Over the years, we have seen some fantastic films created about sporting events. From those that recapture what happened in the past to fairy tale stories that have the best possible ending, we have seen some classics. Everyone will have their favourites, and these are often based around the sport you love, but there are some classics that really stand out regardless of whether you like the sport or not.
With so many to choose from, it is an almost impossible task to pinpoint which one is the best of all-time, but for those looking to watch sport-related films that have been made in the US then here are three films that are considered “must-watch”.
#3 Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire is a sports film that takes us behind the scenes, showing us what happens away from the TV cameras and away from the playing area. In this film, Jerry Maguire is a sports agent who is fired for highlighting the malpractices that go off in the industry and has to set up his own agency because of that and try to gain clients.
The film is a great look at what happens away from the game, and this is an area that is receiving heavy focus right now. With legal sports betting in the US moving across the states, with more and more getting on board, there is a lot of action taking place away from the actual field of play. We no longer have just the game to focus on, we have betting on the game to look at and analyse and this is something that is really going to change the face of the US sports industry as more states take the plunge and legalize gambling in their area.
#2 Miracle
If you love an underdog story with a happy ending for the USA then you are going to love the film Miracle. This is based around the Miracle on Ice performance of the US national hockey team when they won Olympic gold by beating the Soviet Union in Lake Placid back in 1980.
The sporting moment is regarded as one of the finest ever to happen on US soil and involve the US national team, with a real David vs Goliath matchup taking place on the ice. The Soviet Union had won five of the last six Olympic gold medals before the 1990 games and boasted a team stacked full of professional players who had vast international experience. Team USA was in stark contrast to this, a team full of amateur players, coming together to be the youngest team in the tournament and the youngest ever US national hockey team to compete in the Olympics.
In 2004, Walt Disney recreated the tournament and specifically this game to release the film Miracle. It included footage of the game including the final ten seconds when commentator Al Michaels spoke the words ‘do you believe in miracles? Yes!’ which is where the name Miracle on Ice originally came from, and also how the film itself goes the name.
#1 Rocky
Is there a series of sports films more iconic than Rocky? We think not and for that reason, this is our number one sports film made in the US. Five original Rocky films were released, with the first in 1976 paving the way for more to follow, and Rocky V being the last which was released in 1990.
Such was the demand from fans to see more of this great storyline, Rocky Balboa, Creed and Creed II have all been released since to bring the franchise up to date and continue to shine. Rocky Balboa is the main character in the five Rocky films that formed part of the main series, and his struggles as a boxer both inside and outside of the ring come to the fore in this action-packed thriller.
While the film is all about the moment Rocky fights and the glory that he achieves, it also shows us a glimpse into the life of a boxer, what the training is like, what focus is required before a big fight and of course the impact that it has on those around the boxer, which is something that a lot of people forget about when watching professional boxers fight each other.
In total, the film series has grossed more than $1.7 billion in worldwide box office sales while also receiving numerous awards and nominations for both the films and the iconic soundtracks that accompanied them.
If you are looking for a series of films to watch surrounding sport in the US then there is no better place to start than the series of Rocky films that follow the path and career of Balboa, both inside and outside of the ring.