Ampere analysis: Number of sports documentaries published in the run-up to the Olympic Games increased

Stephanie Prange

28 August 2024

The number of sports documentaries released by leading publishers has reached a new high in the run-up to the Paris Olympic Games: 103 new (first-run) sports documentaries and docuseries were released between May and July 2024, according to a new study by Ampere Analysis.

The last time Ampere reached these levels was in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with 109 documentaries in the three months to November 2022. However, this came during a period of higher order volumes overall. In the current order context, new sports documentaries released in July 2024 account for 25% of all new documentaries released worldwide during the month, a record share to date.

This is a new high for documentary sports content, whose share of first-run broadcasts has increased from 6% in 2020 to 9% in 2022 and 12% so far in 2024. The trend is mainly driven by SVOD services and is increasingly being picked up by public service broadcasters. European public service broadcasters, led by France Televisions and the BBC, released the largest number of new sports documentaries from May to July. In comparison, global streamers – which have become market leaders in the sports documentary genre in recent years – took a back seat over the past three months.

In addition to these documentaries, several other sports-related entertainment and reality programs were also launched during this period, bringing sports content to a record 17% of all new unscripted commissions released in July.

The thematic focus of much of this content indicated this shift in origin. The majority of these documentaries reflected public broadcasters’ focus on Olympic history, portraits of local athletes and analysis of national interests at the Games. The Olympics played a less prominent role in new sports documentaries from global streamers, as they continue to prioritize topics likely to appeal to a broad international subscriber base. The focus was on sports such as football or access to high-profile sports personalities, including tennis player Roger Federer on Amazon Prime Video and Formula 1 driver Checo Perez on Disney+.

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“Content producers have been preparing in earnest for the surge in interest in sports of all kinds triggered by the Olympics,” said Cyrine Amor, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, in a statement. “This year has seen a huge increase in the number of sports documentaries, docuseries, reality and entertainment programs. Unusually, public broadcasters have produced more of this material than global streamers. Sports fans have enjoyed a true summer of sport and documentary filmmakers have made July 24 a record month for global releases.”