Netflix documentaries are changing the sporting world

If you ask someone to list the names of sports documentaries they’ve seen or heard of, Drive to Survive will almost certainly spring to mind. In five seasons, including one released this month, the impact of the documentary series on the popularity of Formula One has been phenomenal.

The fly-on-the-wall series introduced a younger audience to the motorsport, dramatically increasing TV ratings. ESPN reported that the average number of viewers per race has risen from 547,000 in 2018 to 928,000 in 2021 following the release of the docu-series’ first season in 2019.

Acquired by Liberty Media in 2016 for $4.4 billion, Formula one was already a rapidly-growing sport, but the documentary seems to have given F1 a massive boost in audience numbers.

Now, Netflix is continuing its trend of releasing new sports-related content with the addition of new documentaries, including Break Point, which seeks to document the best-known stars in the tennis world. Having viewed this documentary myself, I’ve found it interesting getting to understand the sportsmen and women on a more personal level. A common factor among them is their love for their sport and sheer determination to do nothing else but win tournaments.

Full Swing, released this year, has received countless praise for its coverage of the PGA golf tour. The makers seemed to hit lucky documenting the moments as the sport witnessed a systematic change. The docu-series covered four men’s major tournaments and the LIV golf circuit, which has been at the centre of attention within the sport

Former world number one, Jordan Spieth, stated: “For Gold to see the Drive to Survive success and then have the opportunity to be part of trying to get out of the typical golf fanbase... It should have a pretty profound impact on growing the game of golf and hopefully bring more fans to the PGA Tour…”

It’s clear then that, while Drive to Survive might not be able to retain its impact for much longer, the documentary has had a ricocheting impact with other sports all trying to get their share of the attention from Netflix viewers.

For me, what makes these documentaries so good is their ability to introduce a sport to people who would not ordinarily go near it without making them feel like an idiot for not knowing anything. Through behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with big sporting stars, viewers can get a feel for a new sport and understand what makes it so addicting. The dramatised format keeps people entertained while entering the world of sports for the first time.

You can watch all the documentaries listed in this article on Netflix, who will release another series covering the rugby Six Nations later this year.

Edited by Maddy Burgess