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12 best sports documentaries on Hulu in 2024
This post was written in partnership with Hulu.
Sports is full of inspiring, unlikely and heartwarming stories – and documentaries are the perfect medium to capture them. Fortunately for us, Hulu has a diverse catalog of sports-themed documentaries covering soccer, football, golf, skiing and more sports from around the world. On top of that, the streaming service also has plenty of other sports and entertainment content, including award-winning movies, captivating shows and live sports.
From the pioneering Black female hockey players in “Ice Queens” to the death-defying physical feats in “Free Solo,” you’ll find many incredible sports stories on Hulu. Here are a dozen of the best.
Alex Morgan: The Equalizer
This four-part series follows soccer star Alex Morgan in the lead-up and key games of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which the U.S. team eventually won. It gives audiences a behind-the-scenes look into her life on and off the field, including her early days as a soccer player and her rise to becoming one of the biggest names in women’s sports. “Alex Morgan: The Equalizer” was directed by Hannah Lux Davis, who has previously directed music videos for Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and more. To watch this series, you’ll need to have a Hulu plan with the ESPN Plus add-on or the Disney Bundle.
Algiers, America
Set in New Orleans, “Algiers, America” tells the story of the football team at Edna Karr High School, led by Coach Brice Brown. Over five episodes, the show tags along with this tough group of teens who deal with much more than just wins and losses. The focus of the documentary series is two-fold: On the one hand, it chronicles the talented team’s efforts to take home another state championship. But it also captures their lives outside of football, many of which have been forever changed by gun violence. You can watch “Algiers, America” on-demand with any Hulu plan.
Behind the Mask
“Behind the Mask,” a Hulu original documentary series, offers a look into the personal and professional lives of several sports team mascots. The show features mascots from high school, college, minor league and major league teams, all of whom dedicate themselves to cheering on their teams and hyping up the fans. But after they remove their costumes and masks, the mascots have to grapple with obstacles in their own lives – including injuries, career uncertainty and mental health issues. You can watch both seasons of “Behind the Mask” on-demand with a standard Hulu plan.
Being Serena
Released in 2018, this HBO documentary series revolves around one of the world’s all-time greatest tennis players, Serena Williams. Split into five parts, “Being Serena” kicks off with Serena’s win at the 2017 Australian Open, around the time that she found out she was pregnant with her first child. Later, it follows her as she gives birth, gets married and gears up to return to competitive tennis after having her daughter – and comes to an end as she heads into the French Open. To watch “Being Serena,” you’ll need a Hulu plan with the Max add-on.
Fate of a Sport
“Fate of a Sport” centers around Paul Rabil, a world-class professional lacrosse player who decides to start his own league. The cameras follow Paul and his brother Mike as they launch the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) in 2018, with the goal of giving players more benefits, equity and security than they were receiving in other leagues. Along the way, Paul experiences the rewards and challenges of disrupting an established industry – as well as the additional complexity of playing in the league that he co-founded. “Fate of a Sport” was executive produced by ESPN Films and is available to watch on-demand with any Hulu plan.
Free Solo
Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin tell the story of rock climber Alex Honnold in “Free Solo,” the 2019 Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature. The film tags along with Alex as he prepares to climb El Capitan, a 3,000-foot rock formation in Yosemite National Park, without a rope (also known as free soloing). He faces some setbacks along the way (including injuries and hesitation from friends and family), but Alex is determined to try this record-setting climb – even as the directors express their ethical concerns about filming him, knowing that he might die in the process. “Free Solo” is available to watch in Hulu’s on-demand library.
Hard Knocks
Narrated by Liev Schreiber, HBO’s “Hard Knocks” documentary series has been around since 2001. Each installment in the series provides an all-access look at one specific NFL team, either during training camp or in-season. The most recent edition (“Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the New York Jets”) takes place as the Jets prepare for their 2023 season, which, at the time, they thought would include Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Before that, the series put the spotlight on the Arizona Cardinals, where J.J. Watt was playing his last season before retirement. You can check out “Hard Knocks” on Hulu (with the Max add-on).
Ice Queens
Directed by Kwame Damon Mason, “Ice Queens” explores the legacy of Black women in hockey. It features interviews with some of the sport’s most legendary players, including hall-of-famer Angela James, who won multiple gold medals with Canada in the IIHF World Women's Championship. There are also conversations with current players, like Olympic gold and silver medallist Sarah Nurse and record-breaking Buffalo Beauts forward Mikyla Grant-Mentis. In “Ice Queens,” the players discuss their experiences with hockey, including how they fell in love with the sport and how they’re hoping to inspire more girls to take it up. To watch “Ice Queens,” you’ll need the Disney Bundle or a Hulu plan with the ESPN Plus add-on.
Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers
This Hulu original docuseries delves into the history of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most well-known sports franchises. It begins in the 1970s when Jerry Buss bought the team and kicked off the highly-entertaining and championship-winning “Showtime'' era, featuring superstars like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Later episodes showcase the coming and going of the Lakers’ most memorable players (including Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant), as well as the turmoil and triumphs of the Buss family. All 10 episodes of “Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers'' are available to watch in Hulu’s on-demand library.
Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season
In 2019, HBO Sports released “Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season,” a documentary about the titular skier’s efforts to break the record for most World Cup wins. The film also re-traces Lindsey’s rise to success, from her childhood skiing days to her many Olympic, World Championship and World Cup appearances. At the same time, the documentary highlights the immense pressure that Lindsey faced over her career, including the difficulty she faced when making the decision to retire. You can view “Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season” on-demand on Hulu (with the Max add-on).
Tiger
Based on a 2018 biography, “Tiger” is a two-part HBO documentary series about the rise, downfall and return of golfer Tiger Woods. It includes stories about Tiger’s tricky relationship with his father, Earl, who urged his son to pursue a career as a professional golfer from an early age. “Tiger” also recaps some of the athlete’s most notable wins on the course and the biggest struggles in his personal life, which eventually led to his public fall from grace – until he made a surprising comeback in 2018. “Tiger” is available to watch in Hulu’s on-demand library (you’ll also need the Max add-on).
Welcome to Wrexham
What happens when two Hollywood actors (Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds) buy a soccer team in the UK? Find out in “Welcome to Wrexham,” the Hulu original docuseries that chronicles the pair’s efforts to breathe new life into the underperforming Wrexham Association Football Club – without any relevant experience. Much of the series focuses on the players and their performance, but it also shines a spotlight on the fans and the impact that the takeover has had on the local community. You can view “Welcome to Wrexham '' on-demand on Hulu.
FAQ
Is Hulu good for watching sports?
It can be, depending on which plan you choose. With a regular Hulu plan, you can watch on-demand sports content, including the documentaries listed above. You can also view sports-related TV shows and scripted movies. However, a Hulu + Live TV plan lets you watch all of those on-demand programs, plus live games from popular leagues like the MLB, NBA and NFL.
Does Hulu have original content?
Yes, Hulu produces original movies, documentaries and series. “Behind the Mask,” “Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers” and “Welcome to Wrexham” are three of its original sports docuseries.
Can I watch live sports on Hulu?
You can’t watch live sports with a standard Hulu plan. But if you sign up for Hulu + Live TV, you’ll get access to live games on channels like ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox, Fox Sports 1 (FS1) and NBC.
