A new edition of ESPN8: The Ocho will be airing on ESPN platforms from Thursday, Aug. 1 to Sunday, Aug. 4, marking the return of the broadcast event with four days and 54 hours of esoteric sports offerings. The company expanded the venture to a three-day event last year and will be utilizing an additional day to bring fans additional sports content.
Banana Ball will begin the venture for the second consecutive year featuring a prime-time broadcast of the Savannah Bananas and Party Animals game on Thursday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. EST on ESPN2. Following the opening game, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, the 2004 film starring Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller that inspired the creation of ESPN8: The Ocho, will air on ESPN2. After the film concludes, more sports will air throughout the night to conclude the first day of the event.
The Bananas and Party Animals will play another prime-time game on Friday beginning at 7 p.m. EST. This contest will be broadcast on ESPN, which represents the first time ESPN8: The Ocho programming will air on the network during the primary day of this event. The final game of the series between the two teams will return to prime time in ESPN2 on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. EST.
The four-day event will provide fans with 21 new sports in the lineup, including the World Jump Rope Championships, ZoneBall Clash, and the 2024 World Juggling Federation Ultimate Overall Championship. A robot fighting championship, speed jigsaw puzzling, ultimate tire wrestling and the Roofball World Championships are also included among the sports as well. Rock Hill, S.C. will serve as the center of seldom-seen sports as the host of nearly 16 hours of ESPN programming that includes ax and knife throwing, a Fling Golf all-star skills challenge and the USA Dodgeball All-Star Showcase. Other sports that will be making their debut within ESPN8: The Ocho include Pop-A-Shot, the 2024 Hamlin Adult Big Wheel Races, Major League Paintball, National Putting League and Carjitsu Championship.
Victoria Arlen, Arda Öcal and Cristina Alexander will serve as co-hosts on The Ocho Show, which will air live from Rock Hill and showcase several different events. All events taking place in the area are free for fans at each venue. Moreover, there will be an ESPN8: The Ocho Fan Zone at Manchester Meadows that includes food trucks, music, vendors and giveaways, along with ESPN’s Big Wheel Racing with a sonic twist.
The ESPN original podcast, Never Tell Me the Odds, will feature Öcal with Clinton Yates and Ryan McGee at the summer event as well. The show will have a live edition highlighting the top sports seen in Star Wars on Sunday, Aug. 4 at 8:30 a.m. on ESPN2, which is the first time this podcast will be available to watch on linear television. ESPN8: The Ocho debuted as the network’s first-ever free, ad-supported television (FAST) channel last December, providing fans with continuous coverage and replays of obscure sports.
