ESPN turns 30 with sport film series

ESPN has unveiled plans to celebrate its 30th anniversary by broadcasting 30 exclusive sport documentaries created by renowned filmmakers.

Titled 30 For 30, the series will feature well-known directors - including Barry Levinson, Ron Shelton and John Singleton - telling various stories that have played a part in the past 30 years of sporting history.

The films will be televised in stages over the course of 2010 on both ESPN and ESPN America to celebrate 30 years of the sports broadcaster.

On February 16 at 7pm, the first of seven films to premiere exclusively on ESPN America will be Hancock director Peter Berg's Kings Ransom, examining the transfer of NHL star Wayne Gretsky to Los Angeles which transformed the hockey league overnight.

Next up will be Oscar-winner Levinson's The Band That Wouldn't Die, about the move of NFL team the Colts from their original home in Baltimore told from the perspective of their marching band.

Other highlights include Albert Maysles and Bradley Kaplan's portrayal of an aging Muhammad Ali taking on an unprecedented fourth heavyweight title fight against Larry Holmes in Muhammad And Larry.

From April, the remaining 23 films will premiere on both ESPN America and ESPN, with scheduling information to be released shortly. All 30 For 30 films will then be re-shown on ESPN Classic in October.