The Ultimate Game Plan: Our 5 Must-See Sports Movies

There’s something cinematic about being a sports fan. The smells of all the wonderful foods at a tailgate party, the romance of a small town, a team, and a dream, as journalist Buzz Bissinger coined, and all the heartbreak and emotions that come along with it. These moments culminate in a big game, where we as fans connect and the season’s third act comes to a thrilling conclusion.

Filmmakers have often used sports, either directly or indirectly, as a way for audiences to relate to the characters or themes they are exploring. Whether it’s injecting Kevin Garnett, an uncut opal, and an epic sports bet on an NBA Eastern Conference Finals game by a charismatic jewelry maker whose life is unraveling, or avenging your longtime friend who was mercilessly beaten down by Ivan Drago, sports in cinema aligns us to the story.

With the highly anticipated film Green and Gold coming to theatres nationwide January 31 – February 6, we put on our helmets, hit the gridiron, and made a list of our five must-see sports movies.

Friday Night Lights (2004)

Buzz Bissinger was onto something when he profiled the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas and their heroic high school football team, The Permian High Panthers. Based on the book he published, Friday Night Lights stands as one of the great traditional sports movies. It has heart, courage, and town pride – so much so that football is portrayed as a religion and its high school-aged players are criticized like they are professionals. The film culminates in an enormous amount of tension and excitement as all the ups and downs of the season come down to one last play in the state finals.

Friday Night Lights demonstrates how the audience can feel the emotional pull of that moment, despite not being an actual spectator at the game.

Raging Bull (1980)

Paralyzing jealousy, crippling sexual insecurities, a middleweight champion, and a lack of responsibilities make up the 1980s masterpiece, Raging Bull. Martin Scorsese is no stranger to exploring the dark and disturbed side of characters, and Jake La Motta – played by Robert De Niro – proved to be one of the most intense character studies and sports films of all time as we watch him lose everything over the course of the film.

Raging Bull is based on Jake LaMotta’s autobiography and has become one of the greatest films of all time, often cited as a favorite for the directors we love today.

A League of Their Own (1992)

During World War II, America’s favorite pastime was in jeopardy. The country was busy fighting a war, and the owners of the major baseball teams were in trouble. They didn’t want to see the nation’s beloved sport be dormant indefinitely. So, they decided to form the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, and in doing so found the greatest female player of our time: Dottie Hinson. Penny Marshall’s film, A League of Their Own fictionalizes this story, injecting that classic Americana charm while giving viewers a fresh perspective on what a baseball film can be.

Sure, we get all the stereotypical baseball scenes, but a great sports movie needs character development, and A League of Their Own has exactly that. We see this colorful cast grow through their relationships with each other, while bringing out the metaphorical tug-of-war between the cultural shift that was brewing and the traditional values they grew up with.

Slap Shot (1977)

The last film Paul Newman and director George Roy Hill teamed up to make, and arguably one of the greatest sports comedy movies of all time, is the 1977 film Slap Shot. It follows a failing ice hockey team, once the pride of a middle-class New England mill town, into their dizzy last season. While the town faces hard times, as the local steel mill starts to lay off people, Reggie Dunlop – played by Paul Newman – slowly realizes that without the mill, the hockey team isn’t long for this world.

With nothing to lose, and some new discount players on the roster, Reggie starts to adopt this mantra for one last ride. He lands the team into a championship game, culminating in a comedically joyous ending for the hockey team. Overall, the vulgar comedy and ‘70s sports charm – a decade which saw some of the greatest sports movies hit the big screen – makes Slap Shot a must watch and an easy inclusion on our list.

Rocky (1976)

No list is complete without the ultimate underdog story written and starring Sylvester Stallone, Rocky. Winner of three Oscars® including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing, the film popularized boxing in mainstream cinema, launching Sylvester Stallone’s acting career.

The power and impact of Rocky comes from the core idea of a small-town boxer fighting against his flaws and vulnerabilities to overcome a seemingly impossible challenge. The film grossed $1.7 billion at the box office, and viewers who were lucky enough to see it in theatres were cheering during the big fight, rooting for the underdog and connecting with his story [1].

Green and Gold (2025)

Wagering everything on a daring Super Bowl bet on his beloved Green Bay Packers, dairy farmer Buck – played by Craig T. Nelson – is shaping up to be an instant sports classic. In traditional Wisconsin fashion, Green and Gold uses football as a point of character growth for the story’s inhabitants, connecting the spirit of the state and their beloved football team.

Like most sports films on this list, the audience connects with the themes of fighting for something you stand for as Buck refuses to give up on his legacy while his family pursues their own dreams. These different stories culminate in a big Super Bowl bet, and through it all you can’t help but root for them. Green and Gold will be playing in theatres nationwide starting January 31.

There you have it, our top five must watch sports films list is complete! From the ultimate underdog story to the first women’s professional baseball team, each of these films had a profound impact on cinema and sports culture.