ESPN8 showcases a variety of unconventional sports, ranging from intense archery to whimsical bubblegum blowing competitions
ESPN's The Ocho Embraces Unconventional Sports
ESPN's unique sports channel, The Ocho, is gearing up for another year of showcasing seldom-seen, quirky, and unconventional sports. This year's lineup includes a mix of backyard-style games and unusual competitive events, spanning over 65 hours of content.
Among the sports featured this year is the Bubble Gum Blowing Championship, a light-hearted event that adds to the quirky vibe The Ocho is known for. The competition involves the top three blows going on to the next round in a thrilling "blow-off."
Frank Mazzella, the executive producer of the Bubble Gum Blowing Championship, emphasizes that concentration and focus are crucial for success in bubble gum blowing. He also notes that people usually blow their biggest bubble when they walk away and nobody's watching.
The Ocho also brings back some fan-favourite events, such as the cow chip toss, also known as Donk Toss, which originated in Beaver, Oklahoma. Participants throw dried cow chips, produced the previous fall, and the one who throws the furthest wins.
In addition to these events, The Ocho aims to keep sports fun and humorous. Frank Mazzella gave nicknames to some participants during interviews, such as "A 'Moneybags' Martínez" and "Ben 'Baby Abey' Abrams."
This year, The Ocho is showcasing 30 new sports, including the Bubble Gum Blowing Championship, which is one of the events this week. Other sports on the schedule include dodgeball, slippery stairs, popdarts, pillow fighting, paintball, pop-a-shot, extreme archery, wiffle ball, Omegaball, kickball, bullshooter, corgi racing, cornhole, Flugtag, T-rex racing, soap hockey, and mailboat jumping.
The Ocho represents these unusual sports with professional-level emphasis, often elevating childhood or backyard games to a competitive stage. The channel first gained popularity in the film comedy 'Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story' in 1999.
For those who enjoy a more unconventional approach to sports, The Ocho is the perfect destination. Tune in to catch all the action this weekend!
[1] ESPN's The Ocho Schedule [2] The History of ESPN's The Ocho [3] Bubble Gum Blowing Championship
[1] On ESPN's The Ocho, viewers can catch the Bubble Gum Blowing Championship, one of 30 new unconventional sports presented this week, showcasing an entertaining mix of backyard games and unusual competitive events, along with popular sports like dodgeball and kickball.
[2] In addition to providing sports coverage, The Ocho also shares a light-hearted, humorous approach, with executive producer Frank Mazzella nicknaming participants for interviews in a fun and engaging manner, such as "A 'Moneybags' Martínez" and "Ben 'Baby Abey' Abrams."
