ESPN is bringing back ‘The Ocho’ for multiday programming of ‘seldom-seen sports’

Pete Grathoff
·3 min read

What began as a running joke in the movie “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” has turned into a yearly programming event for ESPN.

In the 2004 movie, the ADAA Las Vegas International Dodgeball Open is broadcast on ESPN8, “The Ocho.” As Cotton McKnight (played by Gary Cole) says in the movie: “if it’s almost a sport, we’ve got it here.”

The real ESPN has since broadcast seldom-seen sports each year in a nod to the movie. ESPN2 will be turning into ESPN8 on Thursday and will have 43 hours of “unique and groundbreaking programming and sports — many of which are on the cusp of being discovered,” as the network joked.

Among the events to be aired are the Table Hockey World Championships, Corgi Racing, Pinball Championships, dog surfing, Air Guitar Championships and Pillow Fight Championships.

And, of course, viewers will see dodgeball.

Here is the full schedule.

Thursday

6 p.m.: Savannah Bananas baseball vs. The Party Animals

8 p.m.: 2023 ACL Pro Shootout Championship

9 p.m.: 2023 Table Hockey World Championships

9:30 p.m.: Red Bull Fierste Ljepper

10 p.m.: Slamball

Friday

Midnight: Stern Heads-Up Pinball Invitational

12:30 a.m.: 2020 USA Mullet Championships

1 a.m.: 2021 US Air Guitar Championships

2 a.m.: 2022 Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship

3 a.m.: Jelle’s Marble Runs

3:30 a.m.: Foosball World Cup

4:30 a.m.: World Chase Tag 5

5:30 a.m.: 2023 Wisconsin Auctioneers Championship

6 a.m.: Microsoft Excel World Championship

6:30 a.m.: Truck and Tractor Pulling

7 a.m.: One Wheel World Championship

7:30 a.m.: Arm Wrestling Reborn

8 a.m.: Extreme Axe & Knife Games

9 a.m.: Omegaball Women’s Invitational

10 a.m.: 2023 BullShooter Invitational Shootout

11 a.m.: Omegaball Men’s Invitational

Noon: Professional Cuesports League (PCL)

1 p.m.: TurfWars Invitational: Adult Kickball Championship

2 p.m.: The Ocho Show

3 p.m.: 2023 NWLA Wiffleball All-Stars

4 p.m.: Major League Table Tennis

5 p.m.: 2023 Slippery Stairs

6 p.m.: SuperHole IV Championship

8 p.m.: Viii Sports YMCA Invitational

9 p.m.: Pillow Fight Championship

10 p.m.: 2023 FootGolf World Cup

10:30 p.m.: Masskrugstemmen Stein Holding Competition

11 p.m.: 2023 Corgi Races

11:30 p.m.: World Dog Surfing Championship Best Waves

Saturday

Midnight: USA Dodgeball All-Star Showcase

1 a.m.: CROSSNET Sand Series: SoCal

1:30 a.m.: 2022 eSkootr Championship

2 a.m.: 2022 Spikeball’s Co-Ed Invitational: Utah

3 a.m.: Red Bull Paper Wings

3:30 a.m.: Corunna Belt Sander Races

4 a.m.: Franklin Rock River Stone Skipping Competition

4:30 a.m.: Teqball Tour: Los Angeles

5:30 a.m.: 2020 Tetris Championships

6:30 a.m.: Golden Tee World Championship

7 a.m.: World Sign Spinning Championship

7:30 a.m.: Grass Drag Racing Season Opener

8 a.m.: 2022 AUDL Championship

8:30 a.m.: Ultimate Ninja World Finals

9 a.m.: Red Bull Rapids

9:30 a.m.: FlingGolf: San Diego Open

10 a.m.: Professional Horseshoes League

11 a.m.: 2023 ACL Pro Doubles World Championship