Sports broadcaster ESPN has the US Open as its biggest tennis tournament to present to its sports viewers each year. The tournament also opened doors for them to promote some of their original programs, like the recent docuseries ‘In The Arena: Serena Williams’ and now, the 30 for 30 documentary featuring Billie Jean King which will be helmed by Elton John.
The broadcaster recently announced on social media that King’s story has finally been given the green flag to be shown in the next 30 for 30 series. 30 for 30 is a series of ESPN documentary films, made up of 30 episodes each.
It is a way for them to share the stories of some of the most iconic heroes from and around the sports world. A total of 4 volumes of the series have already been released until now.
Other than these 30-episode seasons, it also includes three more series- ESPN Films Presents, Shorts and Soccer Stories. While the first one is a 13-episode series, the second one consists of shorts from the 30 for 30 series and the last one was aired before the 2014 FIFA World Cup to share some of the most inspiring soccer stories with the world.
The Billie Jean King documentary is also going to be co-produced by British singer Elton John through his sports media company, Rocket Sports. John and BJK go a long way back, being friends for more than 50 years now.
In 1975, King was coaching a World Team Tennis charter franchise – Philadelphia Freedoms and hence, asked her singer friend to write a song for the team that could motivate them. Thus, John’s popular single – Philadelphia Freedom was a result of this request.
Reacting to the news of her documentary, the former world number 1 spoke to ESPN at the US Open and explained how excited she was to get it started.
While at the 2024 @usopen, tennis legend @BillieJeanKing reacts to the news that her inspiring story has officially been greenlit for an upcoming @30for30 by ESPN Films
https://t.co/r4qX3PGVm1 pic.twitter.com/ErwefbJ7DM
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 6, 2024
Ridley Scott Associates and Story Syndicate are the co-producers of the documentary, which has already gone on the floors, alongside John. It is being co-directed by Elizabeth Wolff and Liz Garbus. BJK will be seen in a never-seen-before avatar, opening up about being the rebel that tennis needed despite all the success she achieved in the sport and how that made her struggle to accept herself and at the same time, bring a change in the sport and society around her.
It’s a matter of prestige for King to have the opportunity to get immortalized in this ESPN series. It establishes the already-known fact that the 12-time Grand Slam champion is a legend in the sporting world and not just in the United States.
