Sports can be difficult to capture in an authentic way on TV and in film, but shows that have been able to create meaningful stories around sports tend to be the best to watch. While sports TV, which can fall into the comedic genre but tend to be better as dramas, can be difficult to master, when it works well, it connects with audiences in more ways than one. The competitive edge of sports can bring viewers into a story, but the heart, soul, and skill of the genre are what make it work, connecting competition to a bigger story.
Sports TV shows have often had a tough time finding their footing with audiences. While some shows don’t have an accurate or interesting depiction of the sport at hand, other shows fail to connect the action with the larger story. Shows that are able to pull the strings of both sides, creating an interesting story with intensity that either accurately depicts the sport itself or avoids delving into too much detail, are able to captivate audiences. Tugging on heartstrings that unite audiences all over the world, the best sports TV can be brilliant and thrilling while telling a compelling story.
12
All American
All American, which will air its final season on The CW starting this July, follows Spencer James (Daniel Ezra), a high school football player noticed by Billy Baker (Taye Diggs), a former professional player turned coach. Spencer has to navigate the world of Beverly Hills while playing football with a whole new team outside of his home in Crenshaw, California. The series follows Spencer in his new life through his final high school years and into a professional career, and while the football isn’t always shown or realistic, the pressures surrounding the sport make for great drama.
- Release Date
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October 10, 2018
- Showrunner
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Nkechi Okoro Carroll
- Directors
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Nkechi Okoro Carroll
- Writers
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Nkechi Okoro Carroll
11
Luck
HBO’s Luck follows Chester “Ace” Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) after a three-year stay in federal prison, where he’s devised a revenge plot within the world of horse racing. The series only lasted a single season, but explored the interconnected lives of horse owners, trainers, jockeys, and those at the track. With an incredible, immersive attention to detail, Luck is one of the most accurate portrayals of horse racing culture in media. The races on Luck themselves carry huge narrative weight because they immerse the audience, who’s already aware of the stakes they hold for everyone on screen.
- Release Date
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2012 – 2012
- Network
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HBO
- Directors
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Allen Coulter, Brian Kirk, Michael Mann, Mimi Leder
10
Kingdom
Kingdom, which aired from 2014 through 2017, focuses on a family-run MMA gym led by former fighter Alvey Kulina (Frank Grillo). The series follows Alvey’s sons, Jay (Jonathan Tucker) and Nate (Nick Jonas), as well as Ryan Wheeler (Matt Lauria), a former convict training at the gym. The show portrays MMA in an intense and exciting way, showing the physical and psychological costs of fighting. With incredibly realistic fight sequences throughout the show’s run, Kingdom uses MMA to shape the identities of its characters and the stories that surround them.
- Release Date
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2014 – 2017-00-00
- Network
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Audience
- Directors
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Michael Morris, Gary Fleder, Adam Davidson, Craig Zisk, Dennie Gordon, John Dahl
- Writers
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Scott Wilson, Alex Metcalf, Byron Balasco, Tom Garrigus, Vladimir Cvetko, Bruce Rasmussen
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Frank Grillo
Alvey Kulina
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Kiele Sanchez
Lisa Prince
9
Heated Rivalry
An adaptation of Rachel Reid’s novel series, Heated Rivalry takes place in the fictional MHL hockey league and follows rookie rivals Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). Though the romance between the two is the primary focus of the series, both have to show off their hockey skills throughout the series, and the world of the sport is the backdrop for their memorable relationship. The emotional storytelling that incorporates the genuine pressures and realities that stem from professional hockey makes Heated Rivalry unforgettable.
- Release Date
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November 28, 2025
- Network
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Crave
- Directors
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Jacob Tierney
Cast
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Connor Storrie
Ilya Rozanov
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Hudson Williams
Shane Hollander
8
GLOW
A Netflix series that became one of its most enduring hits, GLOW followed a group of women in a professional wrestling league. The show positions wrestling in a fascinating time, right as the sport boomed in pop culture during the 1980s. The series, which was led by Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin, tackled issues that surrounded women in a competitive arena, but also peeled back the veil when it came to wrestling. While still ensuring that the physicality of the sport was addressed, GLOW’s commitment to showing all sides of wrestling was impressive.
- Release Date
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2017 – 2019-00-00
- Showrunner
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Liz Flahive
- Directors
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Liz Flahive
- Writers
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Liz Flahive
7
Cobra Kai
A continuation of the Karate Kid franchise, Cobra Kai began on YouTube Red before making its way to Netflix, where it ran for 6 seasons. The series followed original Karate Kid cast members Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence as they brought a new generation of kids into competitive karate training. The show’s ability to create compelling stories that are actually reliant on the athlete’s training and competition gave Cobra Kai a distinct edge, making it a sports drama worth watching.
- Release Date
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2018 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Netflix, YouTube Premium
- Showrunner
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Jon Hurwitz
- Directors
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Hayden Schlossberg, Jon Hurwitz, Joel Novoa, Jennifer Celotta, Steven K. Tsuchida, Sherwin Shilati, Marielle Woods, Steve Pink, Lin Oeding, Michael Grossman
- Writers
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Josh Heald, Ashley Darnall, Chris Rafferty, Bill Posley
6
Swagger
An Apple TV series that is loosely inspired by the experiences of NBA phenom Kevin Durant, Swagger explores the world of youth basketball. The series, which features a large cast including O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Ike “Icon” Edwards and Quvenzhané Wallis as Crystal Jarrett, looks at the way that youth basketball shapes its players as their families, coaches, and onlookers help push and pull the game. With games that feature extensive attention to detail, Swagger offers a perspective that rarely gets explored in TV sports dramas.
- Release Date
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2021 – 2022
- Network
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Apple TV+
- Directors
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Reggie Rock Bythewood
- Writers
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Katrina O’Gilvie, Hector Oliveras Garcia, Steve DiUbaldo
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Quvenzhané Wallis
Crystal
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5
A League Of Their Own
An adaptation of the 1992 film, A League Of Their Own was a Prime Video original series that ran for a single season in 2022. Exploring the world of the Rockford Peaches in the 1940s, the series is focused on the All-American Girls Professional Baseball league. While the show is praised more for its work on social issues that impact the characters, baseball is such a huge part of the show that it can’t be overlooked. The community created by the sport, as well as the sequences themselves, are what makes A League Of Their Own compelling.
- Release Date
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2022 – 2022-00-00
- Showrunner
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Will Graham
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Abbi Jacobson
Carson Shaw
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Chanté Adams
Max Chapman
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-
4
Ted Lasso
As one of Apple TV’s most successful shows, Ted Lasso is less of a drama the majority of the time, but the heart and soul that it provides makes it one of the best sports shows of all time. The series follows coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) as he, an optimistic American football coach, heads to the UK to coach professional soccer in an incredibly different market. The series does show some intense soccer sequences, but the pressures on the pitch and off and how the characters deal with them are what makes the show shine.
- Release Date
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August 14, 2020
- Network
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Apple TV
- Directors
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Declan Lowney, MJ Delaney, Erica Dunton, Matt Lipsey
3
Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty
An HBO series, Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty only aired for two seasons, and followed the real-life events of the Los Angeles Lakers from the late 70s through the early 80s. Looking at a dynastic moment when players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were on the team, the series looks at professional basketball from a behind-the-scenes lens, but the energetic style and high intensity of the game sequences, as well as the true-to-life story, make it an excellent watch.
- Release Date
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2022 – 2023-00-00
- Network
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HBO Max
- Showrunner
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Max Borenstein
- Directors
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Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Tanya Hamilton
- Writers
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Max Borenstein, Rodney Barnes
