In case you missed the New York Times story today, ESPN is launching a second volume of our Peabody Award–winning 30 for 30 series that premieres this fall and runs through 2014. As most ESPN fans and sports fans know, ESPN’s 30 for 30 was one of the greatest documentary series that have ever been played on TV. The 30 for 30’s gave us a new way to look at sports. Not just in general but in great detail. It helped teach us the personal stories of many athletes, whether they were good or bad. ESPN made the 30 for 30 series a must watch for all sports fans, not only because it was sports, but because it was interesting. They were able to tie pop culture into sports and vice versa, giving us examples of why things happened and how they affected America. Volume 2 looks to be just as good, but it will highlight different things than the original series. The second series will celebrate the storytelling form — not just with 30 new sports documentaries from 30 filmmakers (which won’t just be confined to that 1979-2009 time frame this time, by the way), but a new 30 for 30 Shorts web series. I like the way ESPN has implemented a new short web series to help compliment the TV series. The web series will keep people looking. Because there are stories out there that we loved for four to 12 minutes, but maybe not for a full hour. It helps us stay interested in some stories that may not need the full hour to be explained.
This 2nd Volume will be telling us stories that will involve the likes of Bo Jackson, Muhammad Ali and Jimmy Valvano. It will show us what they were like on a personal side, which gives us sports fan, a new way to view these athletes and figures in sports. It shows us a new side of people through the use of film, and it helps, almost, get on a personal level with the figures that are in each episode. I am excited to see this 2nd volume of the 30 for 30 series. As far as I know, it is going to be just as good if not better than the 1st volume, and if that’s the case ESPN will have yet another winner on its hands. If you want to see the trailer for the 2nd volume, click here.
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