30 for 30

30 for 30
Logo for 30 for 30 Volume I films
Genre	Sports documentary
Created by	Bill Simmons Connor Schell
Directed by	various
Produced by	Bill Simmons Connor Schell John Dahl
Language	English
Original channel	ESPN ESPN2 ABC ESPN Deportes
Original run	Volume I: October 6, 2009 (2009-10-06) – December 11, 2010 (2010-12-11) ESPN Films Presents March 13, 2011 (2011-03-13) – June 2, 2012 (2012-06-02) Volume II: October 2, 2012 (2012-10-02) – 2014[1] Shorts: May 15, 2012 (2012-05-15) – TBD Soccer Stories: April 15, 2014 (2014-04-15) – July 1, 2014 (2014-07-01)
No. of episodes	Total Aired: 93 Volume I: 30 ESPN Films Presents 13 Volume II: 30[2] Shorts: 33 Soccer Stories: 8

30 for 30 is the umbrella title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN and its sister networks and online properties. The series highlights important people and events in the sports world and in sports history. 30 for 30 includes two "volumes" of 30 episodes each,^[1] a 13-episode series under the ESPN Films Presents title in 2011–2012, and a series of 30 for 30 Shorts shown through the ESPN.com website. The series also expanded to include Soccer Stories, airing in advance of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Background

The idea for the 30 for 30 series began with ESPN.com columnist and Grantland.com founder Bill Simmons, who wanted feature filmmakers to recount the sports stories, people, and events of which they took a personal interest or involvement in, however great or small, and felt had not been fully explored. Volume I of 30 for 30, which premiered in October 2009 and ran through December 2010, chronicles 30 stories from the "ESPN era," which extended 30 years from the network's founding in 1979; each Volume I film details the issues, trends, people, teams, or events that transformed the sports landscape during those three decades, including what Simmons describes as "stories that resonated at the time [they occurred] but were eventually forgotten for whatever reason."^[3] John Dahl, Connor Schell and Simmons serve as 30 for 30's executive producers;^[4][5][6] Subsequent films in the series, including Volume II and online-only shorts, have expanded the series' scope to include people and events from outside the "ESPN era." In September 2014, Schell said, "Even though we have been at this for five years now, there is no shortage of incredible moments from the world of sports, so that enables us to continue making 30 for 30 films we’re proud of."^[7]

List of 30 for 30 Volume I films

Unless otherwise noted, the following films are all 60 minutes in length (including commercials).

Overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (in millions)
1	1	Kings Ransom	Peter Berg	October 6, 2009 (2009-10-06)	0.645[8]
The 1988 trade of Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings and the effect it had on Gretzky, the fans in Edmonton, and the popularity of hockey in Southern California.
2	2	The Band That Wouldn't Die	Barry Levinson	October 13, 2009 (2009-10-13)
A profile of Baltimore's love affair with football and the Colts, focusing on the Colts Marching Band. After the Colts decamped for Indianapolis in 1984, the band remained in Baltimore and helped promote the eventual return of the NFL to the city.
3	3	Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL?	Mike Tollin	October 20, 2009 (2009-10-20)
Fresh interviews and archival footage track the life and demise of the United States Football League in the mid-1980s. A highlight is Tollin's interview with Donald Trump, the former New Jersey Generals owner whose post-interview comments on the league give this documentary its title.[9]
4	4	Muhammad and Larry	Albert Maysles	October 27, 2009 (2009-10-27)
A look at the October 1980 Muhammad Ali-Larry Holmes fight and its impact on both fighters, featuring fresh interviews with participants and previously unseen lead-up footage from both fighters' camps.
5	5	Without Bias	Kirk Fraser	November 3, 2009 (2009-11-03)
The death of Len Bias from a cocaine-induced heart attack, two days after Boston selected him as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft, and its impact on casual drug use, especially by the sports community.
6	6	The Legend of Jimmy the Greek	Fritz Mitchell	November 10, 2009 (2009-11-10)
The life of Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder, from his career as a Las Vegas bookmaker to his tenure on The NFL Today, from which he was fired in 1988.
7	7	The U	Billy Corben	December 12, 2009 (2009-12-12)	2.368[10][11]
The racial and cultural evolution of Miami during the 1980s as represented within the University of Miami football team. (2 hours in length)
8	8	Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks	Dan Klores	March 14, 2010 (2010-03-14)
The impact of Indiana Pacer Reggie Miller on the New York Knicks in the 1990s, specifically focusing on the Pacers/Knicks battles in the 1994 and 1995 NBA Playoffs and on Miller's interaction with Knicks fan Spike Lee.
9	9	Guru of Go	Bill Couturié	April 3, 2010 (2010-04-03)
A profile of Paul Westhead's coaching tenure at Loyola Marymount University (1985–1990), where his Lions' team was known for its high-scoring run-and-gun offense and talented players such as Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers, who died on-court in 1990.
10	10	No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson	Steve James	April 13, 2010 (2010-04-13)
The 1993 trial of Hampton, Virginia high school athlete Allen Iverson, convicted for his role in a racially tinged melee, and its impact on both the community and on Iverson's life. (90 minutes in length)
11	11	Silly Little Game	Adam Kurland and Lucas Jansen	April 20, 2010 (2010-04-20)
Meeting at New York City's La Rotisserie Francaise restaurant in 1980, a group of writers and academics develop Rotisserie Fantasy baseball, only to see it take off in popularity and leave them behind.
12	12	Run Ricky Run	Sean Pamphilon and Royce Toni	April 27, 2010 (2010-04-27)	0.972[12]
A profile of Ricky Williams focuses on his brief 2004 departure from the NFL, when he sought self-redemption amidst media criticism and fresh rumors of marijuana use.
13	13	The 16th Man	Clifford Bestall, Lori McCreary, and Morgan Freeman	May 4, 2010 (2010-05-04)	0.463[13]
How hosting (and winning) the 1995 Rugby World Cup and Nelson Mandela's support of the Springboks national team affected post-apartheid South Africa.
14	14	Straight Outta L.A.	Ice Cube	May 11, 2010 (2010-05-11)
The relationship between the Raiders and the minority fan base in Los Angeles during the team's 13 seasons in L.A. (1982–1994)
15	15	June 17th, 1994	Brett Morgen	June 16, 2010 (2010-06-16)
Quick-cut archival footage captures the various US sporting events on the day in question and the emotions they generated, including but not limited to the opening of the World Cup soccer tournament, the Knicks/Rockets battle in the NBA Finals, Arnold Palmer's last round in the U.S. Open, and the New York Rangers' Stanley Cup victory celebration — all of which are overshadowed by O. J. Simpson's run from the police.
16	16	The Two Escobars	Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist	June 22, 2010 (2010-06-22)
The lives of soccer player Andrés Escobar and drug lord Pablo Escobar; the intertwining of crime and soccer in their native Colombia; and the connections between the murders of both men. (2 hours in length)
17	17	The Birth of Big Air	Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Knoxville, and Spike Jonze	July 29, 2010 (2010-07-29)
The life of Mat Hoffman and his 25-year career of advancing BMX riding, both creatively and promotionally.
18	18	Jordan Rides the Bus	Ron Shelton	August 24, 2010 (2010-08-24)
Motivated by the dream his late father had for him, Michael Jordan retires from basketball and has a brief career in minor league baseball.
19	19	Little Big Men	Al Szymanski	August 31, 2010 (2010-08-31)
The Kirkland National Little League team's success at the 1982 Little League World Series, examining why their title win is considered one of the biggest upsets in the event's history.
20	20	One Night in Vegas	Reggie Rock Bythewood	September 7, 2010 (2010-09-07)
The friendship of boxer Mike Tyson and rapper Tupac Shakur and the night of September 7, 1996, when Shakur was murdered after attending the Tyson-Bruce Seldon fight in Las Vegas.
21	21	Unmatched	Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern, with Hannah Storm	September 14, 2010 (2010-09-14)
A look at the rivalry and friendship between tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.
22	22	The House of Steinbrenner	Barbara Kopple	September 21, 2010 (2010-09-21)
The legacy of George Steinbrenner's ownership of the New York Yankees.
23	23	Into the Wind	Steve Nash and Ezra Holland	September 28, 2010 (2010-09-28)	0.894[14]
Terry Fox's attempt to run across Canada in support of fundraising for cancer research captures the attention of his fellow Canadians and the world.
24	24	Four Days In October	Major League Baseball Productions	October 5, 2010 (2010-10-05)	1.45[15]
The remarkable comeback of the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS.
25	25	Once Brothers	NBA Entertainment	October 12, 2010 (2010-10-12)
The story of Croatian Dražen Petrović and Serbian Vlade Divac, NBA players and Yugoslavian national teammates, and how upheaval in their homeland adversely and irretrievably affected their friendship. (90 minutes in length)
26	26	Tim Richmond: To the Limit	NASCAR Media Group and Rory Karpf	October 19, 2010 (2010-10-19)
The career of NASCAR driver Tim Richmond, his flamboyant lifestyle, and his 1989 death from AIDS.
27	27	Fernando Nation	Cruz Angeles	October 26, 2010 (2010-10-26)
The euphoria created by Fernando Valenzuela's 1981 arrival with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
28	28	Marion Jones: Press Pause	John Singleton	November 2, 2010 (2010-11-02)
The successful track and field career of Marion Jones, her 2007 admission of performance-enhancing drug use, and subsequent prison sentence.
29	29	The Best That Never Was	Jonathan Hock	November 9, 2010 (2010-11-09)	2.229[16]
The 1981 recruiting of high school football player Marcus Dupree by multiple big-time college programs, his resulting injury-prone college and professional career, and how his pursuit by college and USFL teams changed the recruiting process. (2 hours in length)
30	30	Pony Excess	Thaddeus D. Matula	December 11, 2010 (2010-12-11)	2.517[11]
The rise, fall, and rebirth of the SMU Mustangs football program, which received a 1-year "death penalty" for major infractions after former SMU player David Stanley blew the whistle on the long-suspected program. (2 hours in length)

ESPN Films Presents

Other films were previously announced for the 30 for 30 series but were not included in the series. These films, which began airing in 2011, are a continuation of 30 for 30, dealing with more sports stories that 30 for 30 did not cover. According to 30 for 30 producer Bill Simmons: "We're spinning off the "30 for 30" series next year into something that will probably be called "30 for 30 Presents" or something like that... we're going to be putting out 4–5 sports docs per year on the level of the best "30 for 30" docs and getting the best filmmakers to do them. Same creative team is involved. We have some terrific ideas in the hopper. So even though the SMU doc will be the 30th one (right after the Heisman ceremony) don't think the spirit of the series is going away."^[17] These additional films include:

Overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (in millions)
31	1	The Fab Five	Jason Hehir	March 13, 2011 (2011-03-13)	2.74[18]
The story of the 1991 Michigan men's basketball recruiting class, called the Fab Five, one of whom (Chris Webber) was later involved in a notorious pay-for-play scandal.
32	2	Catching Hell	Alex Gibney	September 27, 2011 (2011-09-27)	1.379[19]
The relationship between Chicago Cubs fans and Steve Bartman following Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series
33	3	Renée	Eric Drath	October 4, 2011 (2011-10-04)	0.508[20]
The life of transgender athlete Renée Richards, who shocked the world with her entry into the 1977 U.S. Open.
34	4	The Dotted Line	Morgan Spurlock	October 11, 2011 (2011-10-11)	0.939[21]
Sports agents Peter Greenberg and Eugene Lee are profiled with their clients Johan Santana, Jacquian Williams and Robert Hughes.
35	5	Charismatic	Steven Michaels, Joel Surnow, and Jonathan Koch	October 18, 2011 (2011-10-18)	0.672[22]
The run of Charismatic and his jockey, Chris Antley, at the 1999 Triple Crown.
36	6	The Real Rocky	Jeff Feuerzeig	October 25, 2011 (2011-10-25)	1.386[23]
A profile of Chuck Wepner, the original inspiration for Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa character, and how the glory of Rocky eluded Wepner as he took several strange turns in an effort to stay in the spotlight.
37	7	Unguarded	Johnathan Hock	November 1, 2011 (2011-11-01)	1.377[24]
The story of Chris Herren, a high school basketball star and NBA player; his career-long struggles with drug abuse; and his ultimate discovery of redemption and personal fulfillment through the game.
38	8	Roll Tide/War Eagle	Martin Khodabakhshian	November 8, 2011 (2011-11-08)	1.698[25]
The continuing rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Alabama, focusing on the history between the two programs, the bad blood between their fans, and how this intense rivalry came to a pinnacle, just when they ended up needing each other most.
39	9	The Marinovich Project	Andrew Stephan and John Dorsey	December 10, 2011 (2011-12-10)	2.131[26]
A look at the rise and fall of former USC and NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich, focusing primarily on the complex relationship between Marinovich and his father.
40	10	Goose	Kevin Shaw	February 26, 2012 (2012-02-26)	0.349[27]
The life of Reece “Goose” Tatum who played in Negro League baseball and was an original member of the legendary Harlem Globetrotters.
41	11	The Announcement	Nelson George	March 11, 2012 (2012-03-11)	2.047[28]
The events and aftermath of former Los Angeles Lakers player Magic Johnson announcing to the world that he tested positive for HIV.
42	12	26 Years: The Dewey Bozella Story	Jose Morales	March 15, 2012 (2012-03-15)
Life of Dewey Bozella and his 26 years behind bars, where he found strength and purpose through boxing (becoming the light heavyweight champion of Sing Sing prison), and his goal to be proven innocent and box professionally once he was released.
43	13	Right to Play	Frank Marshall	June 2, 2012 (2012-06-02)
The story of Norwegian speed-skating gold medalist Johann Olav Koss, who founded the non-profit organization Right to Play, which brings sports to children in third-world and war-torn countries.

List of 30 for 30 Volume II films

On May 15, 2012, it was announced that the 30 for 30 series would return in the fall of 2012 with all new documentaries. The documentaries will be integrated with Grantland.com by podcasts, feature stories and oral histories. In addition to the new documentaries, unrelated short films will release each month on Grantland.com.^[29]

Unless otherwise noted, the following films are all 90 minutes in length (including commercials).

Overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (in millions)
44	1	Broke	Billy Corben	October 2, 2012 (2012-10-02)	2.528[30]
An exploration of the road to fortune in sports and the eventual detours (for various reasons) to financial difficulties and bankruptcy, as experienced by top athletes including Bernie Kosar, Andre Rison, Keith McCants, and Cliff Floyd.
45	2	9.79*	Daniel Gordon	October 9, 2012 (2012-10-09)	1.313[31]
A profile of the Men's 100 meter final at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the lives of the 8 men who participated, including Ben Johnson (whose world-record run of 9.79 seconds was scrubbed after he tested positive for anabolic steroids) and Carl Lewis (who was awarded the gold medal after Johnson's disqualification).
46	3	There's No Place Like Home	Maura Mandt and Josh Swade	October 16, 2012 (2012-10-16)	1.007[32]
The story of one fan's obsessive quest to purchase (at a 2010 auction) James Naismith's original rules of basketball, perhaps the most important historical document in American sports history, and to bring it "home" to Lawrence, Kansas, where Naismith taught and coached at the University of Kansas for more than 40 years. (70 mins in length)
47	4	Benji	Coodie and Chike	October 23, 2012 (2012-10-23)	1.488[33]
The life of Ben Wilson, a well-regarded Chicago high school basketball star, and how his November 1984 murder (one day before the start of his senior season) had a wide-ranging impact.
48	5	Ghosts of Ole Miss	Fritz Mitchell	October 30, 2012 (2012-10-30)	1.023[34]
Mississippi native Wright Thompson explores tumultuous events of 1962, when the University of Mississippi campus both erupted in violence over integration and swelled with pride over its unbeaten football team, and how those incidents continue to shape the state 50 years later. (60 mins in length)
49	6	You Don't Know Bo	Michael Bonfiglio	December 8, 2012 (2012-12-08)	3.600[35]
A profile of Bo Jackson and how his college and professional feats in two sports (baseball and football) captured the public's imagination and made Jackson a cultural (and marketing) icon.
50	7	Survive and Advance	Jonathan Hock	March 17, 2013 (2013-03-17)	1.603[36]
A look at the North Carolina State Wolfpack men's basketball team's successful and improbable championship runs through the 1983 ACC and the 1983 NCAA tournaments. (2 hrs in length)
51	8	Elway to Marino	Ken Rodgers and NFL Films	April 23, 2013 (2013-04-23)	1.060[37]
A look at the 1983 NFL Draft and the six quarterbacks taken in its first round, specifically John Elway (the first overall pick) and Dan Marino (the last QB picked in Round 1). The film features the recollections of Martin Demoff, the agent for both Elway and Marino, who shares a personal diary he kept to chronicle the indecision the Baltimore Colts had with drafting Elway with the first pick or trading it away, as well as the other teams' interest in his two future-Hall of Fame clients.
52	9	Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau	Sam George	October 1, 2013 (2013-10-01)	0.791[38]
Chronicling the life of big wave surfer and lifeguard Eddie Aikau, whose death served as inspiration to an entire spiritual movement.
53	10	Free Spirits	Daniel H. Forer	October 8, 2013 (2013-10-08)	0.699[39]
The story of the colorful figures who made up the American Basketball Association's Spirits of St. Louis, and how Spirits owners Ozzie and Daniel Silna, with their team about to be left out in the ABA's merger with the NBA, managed to negotiate a deal that has allowed the brothers' involvement in pro basketball to continue to exist in a most unusual fashion. (60 mins in length)
54	11	No Más	Eric Drath	October 15, 2013 (2013-10-15)	1.343[40]
An inside look at the two boxing matches between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran in the 1980s, with insight from boxing experts, family members and the two fighters themselves.
55	12	Big Shot	Kevin Connolly	October 22, 2013 (2013-10-22)	1.07[41]
The story of how young businessman John Spano struck a deal to purchase the New York Islanders in 1996, only to be later revealed as a fraud and being near financial insolvency.
56	13	This is What They Want	Brian Koppelman and David Levien	October 29, 2013 (2013-10-29)	0.866[42]
The story of a 39-year-old Jimmy Connors and his unexpected and extraordinary underdog run at the 1991 U.S. Open, where he played as a wildcard entrant and reached the semifinals of the men's singles draw.
57	14	Bernie and Ernie	Jason Hehir	November 5, 2013 (2013-11-05)	1.125[43]
A profile of Bernard King and Ernie Grunfeld, their decades-long friendship, and their on-court partnership on the University of Tennessee basketball team, better known as the "Ernie and Bernie Show".
58	15	Youngstown Boys	Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist	December 14, 2013 (2013-12-14)	1.967[44]
The stories of two Ohio State football figures connected with Youngstown, Ohio—running back Maurice Clarett, a native, and coach Jim Tressel, former head coach at Youngstown State University—exploring their football exploits at Ohio State, including a national championship in 2002, and their scandalous exits from the school. (2 hours in length)
59	16	The Price of Gold	Nanette Burstein	January 16, 2014 (2014-01-16)	1.515[45]
A profile of a January 6, 1994 incident at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where an unknown attacker strikes entrant Nancy Kerrigan – an assailant that is later revealed to be a hit man hired by the ex-husband of Kerrigan's rival, Tonya Harding, as part of a plan to prevent Kerrigan from competing in the 1994 Winter Olympics.
60	17	Requiem for the Big East	Ezra Edelman	March 16, 2014 (2014-03-16)	1.456[46]
A recollection of the original Big East Conference, from its simple beginnings and regional rivalries to its national prominence as one of the most successful college basketball leagues, and how it ended up fighting for its survival in the 2010s during conference realignment.
61	18	Bad Boys	Zak Levitt	April 17, 2014 (2014-04-17)	1.830[47]
A look back at the Detroit Pistons of the late 1980s and early 1990s. (2 hours in length)
62	19	Slaying the Badger	John Dower	July 22, 2014 (2014-07-22)
Examining the competitive nature that Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault exhibited in the 1986 Tour de France; a film based on the book with the same name, written by Richard Moore.
63	20	Playing for the Mob	Joe Lavine and Cayman Grant	October 7, 2014 (2014-10-07)
How Mafia associate Henry Hill orchestrated a point-shaving scheme involving Boston College basketball. Narrated by Ray Liotta, who portrayed Hill in Goodfellas. (90 minutes in length)
64	21	The Day The Series Stopped	Ryan Fleck	October 14, 2014 (2014-10-14)
A 25-year retrospective of the Loma Prieta earthquake, which struck just before the scheduled start of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series.
65	22	When The Garden Was Eden	Michael Rapaport	October 21, 2014 (2014-10-21)
A look back at the New York Knicks' championship teams of the 1970s.
66	23	Brian and The Boz	Thaddeus D. Matula	October 28, 2014 (2014-10-28)
The rise, fall, and post-football life of Brian Bosworth.
67	24	Brothers in Exile	Mario Diaz and MLB Productions	November 4, 2014 (2014-11-04)
The story of Liván and Orlando Hernández, half-brothers who fled Cuba separately and became successful major-league pitchers.
68	25	Rand University	Marquis Daisy	November 11, 2014 (2014-11-11)
An exploration of former NFL receiver Randy Moss and his humble (and humbling) origins in Rand, West Virginia. (60 mins in length)
69	26	The U Part 2	Billy Corben	December 13, 2014 (2014-12-13)
A sequel to The U profiles the Miami Hurricanes football program and its rise from scandal (and calls for the school to drop the sport) to a national championship, only to see new controversy after booster Nevin Shapiro is revealed to have given improper benefits to the program.
70	27	Of Miracles and Men[48]	Jonathan Hock	February 8, 2015 (2015-02-08)
An exploration of the Miracle on Ice from the point of view of the defeated Soviet Union team.
71	28	I Hate Christian Laettner[49]	Rory Karpf	March 15, 2015 (2015-03-15)
A look at the life and basketball career of Christian Laettner and the intense dislike some fans still harbor for the former Duke University and NBA star.
72	29	Sole Man	Jon Weinbach and Dan Marks	April 16, 2015 (2015-04-16)
A profile of Sonny Vaccaro, who rose from steel town roots in Pennsylvania to become an influential force in both basketball and the athletic shoe industry.
73	30	Angry Sky	Jeff Tremaine	June 8, 2015 (2015-06-08)
The story of Nick Piantanida, a New Jersey pet store owner and truck driver whose love of parachuting and skydiving puts him on a quest to break the record for the highest recorded parachute jump.[50]

30 for 30 Shorts

These short films were released on Grantland.com, and are available to watch on the 30 for 30 site.^[51]

No. in series	Title	Directed by	Original release date	Length (mins)
1	Here Now	Eric Drath	May 15, 2012 (2012-05-15)	8:00
An interview with Pete Rose, Major League Baseball's all-time hits leader, at The Forum Shops at Caesars shopping center in Las Vegas where he signs autographs and other memorabilia, as employees act as barkers to lure shoppers into the store.
2	Arnold's Blueprint	Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist	September 26, 2012 (2012-09-26)	12:30
A look at how a young Arnold Schwarzenegger's compulsory service in the Austrian Army played a critical role in his path to international bodybuilding fame.
3	Jake	Jonathan Hock	October 25, 2012 (2012-10-25)	11:00
The career of children's sports book author Alfred Slote, whose real interest as a writer of "baseball books" was not the games played but the characters and the drama they encounter away from the field of play.
4	The Arnold Palmer	Bryan Gordon	November 28, 2012 (2012-11-28)	9:15
An exploration into the history, mystery and industry surrounding "The Arnold Palmer", the lemonade-and-iced tea beverage created by pro golfer Arnold Palmer that has become a piece of Americana.
5	Ali: The Mission	Amani Martin	January 16, 2013 (2013-01-16)	13:45
The efforts of Muhammad Ali to negotiate with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein for the release of U.S. civilians taken hostage after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
6	Disdain the Mundane	Nelson George	February 13, 2013 (2013-02-13)	6:00
The style evolution of New York Knicks player and broadcaster Walt Frazier, from his cool-as-ice look in the 1970s to his use of vibrant colors and patterns today.
7	Holy Grail: The T206 Honus Wagner	Nick and Colin Barnicle	February 27, 2013 (2013-02-27)	14:00
The story of the rare and valuable T206 Honus Wagner baseball card — over a century old and valued in the millions of dollars — and the myths and realities that surround it.
8	Silver Reunion	Rory Karpf	March 27, 2013 (2013-03-27)	12:45
The members of the 1972 USA men’s Olympic basketball team gather to deliberate 12 Angry Men-style on whether to finally accept or continue to refuse silver medals from the 1972 Summer Olympics, where they controversially lost the gold medal game to the Soviet Union.
9	The Irrelevant Giant	Shaun Silva and Don Lepore	April 17, 2013 (2013-04-17)	11:30
Bill Parcells recalls his rookie year as a head coach with the New York Giants in 1983 and the impact of John Tuggle, a running back the Giants selected with the final pick in that year's NFL draft.
10	Cutthroat	Steven Cantor	May 29, 2013 (2013-05-29)	11:15
The struggles of Clint Malarchuk, the "Cowboy Goalie," from a childhood spent riding horses and suffering from OCD to the grueling recovery period after his carotid artery was severed by an opponent's skate blade, one of the most gruesome injuries in sports history.
11	Tommy and Frank	Richie Keen	July 24, 2013 (2013-07-24)	11:30
An intimate, funny and compelling take on the unique relationship and shared legacy of Tommy John, the chatty Indiana lefty who won nearly 300 Major League games, and Dr. Frank Jobe, the unassuming L.A. Orthopedist who conceived and performed a revolutionary elbow operation on John in 1974.
12	Wilt Chamberlain: Borscht Belt Bellhop	Caroline Laskow and Ian Rosenberg	August 14, 2013 (2013-08-14)	8:45
Rarely seen archival footage and interviews with people who lived and worked with Wilt Chamberlain give a fascinating glimpse into the basketball star's experiences in the Borscht Belt during its heyday.
13	Arthur & Johnnie	Tate Donovan	August 28, 2013 (2013-08-28)	11:30
Johnnie Ashe tells of a personal sacrifice: After finishing a tour of service in the Vietnam War, Johnnie, a U.S. Marine, volunteers to serve another tour in place of his older brother, Army 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Ashe. Johnnie's selfless move allows Arthur to continue his budding tennis career.
14	Collision Course: The Murder of Don Aronow	Billy Corben	September 25, 2013 (2013-09-25)	14:15
The intriguing life and tragic death of businessman Donald Aronow, a prominent name in the world of powerboat racing.
15	The Schedule Makers	Joseph Garner	November 6, 2013 (2013-11-06)	12:25
Using only a computer, a pencil and paper, and cooperation, the husband-and-wife duo of Henry and Holly Stephenson spent almost a quarter-century creating Major League Baseball's season schedule.
16	The Great Imposter	Matt Dilmore	November 20, 2013 (2013-11-20)	9:45
In 1979, Barry Bremen stole some basketball warm ups and posed as a player at the 1979 NBA All-Star Game. From then on, Bremen would be known as "The Great Imposter," posing as professional athletes, game officials and even a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.
17	Judging Jewell	Adam Hootnick	January 31, 2014 (2014-01-31)	21:45
Security guard Richard Jewell received praise in the aftermath of a bombing during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta when he helped clear the area and found the bag that contained the pipe bomb. Praise turned into loss of honor when Jewell was wrongfully accused of planting the bomb in the ensuing investigation.
18	The Deal	Nick and Colin Barnicle	February 12, 2014 (2014-02-12)	22:30
The battle between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees to trade for Alex Rodriguez during the 2003–2004 baseball offseason.
19	Untucked	Danny Pudi	March 12, 2014 (2014-03-12)	14:45
Player Bo Ellis designs a rebellious, nonconformist jersey that would exemplify the Al McGuire-era Marquette men's basketball team.
20	From Harlem With Love	Matt Ogens	April 23, 2014 (2014-04-23)	11:45
How the Harlem Globetrotters became unlikely ambassadors during the Cold War when they played a series of games in Moscow in 1959.
21	Posterized	Andrew Jenks	May 21, 2014 (2014-05-21)	13:00
A profile of Shawn Bradley, a 7-foot-6 center who spent the majority of his NBA career on the wrong end of epic dunks (the kind usually found on posters), and how he went from a bust on the basketball court to a superstar off of it.
22	MECCA: The Floor That Made Milwaukee Famous	Chris James Thompson	June 11, 2014 (2014-06-11)	14:00
The story behind the iconic, multicolored basketball court Robert Indiana designed for the MECCA Arena, home to the Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette Warriors until 1988, and how one Bucks fan used his family's credit card to rescue the floor from the scrap heap.
23	The High Five	Michael Jacobs	July 23, 2014 (2014-07-23)	10:15
When Dusty Baker hit his 30th home run for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977, the first man to greet him at home plate was his friend and teammate, rookie Glenn Burke. Overcome with happiness, Burke did the first thing that came to mind — he put his hand straight in the air and had Baker slap it, thus in fact creating the high five gesture.
24	Kid Danny	Andrew Cohn	August 13, 2014 (2014-08-13)	17:45
A team from The Bronx makes it to the 2001 Little League World Series, only to be disqualified when pitcher Danny Almonte is revealed to be two years too old to play in Little League.
25	Fields of Fear	Alex Gibney	September 16, 2014 (2014-09-16)	15:30
A profile of the mental side of sports focuses on Mackey Sasser, a talented catcher who suddenly couldn't perform the routine task of throwing the ball back to the pitcher, and how confronting boyhood traumas helped in his mental recovery.
26	The Great Trade Robbery	Stu Zicherman	October 7, 2014 (2014-10-07)	12:00
Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson recalls the team's October 1989 trade of Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings, as well as the roster maneuvers involving the players the Cowboys received in return that laid the foundations for the team's success in the 1990s.
27	Our Tough Guy	Molly Schiot	November 12, 2014 (2014-11-12)	10:30
A look inside the mindset of legendary Boston Bruins enforcer John Wensink, who endeared himself to fans when he infamously challenged the entire Minnesota North Stars bench to a fight, and the journey his life took following his playing career.
28	Robbed	Eric Drath	December 3, 2014 (2014-12-03)	16:30
A look at the 1976 Muhammad Ali/Ken Norton fight at Yankee Stadium. The fight's controversial decision is only part of the story, as gang activity and theft in the wake of a NYPD strike was happening right outside the stadium's gates.
29	Student/Athlete	Ken Jeong	January 7, 2015 (2015-01-07)	13:15
Growing up in Hawaii, Reggie Ho always thought he would follow his father's footsteps into medicine, yet he becomes a crucial contributor to Notre Dame's undefeated 1988 season as a walk-on player.
30	The Sweat Solution	David Beilinson and Neil Amdur	January 21, 2015 (2015-01-21)	16:45
Dr. Robert Cade, a renowned kidney specialist at the University of Florida, leads a research team that develops a drink designed to help replenish body fluids lost by the school's football team - a “magic elixir” that would later be called Gatorade.
31	An Immortal Man	Josh Koury and Myles Kane	February 25, 2015 (2015-02-25)	15:00
A look at the issue of the cryogenic preservation of Ted Williams' body.
32	The Billion Dollar Game	Nick Guthe	March 18, 2015 (2015-03-18)	13:45
A recollection of how the Princeton Tigers, a heavy underdog, nearly defeated top-seeded Georgetown in the first round of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, a game that would forever change March Madness.
33	Unhittable: Sidd Finch and the Tibetan Fastball	Peter Sillen	April 1, 2015 (2015-04-01)	22:31
For Sports Illustrated‍ '​s April 1, 1985 issue, George Plimpton profiled Sidd Finch, a highly eccentric New York Mets prospect who could throw a fastball at an unheard-of 168 mph... and was completely fictitious. On the 30th anniversary of the April Fools hoax, the surviving people responsible are profiled, including the Illinois middle-school teacher who posed as Finch for SI.
	The Other Side[52]	Vanessa Roth	TBA	N/A
Common goals of teamwork and dedication to a shared purpose unite a youth soccer team, composed of 9 children each from Palestine and Israel, many of whom come face-to-face with the other nationality for the first time in their lives.

List of 30 for 30: Soccer Stories films

On January 11, 2014, it was announced that a soccer-only 30 for 30 series, featuring two-feature-length films and six 30-minute films, would be aired in April 2014, featuring "compelling narratives from around the international soccer landscape". Additionally, a 10-part vignette series, titled Coraçao, about Brazil's rich history, will air during ESPN's 2014 FIFA World Cup coverage.^[53]

No. in series	Title	Directed by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (in millions)
1	Hillsborough	Daniel Gordon	April 15, 2014 (2014-04-15)	0.527[54]
A look at the April 15, 1989 tragedy at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, where overcrowding in the stadium's standing-room-only areas killed 96 people and injured 766. The film examines the ongoing efforts of victims' families to seek exoneration of their loved ones, who were blamed in part by local authorities in an attempt to conceal police and security inadequacies. (2 hours in length)
2	Maradona '86	Sam Blair	April 22, 2014 (2014-04-22)	< 0.033[55]
A look at Diego Maradona's spectacular individual performance during the 1986 FIFA World Cup. (30 minutes in length)
3	The Opposition	Ezra Edelman and Jeffrey Plunkett	April 22, 2014 (2014-04-22)	< 0.033[55]
Chile hosts a decisive World Cup qualifier at Santiago’s National Stadium just weeks after the stadium had been transformed into a concentration camp and killing field for opponents of Augusto Pinochet (who had just gained power in a military coup). Though FIFA investigates the matter, the game goes on, with the Chilean team winning in a walkover after their opponents from the Soviet Union boycott in protest over the stadium's use. (30 minutes in length)
4	Ceasefire Massacre	Alex Gibney and Trevor Birney	April 29, 2014 (2014-04-29)	< 0.038[56]
June 18, 1994, and fans of Ireland's national team are euphoric over their team's World Cup opener against Italy at Giants Stadium. Joy turns to horror, however, at a bar in Loughinisland, Northern Ireland, where a Protestant terror group kills six men who were watching the game. The tragedy is a low point and a turning point in the Northern Ireland conflict, one that would ultimately contribute to paramilitaries on both sides calling ceasefires just weeks later. (30 minutes in length)
5	The Myth of Garrincha	Marcos Horacio Azevedo	April 29, 2014 (2014-04-29)	< 0.038[56]
Examining the legend of Mané Garrincha, a "jester" who overcame bent legs to lead Brazil to two World Cup wins through his amusing style of play, and the efforts of his family and fans to give him a proper burial in Rio de Janeiro after his death in 1983. (30 minutes in length)
6	Mysteries of the Rimet Trophy	Brett Ratner	May 6, 2014 (2014-05-06)	< 0.031[57]
The Jules Rimet Trophy, awarded to the World Cup winners from 1930 to 1970, is a prize shrouded in mystery, as the whereabouts of the original trophy is unknown. This film focuses on the trophy’s first brush with crime – a Nazi plan to steal the Rimet Trophy from Italy during World War II – and Ottorino Barassi, an Italian soccer official who attempted to protect the valued prize. (30 minutes in length)
7	Barbosa: The Man Who Made All of Brazil Cry	Loch Phillipps	May 6, 2014 (2014-05-06)	< 0.031[57]
How Brazilian goalkeeper Moacir Barbosa went from national hero to pariah after allowing Uruguay's cup-winning goal in the 1950 World Cup. (30 minutes in length)
8	White, Blue and White	Camilo Antolini	July 1, 2014 (2014-07-01)[58]	N/A
After leading their national team to victory in the 1978 FIFA World Cup, Argentines Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa join Tottenham Hotspur, becoming cult heroes in England after leading Spurs to the 1981 FA Cup Final. Things radically change, however, when a conflicted Ardiles leaves Spurs and returns to Buenos Aires after Argentine troops descend on the British-ruled Falkland Islands, asserting sovereignty over the territory and resulting in the Falklands War.

Vignettes

No. in series	Title	Directed by	Original release date	Length (mins)
1	Coraçao[53]	Jonathan Hock	TBD	N/A
A 10-part vignette series that will explore the music, dance and history of Brazil, to discover what lies behind Brazil’s legend, something most Americans know little about, and exploring how soccer is truly the expression of the soul of its people.

Critical and ratings response

The series had a slow beginning. The first film, Peter Berg's Kings Ransom, a chronicle of Wayne Gretzky's trade from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, premiered on October 6, 2009 to poor ratings.^[8][59] Kings Ransom drew a 0.5 national rating and a total viewership of 645,000.^[8][59] The premiere of Kings Ransom aired at the same time as the 2009 American League Central tie-breaker game between the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers on TBS, which went into extra innings and drew a 4.5 rating.

As awareness and critical acclaim grew, the viewing audience also grew. By the seventh episode, The U, the audience had grown to a 1.8 rating and well over 2 million viewers.^[10] The A.V. Club review for the eighth entry, Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks, called it "the most hotly anticipated [of the first eight]" and stated that "it more than lived up to the hype."^[60]

The A.V. Club has given positive and negative reviews for different episodes in the series, with notable critical reviews of the three episodes that had involvement by the media production arms of Major League Baseball (Four Days in October), the NBA (Once Brothers) and NASCAR (Tim Richmond: To the Limit).^[61][62][63]

Awards

• 2010 Peabody Award Winner^[64]
• 2010 International Documentary Association's "Distinguished Continuing Series"^[11]
• 2014 Emmy for Outstanding Short-Format Nonfiction Program^[65]

Sponsors

Cadillac and Levi's are the presenting sponsors of the series. The Cadillac name appears on the 30 for 30 logo, while the Levi's "go forth" slogan appears on the bottom corner of the screen during the directors interstitial comments, which appear for 45 seconds at the beginning of each film and 30 seconds at the end. Commercials for both companies were shown during every intermission during the original air dates, with Levi’s guaranteed a 60-second commercial slot at the beginning of the third act. Cadillac replaced Honda as a primary sponsor; during its time as a contributor, Honda aired parts of its "Dream the Impossible" documentary series in the first commercial break.

See also

• Nine for IX – a companion series chronicling women's sports stories

Notes

1. ^ Into the Wind had its premiere on Canada's TSN2 on September 19, 2010 (2010-09-19).
2. ^ Broke, Benji, and Angry Sky had their premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival.
3. ^ The Price of Gold originally went by the title Tonya and Nancy during production.^[66]
4. ^ The Myth of Garrincha originally went by the title Garrincha: Crippled Angel during production.^[53]
5. ^ Brothers in Exile will premiere on ESPN Deportes on November 1, 2014, in Spanish, followed by its English premiere on ESPN on November 4, 2014.^[7]
6. ^ The Great Trade Robbery will premiere on ESPN on October 7, 2014 (the same night as Playing for the Mob) before its release online the next day.^[7]

References

External links

• Official website
• 30 for 30 on Twitter
• 30 for 30 at the Internet Movie Database
• 30 for 30 Shorts at the Internet Movie Database
• 30 for 30: Soccer Stories at the Internet Movie Database