The dominance of sports on TV comes through loud and clear over summer, when there’s barely a break in the action between major events. Just as the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup playoffs completed their mid-June runs, the World Cup was just beginning.
But sports’ ubiquity across linear channels and streaming services shouldn’t be measured just by the volume of games. So-called shoulder content, in the form of unscripted documentaries and reality TV that follow the athletes both on and off the field, has become common enough to serve as an essential companion to the games.
Don’t know enough about soccer in the U.S. to enjoy the World Cup? Enjoy U.S. Against the World, the five-part primer HBO Max recently released on the American team.
What’s all the more remarkable about this style of programming is its growth comes as unscripted content about virtually every other subject is in decline. As Luminate’s 2025 Film & TV Year-End Report recounted, sports was the only pocket of year-over-year growth to be had, while popular subgenres from crime to travel tumbled compared with 2024.
The resilience of unscripted sports content stems from its ability to generate sizable audiences in our increasingly fractured culture, noted Wave Sports + Entertainment chief content officer Mack Sovereign on the latest episode of the In the Lab With Luminate podcast. “Sports is still that thing that is a communal event and still drives a lot of intrigue, even if you’re not that into the game,” he said.
No wonder Wave has made sports content something of a specialty, extending beyond TV to social video and podcasts, with star attractions including pro hoopers Paul George and Carmelo Anthony as well as the NHL’s Tkachuk brothers Matthew and Brady.
However, Sovereign and Wave have found that the tricky thing is finding the right match between talent and content. While not every athlete is born to be a star off the playing field, no matter how bright they shine doing their day job, he pointed out there’s more curiosity than ever among sports figures looking to explore their extracurricular prospects. “With the success of these shows, both financially and in terms of what it can do for someone building affinity with fans and building an audience outside of the game, there’s a lot more interest in it,” he said.
