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<\/p>\nSports documentaries are the new binge-watch genre \u2013 with one in five fans admitting they\u2019re now \u201cgo-to\u201d Saturday night viewing, research has found. A poll of 2,000 adults found fans have enjoyed an average of 10 each \u2013 with some having clocked more than 30 sporting documentaries.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeckham\u201d, \u201cSenna\u201d, and \u201cWelcome to Wrexham\u201d were named the most popular of all time, along with \u201cPel\u00e9\u201d, and \u201cAlex Higgins: The People\u2019s Champion\u201d.<\/p>\n
It also emerged 60 percent of those who aren\u2019t sport fans themselves really enjoy watching the shows \u2013 and 21 percent watch more sport documentaries now than they have in the last five years.<\/p>\n
The research was commissioned to celebrate the launch of Betfair\u2019s new mini-documentary, Serial Winners, which looks at the career of star jockey Rachael Blackmore \u2013 who won The Grand National in 2021, and the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup the following year.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for Betfair said: \u201cIt seems we\u2019ve never had such great access to our sporting heroes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn decades gone by, athletes were mysterious and often otherworldly \u2013 but now, we can really get a look into what drives them with these high-quality documentaries, which is why we are so excited to give fans a glimpse of Rachael Blackmore\u2019s world.\u201d<\/p>\n
The top reasons for enjoying sporting documentaries are for the behind-the-scenes access, and learning about athletes\u2019 struggles and challenges (both 38 percent).<\/p>\n
One in three find them inspiring, while 28 percent enjoy a look at exactly what goes into being a true winner.<\/p>\n
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And for 25 percent, seeing a \u201ctime capsule\u201d of what life was like in the past \u2013 such as The Last Dance\u2019s picture of the USA in the early 1990s \u2013 is really enjoyable.<\/p>\n
It also emerged 14 percent have even started following a sport they weren\u2019t previously interested in, after watching a documentary about it.<\/p>\n
And 36 percent have tuned into a show about a sport they didn\u2019t really have any interest in, according to the OnePoll.com figures.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, 16 percent even went as far as to say they now prefer watching sporting documentaries, to live sports.<\/p>\n
The study also found 28 percent would like to see a documentary made about horse racing. The Rachael Blackmore documentary will be unveiled at \u201cThe World\u2019s First Movie Premiere at a Racecourse\u201d, at Saturday\u2019s Betfair Chase at Haydock, Merseyside.<\/p>\n
Betfair\u2019s spokesman added: \u201cHorse racing is a sport with a rich history, fascinating characters, and a very interesting future, so it\u2019s great territory for documentary film makers. It\u2019s great to see there\u2019s an appetite for sporting films, and it seems to be growing.\u201d<\/p>\n