There have been some phenomenal sports documentaries that have landed on Netflix in recent times, with the likes of Michael Jordan becoming even more of a cultural icon during 2020.
The sports doc has always fascinated fans all over the world, but they’re also difficult to get right. No matter what sport you love, the very best ones can really capture imagination regardless of whether you like the person, the team or even the sport, and its those ones that really do go down in history.
But what are the best sports documentaries on Netflix right now?
The Class of 92
Manchester United are one of the biggest soccer teams on the planet. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s they dominated British football and Europe, becoming as well known in the United States as they are on home soil.
Today, they’re just as well known and owned by the Glazer family, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but are far from the power they once were. They’ve fallen down the pecking order to the point where if you were to place a bet on them to win the league, you’d get +2500. They’re even priced at +160 to make the top four.
Yet still to this day see them as a powerhouse, with many people using bonuses such as what Gentings new welcome offer allows you to do and place a free bet on them to be the league’s top dog. The fact that they are so far off is perhaps a documentary in itself, but if you want to see where it all started for United’s purple patch, then this is the documentary for you.
It follows the Class of 92, which was the team that won the 1992 Youth Cup Final, all the way through to that historic treble win, when they picked up the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies.
It’s a real feel good film no matter who you support, and takes away the commercial side of sport and highlights it for what it is, friends enjoying themselves and getting the best out of each other.
The Battered Bastards of Baseball
Similarly, The Battered Bastards of Baseball follows the more human side of sport and the astonishing few years of the Portland Mavericks.
Set up by Bing Russel, father of Kurt, who even played for the Mavericks, it follows the minor league baseball side as they look to be a successful independent side. It’s a team full of characters and one that became incredibly popular with the people of Portland.
Released in 2014, it’s a real-life underdog story that will have you laughing, crying and generally have you falling in love with the Mavericks. If only there were a team like that today.
The Last Dance
You perhaps don’t need us to tell you about The Last Dance, such has been the hype around it, but it is a phenomenal piece of filmmaking that offers a warts and all look on the career of Michael Jordan.
Predominantly following him through his pomp, the documentary really drills down into why the Bulls legend is such a winner and gets his thoughts and insight on the various aspects of his career. If you haven’t seen it, you really must.
Icarus
With Lance Armstrong releasing another documentary in recent months, it’s well worth revisiting or watching Icarus if you haven’t done so already. It is a stunning documentary about Russia’s Olympic doping program, that really lifted the veil on the state-sponsored cheating.
The documentary itself was not meant to be that way. It initially began as an experiment to see how effective doping is for cyclists, but things begin to unravel and it actually plays out more like some form of political thriller. You really couldn’t write it.
