ESPN Films documentaries will be available to viewers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa on streaming service ESPN Player.
The sports documentaries can be streamed on demand by anyone subscribing to one of ESPN Player’s packages – which also offer NCAA sports, IndyCar, X Games and a host of other events.
A total of 15 films are currently available on ESPN Player, with new films available introduced each month. Many films will be from the 30 for 30 series (created in 2009 to celebrate ESPN’s 30th anniversary, now featuring more than 100 films). Films from the SEC Storied series, such as The Book of Manning, and the Nine for XI films series celebrating stories from across women’s sports, will also feature.
The selection of films will rotate monthly. The first films available at launch include:
You Don’t Know Bo – Bo Jackson became a cultural icon through the remarkable feat of reaching superstar status in both professional baseball and football;
Unmatched – The story of one of the greatest one-on-one sports rivalries ever – Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert – and the mutual respect and friendship that developed from it;
The House of Steinbrenner The tale of how shipbuilder George Steinbrenner revitalised the New York Yankees and returned them to the top of the baseball world.
This is What They Want – an examination of Jimmy Connors’ career told through the lens of the 1991 U.S. Open, when Connors famously reached the semi-finals at the age of 39.
Commenting on the launch, Charly Classen, Vice President and General Manager, ESPN EMEA, said: “ESPN Films has redefined sports documentaries, raising the levels of production and storytelling to new heights. The quality of the series is such that they can be enjoyed by fans on non-sports fans alike, so we’re delighted to make them accessible to subscribers across EMEA.”
