Why European Basketball Needs Its Own Drive to Survive-Style Netflix Hit

Drive to Survive was one of the best things to happen to Formula One in years, with the Netflix series completely transforming how people view the sport. It turned racing into a story, and the drivers themselves became the characters that viewers could root for.

European basketball is desperately in need of the same treatment if it’s ever to stand a chance against the all-powerful NBA. The quality is good enough, and there are some great rivalries – all it needs is the glitzy treatment of a Netflix series.

What Made Drive to Survive So Successful?

There have been countless sport documentaries in recent years, with offerings across all major streaming platforms. One of the most noticeable things about all of the best ones is how they turn the action into a story. Viewers get behind the narrative and usually follow along over the course of a season, and the individual results don’t matter that much.

Formula One used to be seen as a technical spectacle, with well-known car manufacturers competing to see who can create the best vehicles. Drive to Survive reframed that, though, and gave viewers more of a human drama. It managed to capture the different personalities of the drivers, put them against one another and follow an easy-to-understand story format.

Another factor towards Drive to Survive’s immense success was the fact that Netflix has access to all areas. The streaming service stuck cameras in places people had never thought to put them, including team meetings and moments of conflict. There were even cameras in the drivers’ motorhomes, giving viewers a taste of what they were feeling between races.

Viewers Are Open to Basketball Documentaries

There have already been various basketball documentaries, with The Last Dance often cited among the best sports offerings in recent years. But none have focused on the European game. It’s almost unbelievable that Netflix or another streaming giant hasn’t explored the idea of turning European basketball into a documentary. After all, there’s arguably even more drama and intrigue than there is in the NBA.

There are various areas of focus that a new documentary could explore, but it may be best to zone in on one of the great rivalries in the game. For example, there’s the Derby of Eternal Rivals in Olympiacos and Panathinaikos and the Eternal derby between Partizan and Crvena Zvezda.

What Other Ways Could European Basketball Reach a Wider Audience?

Aside from getting in front of viewers in new documentaries, European basketball should explore other ways to get in front of a wider audience.

The gaming industry has been a huge boost to the NBA, and a European offering to rival NBA 2K could be successful. The online slots market is another place in which sports-themed games can often be successful. For instance, there are titles like World Darts Championship, Stadium Megaways, and Prize Putt Lucky Tap. The sector is crying out for a basketball game to add to these, and one based on the European sport could be a hit.

With sports documentaries being made about almost everything, there has never been a better time for European basketball to get represented. A series in the same vein as Drive to Survive could be a major boost to interest in the sport on the continent.