Nat Geo includes ESPN in 10th anniversary of SharkFest

The summer is usually a down period for the entertainment industry but while many scripted shows are on hiatus, it gives a chance for some alternative programming to breakthrough. That’s especially the case for NatGeo’s “SharkFest,” a four-week event dedicated to shark-related programming.

Starting July 10, Nat Geo is going to have 60 hours of “enhanced” programming, including 30 hours of new content. Normally, SharkFest would be limited to Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Mundo, Disney XD, and Disney+ but for the first time, programming will be expanded to ABC, ESPN, and Hulu as Nat Geo celebrates SharkFest’s 10th anniversary.

Two programs that ESPN will be showing are Game of Sharks and Great White vs Tiger Shark. Variety provided descriptions for both shows. For Game of Sharks:

It’s time for sharks to face off in the ultimate species competition with the greatest matchups the ocean has ever seen. In ten nail-biting competitions, we’ll prove once and for all which shark is the MVP of the open sea. The great white is favored, but can it beat the shortfin mako in the 100-meter dash? Or out-jump the thresher shark? Can it keep up with the appetite of the whale shark? An underdog might just swim into first place!

That’s a Stephen A. Smith vehicle if I’ve ever seen one.

In regards to Great White vs Tiger Shark:

The two biggest of the BIG THREE — great whites and tiger sharks — are two of the most dangerous predators in the ocean. And they get BIG, up to 20 feet and 18 feet, respectively. But can they grow even larger than that? Where can we find the world’s biggest? Two teams of scientists are diving in to uncover the secrets of these powerful and majestic creatures.

SharkFest runs through August 7 and after a show makes its debut, it will be uploaded on Disney+.

[Variety/Photo: National Geographic]