The Five Best Sports Documentaries Ever

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 21 July 2023

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

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Five Best Sports Documentaries Ever

• Greatest Sports Documentaries
• Best Sports Documentaries of All Time
• The Deep Impact of Hoop Dreams
• Revealing Truths: Athlete A
• When We Were Kings: A Retrospective
• King of Kong: More Than a Game
• Overcoming Stereotypes in Murderball
• Frequently Asked Questions

In the world of sports documentaries, you’ll find hundreds of different titles to choose from. They’ve become incredibly popular with sports fans around the world, and these films aren’t just about scores or winners; they dive deep into the heart of the games, uncovering the raw humanity, sweat, tears, and triumph that characterize the sporting world.

They tell the real stories of players and teams and give you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the sport. Today, we’ll be looking at the best sports documentaries you can watch right now.

Greatest Sports Documentaries

Sports documentaries give us a front-row seat to the ups and downs, the wins and losses, the glory, and sometimes, the controversies that surround the world of sports. Whether it’s the long, hard journey of an underdog, a team’s rise to glory, or the problems athletes face with the money and fame they receive, the greatest sports documentaries will have you on the edge of your seat.

We’re going to look at five top sports documentaries we think you’ll love on this page. If you’d like to learn more about sports betting or want to bet on the MLB live, for example, make sure to check out the rest of our site, as we’ve got a lot of content to help you out.

Best Sports Documentaries of All Time

When we think about the best sports documentaries, what actually makes them so special? It’s not just the in-game footage or the stats. It’s the real-life stories they tell about athletes – their hopes, their struggles, and their wins. These films pull us into the heart of sports. They make us feel like we’re there, experiencing all the highs and lows alongside the athletes.

Sports documentaries have become really popular because they show us a side of athletes we usually don’t see. We get to know about their tough training schedules, their personal problems, and their big wins – on and off the field. These documentaries give us a glimpse into the hard work and dedication that goes into every trophy and medal. This makes the accomplishments of athletes even more impressive.

Plus, these documentaries often talk about issues that affect us all, like racism, gender equality, and mental health. So, they’re not just about sports – they also reflect what’s happening in our society. With that in mind, let’s jump into the best sports documentaries of all time!

The Deep Impact of Hoop Dreams

Hoop Dreams is a remarkable sports documentary that takes us into the lives of two ambitious basketball players from Chicago – William Gates and Arthur Agee. The film doesn’t just depict basketball matches; instead, it closely follows the boys’ lives over several years, showcasing the struggles they face and the dreams they chase.

Hoop Dreams was released in 1994 and was directed by Steve James. It stars William Gates, Arthur Agee, and Steve James, and it received a high 8.3/10 rating on IMDb. Running for 134 minutes, it’s one of the longest on this page – but it’s also one of the best athlete documentaries around, so it’s well-worth watching.

From harsh training routines to family problems and the struggle to balance academics with sports, the film shows us the real cost of pursuing big dreams. Hoop Dreams perfectly demonstrates the thin line between success and failure.

The love for the game, combined with the hard work, resilience, and hope, makes it an emotional and inspiring journey. In fact, the documentary was so successful it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival, and it continues to be regarded as one of the best sports documentaries of all time.

Revealing Truths: Athlete A

Athlete A is a thought-provoking documentary that throws light on the darker side of competitive sports. It was released in 2020 and was co-directed by Jon Shenk and Bonni Cohen. It stars Maggie Nicholas, Jamie Dantzscher, and Mark Alesia.

While he’d had numerous complaints of abuse filed against him – by both former athletes and other coaches – osteopathic physician Larry Nasser was able to remain with US Gymnastics for just under 20 years. In 2017, he was convicted of a horrific number of sexual abuse cases and was sentenced to serve 60 years in jail. More than 260 women came forward to testify against Nasser.

It’s a tough watch, especially for parents, but it’s designed to be provocative – it covers a hugely important issue that needs to be talked about more. It shows viewers all about the abusive culture prevalent in the USA Gymnastics team, and while it’s clearly a very upsetting story, Athlete A also shows you the strength of those who were abused, and their unwavering determination to put the man responsible behind bars.

When We Were Kings: A Retrospective

When We Were Kings is a fantastic documentary that was released back in 1996. Directed by Leon Gast, the film starred the actual stars it’s based on, including Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, and Don King. The sports documentary takes you back to a time in 1974 when two boxing legends, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, faced off in a boxing match in Zaire, Africa.

This match, known as the Rumble in the Jungle, is remembered as one of the greatest boxing matches in history. What makes the film so fascinating is the way it paints a picture of these two men, both in and out the ring. It’s not just about boxing; it’s also about the larger political and social issues of the time. The film also shows us the charm and charisma of Ali, his clever tactics, and the way he won the hearts of the people in Zaire.

Meanwhile, we get to see Foreman in a new light, as a more complex and interesting character than the media of that time portrayed him. The fight drew millions of viewers around the world, and there was even a music festival held in conjunction with the main event.

When We Were Kings is widely regarded as being one of the greatest sports documentaries of all time, and it won the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary in 1996.

King of Kong: More Than a Game

King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is a little different to the other names we’ve covered on this page, but it is classed as a sports documentary – believe it or not. The film introduces viewers to a unique world – that of competitive arcade gaming. It focuses on the unique rivalry between Steve Wiebe, a major underdog, and Billy Mitchell, the reigning champion of Donkey Kong.

Released in 2007, King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters was directed by Seth Gordon, and follows Wiebe – an unemployed teacher from Washington – as he attempts to break the Donkey Kong high score that’s been the same for 25 years. He uses his mathematical abilities to find exploitable patterns in the game – and in 2003, he eventually manages to beat the high score.

However, everything isn’t as it seems – and a decade-long feud erupts between the two men, with allegations of circuit-board tampering, cheating, and unethical practices coming to light. It’s a thrilling documentary that leaves you rooting for the underdog, while also getting you to think about fairness – even if it’s not a conventional sport like football!

Overcoming Stereotypes in Murderball

Murderball is a fantastic and gripping documentary that looks at the fierce world of wheelchair rugby. It follows the journey of Team USA as they prepare for the upcoming Paralympic Games. The film does an amazing job at breaking stereotypes and proves that physical limitations don’t have to be a barrier to the world of sports.

Released in 2005, Murderball follows the US squad as they train for the 2004 Paralympics, held in Athens, Greece. While the focus is arguably on sports, the film also covers several other important elements including relationships, the players’ life away from sports, and the situations that led to them being put into a wheelchair in the first place.

The bottom line, however, is that Murderball shows how sports can transform lives, even when things look bleak.

If you’re interested in learning about some of the other best sports documentaries, check out the table below: