Subscriptions may not provide value for money – but at least we are beginning to get a glimpse behind the curtain of elite sport

To be a sports fan with a wide variety of interests is an expensive business. 

The sheer number of subscriptions needed seemingly increases with every passing year – but the growth of the sports docuseries means that supporters are at least getting a glimpse into where their hard-earned cash goes.

The gap between supporters and athletes has never been greater in terms of wealth, luxury and accessibility. However, social media has given athletes a direct line to fans – well, the ones who do not have a dedicated team documenting their every move – and the growing phenomenon of sports reality TV is ever so slightly helping fans peer behind the curtain of elite sport. 

If fans are going to fork out hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds per year on subscription packages for dedicated sports channels, then at least they are getting some insight beyond the action.

Amazon is now part of the live sporting landscape, streaming Premier League football, ATP & WTA tennis and rugby union internationals among other sports, but the behemoth has also gone behind the scenes at football clubs such as Arsenal, Tottenham and Juventus, five NFL franchises and New Zealand's All Blacks in its acclaimed All or Nothing series.

Netflix has not yet entered dipped its toes into live sports coverage – but it has gone big on behind-the-scenes series. Fellow streaming giant Disney have followed suit.

The docuseries is an excellent way to introduce a sport to someone or to turn people with a passing interest into avid spectators. 

The recent Tour de France: Unchained was an enthralling watch and as a result had me hooked on every stage of this year's Tour. I have caught parts of the race in the past but having had an insight into the riders and their teams, I became an avid watcher of this July's edition.

Getting into a new sport can often be challenging and complex but watching a documentary gives context where it otherwise would not have existed. There is bound to be an element of editorial control but the best series avoid making this too obvious and hook you with relevant storylines that keep you wanting more.

Formula 1's television ratings in the United States were up 40 per cent following the release of Netflix’s Drive to Survive. Full Swing and Break Point have tried to do the same for golf and tennis with mixed success, but all sports know they face a fight for the attention of a younger, more diverse audience. This is the driver behind all of the aforementioned shows. 

Like it or not, sport is entertainment and can appeal as reality TV as well as its purest live form. In an overpopulated marketplace many sports face a huge challenge to stay relevant, and with supporters paying an increasing amount for subscription services there is a demand for more and more content.

The genre is not new, it's just rapidly expanding. But there is still some way to go for the current incarnations to match my favourite sports documentary, the late 90s epic Living with Lions which documented the 1997 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.

Rugby was not a sport that featured prominently in my childhood until Living with Lions was released. The access granted was incredible and the input from the players made it a fascinating watch. Such is the power of giving people a peek behind the scenes, I have since been to Australia and New Zealand to watch the Lions. 

And with the state of the current England rugby team, the 2025 Lions tour holds far more appeal than the World Cup in France, although an honest behind-the-scenes look at Steve Borthwick’s side would be unmissable.   

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