Sports documentaries are the new binge-watch genre - with one in five fans admitting they’re now 'go-to' Saturday night viewing.
A poll of 2,000 adults found fans have enjoyed an average of 10 each - with some having clocked more than 30.
‘Beckham’, ‘Senna’ and ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ were named the most popular of all time, along with Pele and Alex Higgins: The People’s Champion.
It also emerged 60 per cent of those who aren’t sport fans themselves really enjoy watching the shows.
While 21 per cent watch more sport documentaries now than they have in the last five years.
The research was commissioned to celebrate the launch of Betfair’s new mini-documentary Serial Winners (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgodpkr1qQE), which looks at the career of star jockey Rachael Blackmore, who won The Grand National in 2021 and the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup the following year.
A spokesperson for Betfair said: “It seems we’ve never had such great access to our sporting heroes.
“In decades gone by, athletes were mysterious and often otherworldly, but now we can really get a look into what drives them with these high-quality documentaries, which is why we are so excited to give fans a glimpse of Rachael Blackmore’s world.”
The top reasons for enjoying sporting documentaries are the behind the scenes access, and learning about athletes’ struggles and challenges (both 38 per cent).
A third find them inspiring, and 28 per cent enjoy a look at exactly what goes into being a true winner.
For 25 per cent, seeing a ‘time capsule’ of what life was like in the past, such as The Last Dance’s picture of the USA in the early 1990s, is really enjoyable.
It also emerged 14 per cent have even started following a sport they weren’t previously interested in after watching a documentary about it.
While 36 per cent have also tuned into a show about a sport they didn’t really have any interest in, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
And 16 per cent even went as far as to say they prefer watching sporting documentaries to live sports now.
The study also found 28 per cent would like to see a documentary made about horse racing.
The Rachael Blackmore documentary will be unveiled at ‘The World’s First Movie Premiere at a Racecourse’ at Saturday’s Betfair Chase at Haydock, Merseyside.
Betfair’s spokesperson added: “Horse racing is a sport with a rich history, fascinating characters and a very interesting future, so it’s great territory for documentary film makers.
“It’s great to see there’s an appetite for sporting films, and it seems to be growing.”
THE BEST SPORTING DOCUMENTARIES EVER:
1. Beckham (Football)
2. Senna (Formula One)
3. Welcome to Wrexham (Football)
4. Pele (Football)
5. Alex Higgins: The People’s Champion (Snooker)
6. Gazza (Football)
7. Drive to Survive (Formula One)
8. Diego Maradona (Football)
9. Break Point (Tennis)
10. Stop at Nothing: Lance Armstrong (Cycling)
11. Sunderland Till I Die (Football)
12. All or Nothing - Man City (Football)
13. The Test – Australian Cricket Documentary (Cricket)
14. The Last Dance (Basketball)
15. All or Nothing – Spurs (Football)
16. The Impossible Job (Football)
17. Full Swing (Golf)
18. Cheer (Cheerleading)
19. All or Nothing - Juventus (Football)
20. Icarus (Cycling)
A poll of 2,000 adults found fans have enjoyed an average of 10 each - with some having clocked more than 30.
‘Beckham’, ‘Senna’ and ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ were named the most popular of all time, along with Pele and Alex Higgins: The People’s Champion.
It also emerged 60 per cent of those who aren’t sport fans themselves really enjoy watching the shows.
While 21 per cent watch more sport documentaries now than they have in the last five years.
The research was commissioned to celebrate the launch of Betfair’s new mini-documentary Serial Winners (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgodpkr1qQE), which looks at the career of star jockey Rachael Blackmore, who won The Grand National in 2021 and the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup the following year.
A spokesperson for Betfair said: “It seems we’ve never had such great access to our sporting heroes.
“In decades gone by, athletes were mysterious and often otherworldly, but now we can really get a look into what drives them with these high-quality documentaries, which is why we are so excited to give fans a glimpse of Rachael Blackmore’s world.”
The top reasons for enjoying sporting documentaries are the behind the scenes access, and learning about athletes’ struggles and challenges (both 38 per cent).
A third find them inspiring, and 28 per cent enjoy a look at exactly what goes into being a true winner.
For 25 per cent, seeing a ‘time capsule’ of what life was like in the past, such as The Last Dance’s picture of the USA in the early 1990s, is really enjoyable.
It also emerged 14 per cent have even started following a sport they weren’t previously interested in after watching a documentary about it.
While 36 per cent have also tuned into a show about a sport they didn’t really have any interest in, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
And 16 per cent even went as far as to say they prefer watching sporting documentaries to live sports now.
The study also found 28 per cent would like to see a documentary made about horse racing.
The Rachael Blackmore documentary will be unveiled at ‘The World’s First Movie Premiere at a Racecourse’ at Saturday’s Betfair Chase at Haydock, Merseyside.
Betfair’s spokesperson added: “Horse racing is a sport with a rich history, fascinating characters and a very interesting future, so it’s great territory for documentary film makers.
“It’s great to see there’s an appetite for sporting films, and it seems to be growing.”
THE BEST SPORTING DOCUMENTARIES EVER:
1. Beckham (Football)
2. Senna (Formula One)
3. Welcome to Wrexham (Football)
4. Pele (Football)
5. Alex Higgins: The People’s Champion (Snooker)
6. Gazza (Football)
7. Drive to Survive (Formula One)
8. Diego Maradona (Football)
9. Break Point (Tennis)
10. Stop at Nothing: Lance Armstrong (Cycling)
11. Sunderland Till I Die (Football)
12. All or Nothing - Man City (Football)
13. The Test – Australian Cricket Documentary (Cricket)
14. The Last Dance (Basketball)
15. All or Nothing – Spurs (Football)
16. The Impossible Job (Football)
17. Full Swing (Golf)
18. Cheer (Cheerleading)
19. All or Nothing - Juventus (Football)
20. Icarus (Cycling)
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FunTranscript
00:00 (dramatic music)
00:01 She's not from a family that was in horse racing.
00:05 She doesn't have a well-known last name.
00:07 She wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
00:10 And for me, that's what's so incredible,
00:13 is she's got that through a determination,
00:16 a strength, and just a belief that you can do it.
00:20 - One of the most defining things about Rachel Blackmore
00:28 is just how slow a start she made.
00:30 She really had to do it the hard way.
00:32 You know, in her first five years,
00:33 I think she only rode seven winners on the track,
00:36 11 point-to-point winners,
00:37 but Rachel stayed in there, stayed in the pocket,
00:39 kept swinging, and eventually it started happening.
00:42 - Winner each race, sir.
00:45 - You're joining us here at Punch's Town
00:46 for what should be a fantastic day of racing.
00:49 - You will see Rachel before a day's racing,
00:52 you'll chat to her, and she'll just be utterly charming.
00:56 When she is the gladiator walking into the paddock,
00:59 she has a totally different look about her.
01:02 They have to have ice in their veins.
01:05 So don't be fooled, she's a winner.
01:08 - 150 yards to go in the National,
01:11 Manila Times, and more significantly, Rachel Blackmore,
01:15 history in the National, Manila Times win.
01:17 - You can ride a winner of every big race that ever was,
01:22 but you want to do it again then.
01:24 It doesn't stop, it never stops.
01:26 (explosion)
01:28 [BLANK_AUDIO]