In a world with near-infinite options for sports-focused documentary-style series, not everything can stand out.
Apparently, that’s the case for Netflix’s NBA docuseries Starting 5. According to a report by Austin Karp in Sports Business Journal, Starting 5 will likely not be renewed for a third season by Netflix, ending a two-season run that began with the 2023-24 NBA season.
The show tracked five star NBA players in a fashion similar to Netflix’s popular NFL counterpart, Quarterback. The first season featured LeBron James, Domantas Sabonis, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum, while Season 2 cast Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, both of whom starred in the NBA Finals, along with Kevin Durant, James Harden and Jaylen Brown.
Per Karp, “third-party numbers weren’t looking good for the series,” though we won’t get any official figures from Netflix until 2026. However, “Internal Season 1 numbers from Netflix during the second half of 2024 were well behind the NFL docuseries Quarterback, and that trend was likely continued in the back of half of this year with both series’ second seasons.”
The poor performance of the show could be the latest sign that access-driven sports documentaries are on the decline. Starting 5 did not lack for star power, following some of the league’s biggest names in its first two seasons. But even LeBron James and Co. couldn’t lift the show to success.
Perhaps sports fans are realizing that shows centered around athletes that have near-total control over how they are portrayed aren’t really all that interesting. Viewers want authenticity that shows like Starting 5 don’t provide. At some point, fewer of these series will get greenlit as companies come to the realization that fans crave storytelling, not puff pieces.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.