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ESPN8 The Ocho

Annual feature of obscure sports on ESPN From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ESPN8 The Ocho
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ESPN8 The Ocho is a special program block showcasing seldom-seen obscure sports that airs on the networks of ESPN Inc. The Ocho is also offered as a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel on the Roku Channel, Prime Video and DirecTV Stream.[1][2]

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The Ocho consists of lesser-known, unconventional and humorous sports, occupational competitions, esports and other competitions with some athletic, competitive or physical skill component. The block is traditionally presented in early August, the eighth month of the year. Much of the programming consists of previously recorded content and reruns previously aired on the ESPN networks,[3] some as far back as the 1990s.[4]

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Origins

The concept of ESPN8 originated as a fictional television channel in the 2004 film Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, in which it was a full-time channel showcasing obscure competitions that are "almost a sport". Its name was a comic exaggeration; at the time, there were only four linear English-language ESPN channels in the U.S.: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS and ESPN Classic; the fifth, ESPNU, launched a year after the film. Its nickname, "The Ocho" (Spanish for "eight") was a play on ESPN2's 1990s nickname, "The Deuce."[5][3]

Starting August 8, 2017, ESPN paid homage to its lampooned portrayal in Dodgeball by airing a day-long "ESPN8: The Ocho" marathon on its college sports channel ESPNU as a way to fill airtime on the channel during the collegiate offseason. The 2017 airing was a success, prompting ESPN to repeat the block the next year, this time licensing the Dodgeball film from 20th Century Fox for inclusion in the block; it made some other adjustments to the 2018 schedule, including heavier editing to shorten each sport's time slot, hoping to accommodate short attention spans.[4]

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Continuation

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Due to a lack of live sports programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, ESPN announced on March 22, 2020 that it would reprise the stunt earlier than scheduled on ESPN2.[6] It did it on May 2, 2020, on ESPN, and then August 8, 2020, on ESPN2 as well as the Big Screen in Fortnite Party Royale.[7] A collection of sports that were featured on ESPN8, as well as the ESPN8 broadcast on these said networks, were available on the ESPN app.

From 2022 to 2024, the majority of "OCHO Day" programs were events broadcast live from two venues in Rock Hill, South Carolina – The Rock Hill Sports & Event Center and Manchester Meadows.[8][9] Rock Hill is a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina, where ESPN has production facilities for ESPNU and the SEC Network.[10][11] In 2025, ESPN8 events moved to the Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.[12]

The event was held again on ESPN2 on August 3, 2023.[13][14] For 2024, to celebrate "ocho years of The Ocho," the block expanded to four days, with the Savannah Bananas as the tent-pole; all three games of the team's Louisville, Kentucky series were telecast live in prime time, including the second game on ESPN's flagship channel, the first time the ESPN8 brand has expanded there.[15] For 2025, the tent-pole of the event was the American Cornhole League world championships, with the various division championships being held in Rock Hill and aired throughout the event on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU under the ESPN8 brand.[12]

In December 2023, ESPN launched an ESPN8 free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel on ABC.com and the ABC app.[16] In April 2024, the FAST channel launched in Canada under the name TSN The Ocho. In late 2024, with the ABC app's phaseout, ESPN8 moved to The Roku Channel;[1] ESPN8 is also available as a free channel on DirecTV Stream.[2]

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Impact

The tongue-in-cheek inclusion of such sports on ESPN's schedule has led to increased exposure opportunities for those sports, which have performed well for ESPN. ESPN added a cornhole tournament airing in July 2018 outside the block, which it noted outdrew the WNBA All-Star Game, regular season Major League Baseball games and the final stage of the Tour de France among the key demographic of men age 18 to 49.[3] The inclusion of the Excel World Championships, an eSport that involves using spreadsheet programs in a competition to solve a series of problems, helped give the contest mainstream attention and credibility.[17]

ESPN8 appeared in the 2024 TV series Knuckles as the in-universe broadcaster of a bowling tournament, with commentators played by Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer.[18]

Scheduling

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2025

July 31

August 1

  • Emerald Downs Corgi Races
  • World Dog Surfing Championships Best Waves
  • Roofball Federation of America Cup
  • OneWheel World Championship Race for the Rail (from 2024)
  • NESSBIC Finals presented by Stern Pinball
  • Golden Tee Golf World Championships
  • Freestyle Trampoline Association World Championship (from 2023)
  • Wisconsin Auctioneers Championship (from 2023)
  • USA Mullet Championships (from 2020)
  • Battle of the Buoy 2 (encore presentation)
  • SXY National Beach Tennis Invitational
  • IWL Wrestball 3×3
  • Battle Court Jai Alai Championship VII from Magic City Casino
  • 11th Annual Outhouse Races
  • Swiss Stone Tossing
  • Mailboat Jumping
  • National Bubble Gum Blowing Championship presented by Big League Chew
  • FlingGolf longest fling
  • Goodyear Blimp Sky Race of the Century
  • Major League Paintball 3×3 World Championship
  • National Wiffle Leagues Association All Star Game
  • OmegaBall World Invitational
  • TurfWars Adult Kickball Tournament
  • BullShooter Invitational Shootout (electronic darts)
  • The Ocho Show (studio program)
  • American Popdarts League Championship
  • Slippery Stairs
  • Archery Tag presents the Extreme Archery Championship
  • Banana Ball: The Firefighters vs. Savannah Bananas (on ESPN)
  • Pop-a-Shot National Championship
  • Pillow Fight Championship presented by Hush
  • Carjitsu

August 2

  • Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
  • Diving Chess: Duel in the Depths
  • Freestyle Chess
  • Microsoft Excel World Championship Finals
  • NHRL Robot Fighting
  • Viii Sports presented by the YMCA (modified summer biathlon, from 2024)
  • Speed Chess Championship presented by Chess.com (from 2022)
  • ProSayulita SUP Open
  • Footgolf World Cup (from 2023)
  • World Series of Arm Wrestling Finals
  • 360 Hoops Championship
  • Padel Ping Pong Championship
  • Bottlesbee Presented by Gronk Fitness
  • Bicycle polo
  • World Table Hockey Championships (from 2023)
  • World Axe & Knife Throwing Championships
  • Banana Ball: The Firefighters vs. Savannah Bananas
  • Coffin Wars Grapple to the Grave
  • Tire wrestling
  • Big Boy Soap Hockey Tournament
  • Donk Toss (cow dung throwing)
  • World Premiere BBA Bubbleball

August 3

  • Tractor pulling
  • Ultimate Ninja World Series Finals presented by the United States Navy
  • Buoy Cup
  • ESPN Presents "Never Tell Me the Odds: Top Sports Seen in Star Wars" (encore from 2024)
  • US Open Ultimate Finals

The American Cornhole League World Championships were held over multiple days coinciding with and airing on ESPN8 The Ocho.

Source: [12]

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References

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