Product Details

• Actors: Wayne Gretzky, Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Allen Iverson, Ricky Williams
• Directors: Peter Berg, Barry Levinson, John Singleton, Steve James
• Format: Box set, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 6
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: TeamMarketing
• DVD Release Date: December 7, 2010
• Run Time: 1161 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B003YMR98M
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,271 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #27 in Movies & TV > DVD > Sports
  • #28 in Movies & TV > DVD > Documentary

Editorial Reviews

In celebration of the ESPN 30th anniversary, ESPN Films presents 30 for 30 , a critically acclaimed series of films from some of todays finest directors. From Barry Levinson & Peter Berg to Steve James, Brett Morgen and Ice Cube, each filmmaker brings their unique perspective to an extraordinary sports story from the last 30 years. The New York Times calls the films entertaining and Time Magazine says it is a thrilling collection. ESPN has nailed it with this gripping series (The Los Angeles Times). Multiple films have received official selections from the Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca and South by Southwest Film Festivals, making this collection of remarkable films a must-have for any film fan. The ESPN 30 for 30 Gift Set, Volume 1, is a 6-disc set that includes the first 15 films from the series: Kings Ransom, The Band That Wouldnt Die, Small Potatoes: Who Killed The USFL?, Muhammad & Larry, Without Bias, The Legend of Jimmy The Greek, The U, Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks, Guru of Go, No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson, Silly Little Game, Run Ricky Run, The 16th Man, Straight Outta L.A. and June 17th, 1994. The Gift Set also includes over 2 hours of bonus features.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 89 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Documentaries - Nice Packaging December 15, 2010

By Robert Cowper

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been waiting for the 30 for 30 set on DVD since they started running the documentaries. I've only been able to catch bits and pieces of them when aired, but I knew it was only a matter of time before the DVDs hit.

If you have anybody on your holiday gift list that likes sports and is hard to buy for, try this. Just about everything in the sports world from Gretzky to Reggie Miller to the USFL is touched on, so any general knowledge sports fan, like myself, would be thrilled.

I have not watched all 15 (remember, this is volume 1) of the films, probably 5 or 6 so far, and they are all pretty good. Some are more interesting than others, but that will come down to personal preference.

The packaging is great. Inside the slide out box are six slim cases that have the films split across six discs. I bet they could have got it down to four, but then they couldn't charge as much! Some people may hate the "raffle" ticket type design that is on the packaging and the menus, but I really like it.

My only complaint thus far is that the menus seem slow. It's possible that it's my PS3, so I will not deduct for it, but just wanted to mention it.

All in all, a great collection for sports fans.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant January 2, 2011

By Phill Hill

Format:DVD

My brother got me this for Christmas, and it is fantastic! I am a fairly casual sports fan so I didn't know what my level of interest in all different documentaries would be (I have never watched hockey or rugby, and I am not wild about basketball), but to my amazement, I was absolutely captivated by all 15 segments. My initial impression was that it would be more geared to the avid sports fan using a lot of dry statistics and specialized knowledge of the games (which couldn't be more boring to me), but instead it encompasses everything that makes sports so fascinating. It is about the struggle of communities versus corporations (That Band That Wouldn't Die), goodness versus glamour (King's Ransom, Run Ricky Run), aging legends (Muhammad and Larry), and microwave dynasties (The U). This is a brilliant dvd collection that isn't just about sports, but everything that is wonderful (and terrible for that matter) about sports. It is history, it is culture, it is humanity. It is tears of triumph and tears of defeat, and these are the stories that, in a lot of ways, bring people together and tear people apart. Sports, like art and literature, is a reflection of culture and this collection brilliantly marries the two. This is a must own for any sports fan, history fan, film-maker, or cultural analist. Highly recommended.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars MUST HAVE (VOLUME 1) June 25, 2011

By Alan B. Fecteau

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

THE FOUR-LETTERED NETWORK SCORED BIG WITH THESE COMMISSIONED MOVIES. THEY ARE ALL DOCUMENTARIES, BUT ENTERTAINING AND INTERESTING AT THE SAME TIME.

VOLUME 1 INCLUDES THE FIRST 15 MOVIES:

01
KING'S RANSOM (WAYNE GRETZKY TRADED FROM THE EDMONTON OILERS TO THE LOS ANGELES KINGS)
02
THE BAND THAT WOULDN'T DIE (BALTIMORE COLTS MARCHING BAND)
03
SMALL POTATOES: WHO KILLED THE USFL? (UNITED STATES FOOTBALL LEAGUE)
04
MUHAMMAD & LARRY (MUHAMMAD ALI & LARRY HOLMES)
05
WITHOUT BIAS (THE DEATH OF LEN BIAS)
06
THE LEGEND OF JIMMY THE GREEK
07
THE U (UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI FOOTBALL)
08
WINNING TIME (REGGIE MILLER)
09
GURU OF GO (PAUL WESTHEAD)
10
NO CROSSOVER: THE TRIAL OF ALLEN IVERSON
11
SILLY LITTLE GAME (FANTASY SPORTS)
12
RUN RICKY RUN (RICKY WILLIAMS)
13
THE 16th MAN (SPRINGBOK RUGBY IN SOUTH AFRICA)
14
STRAIGHT OUTTA L.A. (LOS ANGELES RAIDERS)
15
JUNE 17, 1994 (NBA FINALS & O.J. BRONCO CHASE)

ESPN IS FULLY CAPABALE OF PRODUCING JUNK ... BUT THIS IS NOT JUNK !!