30 for 30#Volume I
{{Short description|Sports documentary film series}}
{{About|the documentary film series|the song by SZA and Kendrick Lamar|30 for 30 (song)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox television
| image = 30_for_30_Volume_I_logo.jpg
| image_size = 220
| image_alt = The 30 for 30 title card is styled like an old ticket stub
| caption = Logo for 30 for 30 Volume I films
| genre = Sports documentary
| creator = {{Plainlist|
}}
| based_on =
| writer =
| screenplay =
| story =
| director = various
| starring =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| country =
| language = English
| num_episodes = {{#expr:30 + 14 + 30 + 14 + 61 + 8}}
| executive_producer = Marsha Cooke
| editor =
| cinematography =
| runtime =
| company = ESPN Films
| budget =
| network = {{Plainlist|
}}
| first_aired = {{Start date|2009|10|06}}
| last_aired = present
| related = {{Plainlist|
}}
}}
30 for 30 is the 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 four "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.
Background
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's genesis as 30 films in celebration of ESPN's 30th anniversary in 2009, 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.{{Cite web |last=Craggs |first=Tommy |date=September 29, 2009 |title=Donald Trump Goes All Bitchcakes On A "Third-Rate" ESPN Filmmaker |url=http://deadspin.com/5370591/donald-trump-goes-all-bitchcakes-on-a-third-rate-espn-filmmaker |access-date=September 26, 2016 |website=Deadspin.com |publisher=Gawker Media |quote=For its 30th birthday, ESPN commissioned a series of documentaries, called 30 for 30.}}{{Cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Bruce |date=July 29, 2009 |title=30 stories for 30 years of ESPN |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/livefrom/post/2009/07/68495709/1 |access-date=September 26, 2016 |website=USAToday.com |publisher=USA Today |quote="To celebrate its 30th birthday, the network is launching 30 for 30, a series of 30 one-hour films by 30 filmmakers covering the biggest sports stories over the network's first 30 years."}}
Volume I premiered in October 2009 and ran to 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."{{Cite web |title=Bill Simmons on 30 for 30 |url=http://30for30.espn.com/bill-simmons-essay.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090908075845/http://30for30.espn.com/bill-simmons-essay.html |archive-date=September 8, 2009 |access-date=September 4, 2009 |website=ESPN}} 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."{{Cite web |last=Cingari |first=Jennifer |date=September 15, 2014 |title=Fall Slate Announced for ESPN Films' 30 for 30 as Fifth Anniversary of Series Approaches |url=http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2014/09/fall-slate-announced-for-espn-films-30-for-30-as-fifth-anniversary-of-series-approaches/ |access-date=September 22, 2014 |publisher=ESPN MediaZone}} In 2010, John Dahl, Connor Schell and Simmons served as 30 for 30's executive producers.{{Cite web |title=John Dahl |url=http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/dahl_john/ |access-date=March 4, 2014 |publisher=ESPN MediaZone |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304222851/http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/dahl_john/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |title=Connor Schell |url=http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/connor-schell/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304224835/http://espnmediazone.com/us/bios/connor-schell/ |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |access-date=March 4, 2014 |publisher=ESPN MediaZone}}{{Cite news |date=August 13, 2010 |title=Bill Simmons Biography |work=TVGuide.com |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/simmons/bio/223338 |url-status=live |access-date=August 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929012530/http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/simmons/bio/223338 |archive-date=September 29, 2010}} In April 2018, it was announced that the entire archive of 30 for 30 films and shorts would be available on ESPN+, ESPN's direct-to-consumer online platform, once the service launched on April 12, 2018.{{Cite web |last=Christie |first=Jennifer Cingari |date=April 3, 2018 |title=ESPN+ to Launch with Exclusive 30 for 30 Documentary "The Last Days of Knight" and Full 30 for 30 Library |url=https://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2018/04/espn-to-launch-with-exclusive-30-for-30-documentary-the-last-days-of-knight-and-full-30-for-30-library/ |access-date=April 3, 2018 |publisher=ESPN MediaZone}}
Series overview
{{main|List of 30 for 30 films{{!}}List of 30 for 30 films}}
{{:List of 30 for 30 films}}
Reception
=Critical response=
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."{{Cite web |last=Tobias |first=Scott |date=March 15, 2010 |title=30 For 30 – "Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks" |url=https://www.avclub.com/30-for-30-winning-time-reggie-miller-vs-the-new-yor-1798164528 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515105900/http://www.avclub.com/articles/winning-time-reggie-miller-vs-the-new-york-knicks%2C39188/ |archive-date=May 15, 2010 |access-date=May 9, 2010 |publisher=The A.V. Club}} Special praise was given to Brett Morgen's collage documentary June 17th, 1994 as a standout episode.[https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-lists/the-30-best-30-for-30-films-142965/june-17th-1994-dir-brett-morgen-223326/ The 30 Best '30 for 30' Films: The Fab Five, Reggie and 'The U' — Rolling Stone][https://www.avclub.com/30-for-30-june-17-1994-1798165241 30 For 30: "June 17, 1994"-A.V. Club] The A.V. Club has given positive and negative reviews for different episodes in the series, with notable critical reviews of the three Volume I 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).{{Cite web |last=Tobias |first=Scott |date=October 5, 2010 |title=30 for 30 – "Four Days in October" |url=https://www.avclub.com/30-for-30-four-days-in-october-1798166112 |access-date=March 27, 2011 |website=The A.V. Club}}{{Cite web |last=Tobias |first=Scott |date=October 12, 2010 |title=30 for 30 – "Once Brothers" |url=https://www.avclub.com/30-for-30-once-brothers-1798166267 |access-date=March 27, 2011 |website=The A.V. Club}}{{Cite web |last=Tobias |first=Scott |date=October 19, 2010 |title=30 for 30 – "Tim Richmond: To The Limit" |url=https://www.avclub.com/30-for-30-tim-richmond-to-the-limit-1798166285 |access-date=March 27, 2011 |website=The A.V. Club}}
=Ratings=
File:Connor Schell, Bill Simmons and John Dahl at the 70th Annual Peabody Awards.jpg
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.{{Cite web |last=Best |first=Neil |date=October 9, 2009 |title=Watchdog – Giants' TV ratings jump is third best in NFL to this point |url=http://www.newsday.com/blogs/sports/watchdog-1.812020/giants-tv-ratings-jump-is-third-best-in-nfl-to-this-point-1.1512962 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091017081845/http://www.newsday.com/blogs/sports/watchdog-1.812020/giants-tv-ratings-jump-is-third-best-in-nfl-to-this-point-1.1512962 |archive-date=October 17, 2009 |access-date=October 12, 2009 |website=Newsday}}{{Cite web |date=October 8, 2009 |title=SportsBusiness Daily Morning Buzz – October 8, 2009 |url=http://sportsbusinessdaily.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090927022857/http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/ |archive-date=September 27, 2009 |access-date=October 8, 2009 |website=SportsBusiness Daily}} Kings Ransom drew a 0.5 national rating and a total viewership of 645,000. 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.{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Barry |date=March 19, 2010 |title="The U" sequel on UM rebirth |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1537030/the-u-sequel-on-um-rebirth.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100320112251/http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/19/1537030/the-u-sequel-on-um-rebirth.html |archive-date=March 20, 2010 |access-date=March 22, 2010 |website=The Miami Herald}}{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/12/15/critically-acclaimed-30-for-30-wraps-up-with-pony-exce-%E2%80%93-espns-most-watched-documentary/75593/|title=Critically Acclaimed '30 for 30' Wraps up with Pony Exce$$ – ESPN's Most-Watched Documentary|date=December 15, 2010|publisher=TV by the Numbers|last=Seidman|first=Robert|access-date=October 5, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009020856/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/12/15/critically-acclaimed-30-for-30-wraps-up-with-pony-exce-%E2%80%93-espns-most-watched-documentary/75593/|archive-date=October 9, 2012|url-status=dead}}
=Accolades=
- 2010 Peabody Award Winner[http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/30-for-30 70th Annual Peabody Awards], May 2011.
- 2010 International Documentary Association's "Distinguished Continuing Series"
- 2014 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short-Format Nonfiction Program{{Cite web |last=Cingari |first=Jessica |date=August 18, 2014 |title=ESPN Films' 30 for 30 Shorts Celebrates First Primetime Emmy Win |url=http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2014/08/espn-films-30-for-30-shorts-celebrates-first-primetime-emmy-win/ |access-date=September 22, 2014 |publisher=ESPN MediaZone}}
- 2016 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for O.J.: Made in America[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/26/movies/oscar-winners.html Oscar Winners 2017], February 2017.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU-QT8ewQYM "O.J.: Made in America" wins Best Documentary Feature-Oscars on YouTube]
- 2016 Peabody Award for O.J.: Made in America[https://vimeo.com/235011451 O.J.: Made in America – Caroline Waterlow & Ezra Edelman – 2016 Peabody Award Acceptance on Peabody Awards' official Vimeo channel][https://www.avclub.com/13th-o-j-made-in-america-top-this-year-s-peabody-doc-1798260765 13th, O.J.: Made In America top this year’s Peabody documentary winners|AV Club]
- 2016 Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature for O.J.: Made in America[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/2017-spirit-awards-oj-made-america-wins-best-documentary-979823 Spirit Awards: 'O.J.: Made in America' Wins Best Documentary|Hollywood Reporter]
- 2019 Adweek Podcast Awards for Publisher-Hosted Podcast of the Year{{Cite web |date=December 9, 2019 |title=Discover the Winners of Adweek's 2019 Podcast of the Year Awards |url=https://www.adweek.com/convergent-tv/discover-the-winners-of-adweeks-2019-podcast-of-the-year-awards/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |language=en-US}}
- 2022 Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards for Best Broadcast Network or Cable Docuseries or Non-Fiction Series (nomination).{{Cite web |last=Verhoeven |first=Beatrice |date=July 7, 2022 |title='This Is Us,' 'Succession,' 'Severance' Lead 2022 HCA TV Nominations |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/2022-hollywood-critics-association-broadcast-cable-tv-nominations-1235176458/ |access-date=July 8, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}
- 2022 Critics Choice Documentary Awards for Best Ongoing Documentary Series.{{Cite web |last=Tinoco |first=Armando |date=2022-11-14 |title=Critics Choice Documentary Awards: Amazon's 'Good Night Oppy' Tops Winners List |url=https://deadline.com/2022/11/critics-choice-documentary-awards-winners-list-amazon-good-night-oppy-1235171395/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
Sponsors
Cadillac and Levi's are the presenting sponsors of the series. The Cadillac name appears on the 30 for 30 logo. 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. During broadcasts in the UK on BT Sport, these sponsorship logos are blurred out due to compliance regulations.
See also
- Nine for IX – a companion series chronicling women's sports stories
- SEC Storied – an ESPN Films series profiling the people, teams, moments and events that tell the ongoing story of the Southeastern Conference
- List of history podcasts
- List of American football films
- List of basketball films
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.espn.com/30for30 30 for 30 official website]
- [https://30for30podcasts.com/ 30 for 30 Podcasts website]
- [https://espnmediazone.com/us/30-for-30-on-espn/ List of 30 for 30 films and short films available on ESPN+] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234709/https://espnmediazone.com/us/30-for-30-on-espn/ |date=April 3, 2018 }}
- {{IMDb title|1408430}}
- {{IMDb title|2158640|30 for 30 Shorts}}
- {{IMDb title|3460320|30 for 30: Soccer Stories}}
{{30 for 30}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for 30 for 30
|list =
{{EmmyAward Short-format Nonfiction or Reality Series}}
{{Producers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Sports Program}}
{{Streamy Awards Winners CSS}}
}}
{{ESPN original programming}}
Category:2009 American television series debuts
Category:2000s American documentary television series
Category:2010s American documentary television series
Category:2020s American documentary television series
Category:ESPN original programming
Category:Documentary film series