Netflix Plans to Become a Premier Source of Sport Stories

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Netflix plans to release two new projects that further cement its status as a premier storyteller in sports, featuring exclusive, behind-the-scenes stories with the most famous athletes, teams, leagues, and federations around the globe.

As part of its sports slate, Netflix greenlit two new docuseries: an as-yet-untitled series at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 featuring exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage of all 32 teams from the tournament, and Six Nations, a whole, inside look at the international rugby tournament.

Netflix also announced a February 24, 2023, premiere for season five of the hit series Formula 1: Drive to Survive, along with a first look at the new season. As previously announced, the tennis series Break Point debuts on January 13, 2023, followed by the golf series Full Swing on February 15, 2023. And later, in 2023, Netflix will premiere a behind-the-scenes docuseries from the 2022 Tour de France and Heart of Invictus, following competitors in The Invictus Games.

“This eclectic group of new and returning series reinforces that we are committed to delivering the best sports stories to our fans,” said Brandon Riegg, Vice President of Unscripted and Documentary Series, Netflix. “By going behind the scenes of the world’s biggest sporting events with unprecedented access, we have a unique opportunity to share the triumphs, tribulations, and drama of these iconic moments with our hundreds of millions of global members.”

Following the success of Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Netflix is sharing an updated slate of shows created in partnership with the world’s most significant sporting leagues below.

Break Point (January 13, 2023): From the team behind F1: Drive to Survive, BreakPoint follows a diverse group of tennis players on and off the court as they compete in grueling slams with hopes of winning a final and even bigger dream of becoming world number one. As some of the greatest players tennis has ever seen reach the twilight of their careers, there is room for a new generation of players to claim the spotlight. Break Point gets up close and personal with these top players on the tennis circuit through an entire year traveling across the globe for all four Grand Slams and the ATP and WTA tours. From physical injuries and emotional heartbreak to triumphant victories to personal moments off the court, viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the pressure-tested lives of these pro tennis players.

Full Swing (February 15, 2023): an immersive, eight-episode documentary series that follows a diverse group of professional golfers on and off the course across a relentless competition season. The golfers endure a high-stakes schedule week in and week out on the PGA TOUR, including, for the first time, exclusive behind-the-scenes access to all four of golf’s major championships, where a single shot can make or break a week, a season, or even a career. Full Swing is executive produced by Chad Mumm and Mark W. Olsen (Vox Media Studios), Paul Martin, James Gay-Rees, and Warren Smith (Box to Box Films).

Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 5 (February 24, 2023): Offering unprecedented access, this new season will again take fans behind the scenes to witness first-hand how the drivers and teams prepare to battle it out for the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The series will offer never-before-seen footage and interviews from the sport’s biggest names. Formula 1: Drive to Survive is executive-produced by Academy-Award winner James Gay-Rees (Amy, Senna) and Paul Martin (Diego Maradona) for Box to Box Films.

Heart of Invictus (Summer 2023): this inspiring new series follows a group of extraordinary competitors from around the globe – all service members who have suffered life-changing injuries or illnesses – on their road to the Invictus Games, revealing powerful stories of resilience and hope. From Archewell Productions in partnership with The Invictus Games Foundation, along with the Oscar-winning team of director Orlando von Einsiedel and producer Joanna Natasegara (The White Helmets, Virunga, Evelyn).

Untitled Tour de France Docuseries (2023): A documentary series about the iconic Tour de France 2022, a source of national pride in France. It will chart the ups and downs of 8 of the teams, featuring their cyclists over the grueling 3-week tour. ColdBox, a Paris-based joint venture between Box to Box Films and Quad, produces the series. Executive producers are James Gay-Rees, Paul Martin, Yann Le Bourbouach, and Amelia Hann.

Six Nations (working title) (2024): Six Nations and producers of Formula 1: Drive to Survive are planning to get fans closer than ever to this year’s Guinness Six Nations Championship. The series will take us inside the exciting world of the oldest and greatest annual international rugby tournament, giving fans an insight into pulsating behind-the-scenes moments as the best teams in Europe battle it out in some of the biggest matches in the rugby calendar to take home the prestigious trophy. Who will claim one of the sport’s biggest prizes as the pressure and intensity builds?

Untitled FIFA World Cup Series (Summer 2023): Following on from the co-produced series Captains, which followed players throughout qualification for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Netflix and FIFA+ have partnered on a new series that goes behind the scenes at the tournament. Produced by Fulwell 73, the untitled series will be the definitive account of one of the greatest sporting spectacles of all time. With privileged, behind-the-scenes access and exclusive footage in and around all the 32 teams, the series will show viewers the FIFA World Cup as never seen before. The series will stream globally on Netflix in 2023. Images.

These projects build on Netflix’s overall sports programming success, following previous projects like The Redeem Team; Last Chance U; The Last Dance; Neymar: The Perfect Chaos; Untold; and Cheer. In addition to exclusive projects with sports leagues, Netflix 2023 will launch the film Bill Russell: Legend, an untitled David Beckham series; and a new season of docuseries Untold.

Feature Image – Break Point. Matteo Berrettini in Break Point. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023

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