We live in an age where streaming services play a huge role in what we watch on our televisions and the market for compelling content is as strong as it has ever been.
Some of the most successful have been sports documentaries, particularly ‘fly on the wall’ offerings in which Netflix takes the lead.
Its Formula One: Drive to Success series will start its fifth series on Friday as we follow what life is like behind the scenes in one of the world’s most glamorous sports.
And the, well, formula, has been followed successfully since with Break Point taking viewers into the world of professional tennis while Full Swing was recently released to tell the story of golf’s turbulent times.
So, we thought of a few other sports that could benefit from the Netflix magic
Darts
This format works best when the participants interact with each other on a regular basis so we can see how the relationships develop over the weeks, particularly if the pressures of competition are cranked up.
One sport that definitely lends itself to this is darts. Classically, it is a game where those right at the top can earn a healthy living while others at the other end scrape around to balance their performances with day jobs and dreaming of the big time.
Wouldn’t it be great to see the contrasts between the Premier League stars and those just hoping for one chance at the big time.
Let’s follow their journeys through a gruelling calendar and demonstrate it is a far cry from the beer-swilling stereotype from which the game still suffers.
Snooker
Ever wondered what goes through a snooker player’s mind while he is sat in the corner watching his chances of victory slip through his fingers?
Do they question if they are good enough to cut it in these battles of the green baizes, or do they allow themselves to be distracted by what to have for their tea or whether that parcel has been delivered?
It would be great to find out, particularly as the sport’s golden era is now perhaps 38 years ago, when 18 million people watched Dennis Taylor beat Steve Davis with the last ball of the World Championship.
It can’t be that glamorous, but it would be great to find out.
Poker
What is it like to have a multi-million-dollar win on the poker table?
Surely it would be a great insight to see how people act in the immediate impact of going all-in and copping the lot. What is the first thing they go and buy and how does it eventually change them?
A year in the life of a World Series of Poker main event winner would give us a great look at what life could be like with an amount of money that few of us could even imagine.
Where else could you squeeze so much emotion in an hour’s worth of telly?
Sunday football
Netflix have already had a great deal of success with Welcome to Wrexham, which has followed the club’s purchase by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, but why not take it a step further down the football ladder.
Sunday football provides so much material that it is difficult to know where to start.
Why do people dedicate their lives to playing in a park on a Sunday morning and why does it matter to them so much to grab some local glory.
The treatment of referees could also be highlighted and it may even lead to something being done about it.
The possibilities are truly endless.
