30 for 30 | |
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Logo for 30 for 30 Volume I films
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Genre | Sports documentary |
Created by |
Bill Simmons Connor Schell |
Directed by | various |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of episodes | 156 |
Production | |
Producer(s) | Bill Simmons Connor Schell John Dahl |
Production company(s) | ESPN Films |
Release | |
Original network | |
Original release | October 6, 2009 | – present
Chronology | |
Related shows |
Nine for IX SEC Storied |
External links | |
Website | www |
30 for 30 is the umbrella title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN, its sister networks, and online highlighting interesting people and events in sports history. This includes three "volumes" of 30 episodes each, 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 has also expanded to include Soccer Stories, which aired in advance of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and audio podcasts.
The idea for the series began in 2007 from ESPN.com columnist and Grantland.com founder Bill Simmons and ESPN's Connor Schell. The title, 30 for 30, derived from the series' genesis as 30 films in celebration of ESPN's 30th 'birthday', with an exploration of the biggest stories from ESPN's first 30 years on-air, through a series of 30 one-hour films by 30 filmmakers. Volume I premiered in October 2009 and ran through December 2010, chronicling 30 stories from the "ESPN era", beginning with the network's founding in 1979. Each film in Volume I details a striking sports issue or event that occurred during those three decades, including what Simmons describes as "stories that resonated at the time [they occurred] but were eventually forgotten for whatever reason." Subsequent films, including Volume II and online-only shorts, expanded the series beyond 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." In 2010, John Dahl, Connor Schell and Simmons served as 30 for 30's executive producers.
Unless otherwise noted, the following films are all 60 minutes in length (including commercials).
Other films were previously announced for Volume I of the series but were not included. 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... 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." These additional films include: