BT Sport Films explained

Genre:Sports documentary
Director:various
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Producer:Adam Darke
Network:BT Sport

BT Sport Films are a series of feature-length sports documentary films airing on the British subscription sports channels BT Sport. While the majority of films are about football, other sports covered include rugby, cricket, boxing, UFC, judo, speedway and MotoGP.

In July 2023, TNT Sports replaced BT Sport[1] [2] but repeats of BT Sport Films continue to be shown, alongside new films, under the banner of TNT Sports Films.

Background

The initial run of seven films was conceived prior to the launch of BT Sport in 2013, with the first film being shown on the channel's third day on air.[3] The commissioning editors for the series have been Jamie Hindhaugh, Barry Andrews, Sally Brown, Simon Green and Grant Best.

A number of the films have received a limited theatrical release, in which case BT Sport Films is usually credited as one of the production companies.

On most occasions, the first transmission of a film will be commercial-free, with versions including commercial breaks used for subsequent broadcasts. The films are shown on the BT Sport channels alongside documentaries from ESPN, including 30 for 30, Nine for IX, SEC Storied and Backstory, as well as official MotoGP films. In 2015, the channel also had a season of Warren Miller ski and snowboarding films.

List of films

Short films

Four half-hour films have been made under the BT Sport Films Shorts banner. These initial four films were made using unused material from State of Play.

BT Sport Films Club

In December 2020, nine short interstitials titled BT Sport Films Club were aired, featuring presenter Craig Doyle discussing the films Brothers in Football, The Crazy Gang, Greavsie, Cornered, Rocky and Wrighty, Team of the Eighties, No Hunger in Paradise, Shoulder to Shoulder and The Gaffer, promoting the availability of the films on demand.

Critical response

The series has had a generally good reception from critics.

The Daily Telegraph said that Rocky & Wrighty was "a fitting tribute to the much-loved [David] Rocastle",[4] while the same newspaper described Golazzo: The Football Italia Story as a "terrific documentary" and "well worth a watch."[5]

Shoulder to Shoulder attracted a "phenomenal response on social media" according to the Irish Mirror,[6] with The Irish Times calling it a "compelling documentary."[7]

On Brothers in Football, The Sportsman said "for any devoted football fanatic this is a must-watch".[8] The Liverpool Echo said Two Tribes was "evocative, poignant and stirring", capturing "a remarkable snapshot in time."[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Goldbart . Max . 2023-02-21 . Warner Bros. Discovery & BT Group's UK Sports Streaming JV To Launch As TNT Sports . 2023-02-21 . Deadline . en-US.
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/feb/21/eurosport-bt-sport-disappear-tnt-rebrand-tv Eurosport and BT Sport will disappear after TNT Sports rebrand
  3. Web site: Introducing BT Sport Films . BT Sport . 12 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191012102956/http://sport.bt.com/moresporthub/moresport/introducing-bt-sport-films-S11363819081379 . 12 October 2019 . live .
  4. News: Tyers . Alan . Story of David Rocastle and Ian Wright shows there's much to be explored in films about football off the pitch . 12 October 2019 . The Daily Telegraph . 2 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191012135129/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/04/02/story-david-rocastle-ian-wright-shows-much-explored-films-football/ . 12 October 2019 . live .
  5. News: Tyers . Alan . Football Italia: big in the 1990s, well worth a watch on BT Sport this week . 12 October 2019 . The Daily Telegraph . 1 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191012105728/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/04/01/football-italia-big-1990s-fun-watch-bt-sport-week/ . 12 October 2019 . live .
  6. News: Quinn . Gavin . Everyone is saying the same thing about Brian O'Driscoll's brilliant 'Shoulder to Shoulder' Irish rugby documentary . 12 October 2019 . The Irish Mirror . 12 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191012135142/https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/rugby-union/everyone-saying-same-thing-brian-13410146 . 12 October 2019 . live .
  7. News: Cummiskey . Gavin . Shoulder to Shoulder: How Irish rugby survived the Troubles . 12 October 2019 . The Irish Times . 2 October 2018.
  8. News: Porter . Jack . Forget Manchester City, Juventus, And Boca: This Is The Football Documentary You Must See This Year . 12 October 2019 . The Sportsman . 8 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191012135129/https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/forget-manchester-city-juventus-and-boca-this-is-the-football-documentary-you-must-see-this-year . 12 October 2019 . live .
  9. News: Prentice . David . Two Tribes - How Everton and Liverpool allowed a city to walk tall in a time when it was on its knees . 12 October 2019 . The Liverpool Echo . 30 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190330192500/https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/two-tribes-how-everton-liverpool-16040482 . 30 March 2019 . live .

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