the world by both enthusiastic sports fans and people who have no interest in the industry whatsoever, proving that sports documentaries will never go out of style. We are already well into another year of fascinating television, so here are five gripping real-life sports shows not to miss.

Tiger

Whether you’re familiar with the world of golf or not, chances are you’ve heard of the great Tiger Woods. This two-part doc series about the elite golfer aired on HBO just a few months ago in January and has secured the place as the network’s most watched sports doc in recent years.

In a similar style to the Last Dance, Tiger tells the athlete’s story through intimate interviews with people who knew him best, and embellishing them with captivating footage.

Man in the Arena 

Tom Brady fans should most definitely check out the upcoming documentary entitled Man in the Arena, set to air later this year. The nine-part series will give viewers an in-depth look at the former Patriot’s career, all while under the leadership of Bill Belichick. It will also examine the quarterback’s motivations behind the sudden move from New England to Tampa Bay.

Nowadays, as NFL betting odds point to the Buccaneers as the favorites for yet another Championship ring, it’s clear that Tom Brady is undoubtedly among the world’s most talented and famous athletes. There’s no doubt that Man in the Arena will garner much attention upon its release with fans eager to see the athlete speak for himself behind the camera.

Magic Johnson 

Before Lebron James and Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson was the Lakers’ most important playmaker. His first name quite literally denotes what he was able to accomplish on the court, and now a documentary that outlines these achievements is finally in the works.

Although it’s still in the preliminary stages of production without an official title, the doc, directed by Rick Famuyiwa will give an overview of the athlete’s life, recounting everything from his basketball career to his business ventures, public presence, personal relationships, and more. One thing’s for certain: it’s sure to be magical.

The Playbook 

The first series on the list that does not center around a specific athlete’s life. Rather, The Playbook is one of Netflix’s newest sports doc releases available for streaming on the platform as of September of last year. This five-part show takes a deep look at the life of the world’s most famous coaches and the ways in which they navigate the interesting career path they have chosen.

With exclusive interviews from coaches in a wide variety of professional athletics such as tennis, soccer, and basketball, viewers are taken behind-the-scenes and off the court to understand what personal qualities are needed to run a successful sports organization. A few of those featured include Philadelphia 76’s head coach Doc Rivers, Selena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou, and Women’s World Cup winning coach Jill Ellis.

The Speed Cubers 

Last but not least, The Speed Cubers highlights an unconventional sport that breaks away from some of the others on this list: rubik’s cube puzzle solving, or “speedcubing”. In this 40-minute Netflix documentary, audiences are given an inside look into the lives of two genius speedcubing champions named Feliks Zemdegs and Max Park.

Released on the platform last summer, the show focuses on the pair’s long-lasting friendship and competitive nature surrounding rubik’s cub faceoffs.

Like each of the series mentioned above, and especially The Last Dance, viewers love sports documentaries because they capture their favorite athletes in a different way, making them appear more down-to-earth and human like.  

If these real-life accounts interest you, check out our top picks for full-length movies based on true stories as well. After all, the truth is even more interesting than fiction.

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