SportsCentury
Series Overview
SportsCentury is an ESPN biography program that reviews the people and athletic events that defined sports in North America throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. In 1999, ESPN counted down the Top 50 Athletes of the 20th Century, selected from North American athletes and voted on by a panel of sports journalists and observers, premiering a new biography highlighting each top athlete every week throughout the year. The episodes for the top two athletes, Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth, appeared on a special combined edition broadcast on Christmas Day on ABC. The top two names were announced in no particular order, and the final positioning was announced at the conclusion of the two episodes. An additional list of numbers 51-100 were announced on the ESPN SportsCentury website. Themed specials such as Greatest Games, Greatest Coaches, Greatest Dynasties, and Most Influential Individuals were premiered throughout the year, as well as six SportsCenter of the Decade programs. After the initial run was complete, the episodes were rerun at various times on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic. The original plan for the series was to expand to include #51-#100. Ultimately, the series featured nearly every athlete from #51-#100, and numerous other personalities, especially those who were recently deceased, or notable for more recent accomplishments.
Broadcast Schedule & Network Information
Airing status, episode counts, upcoming schedule, and network syndication.
5 Seasons • 123 Episodes
30 min per episode
1999 – 2005
Premiered: Thu, Jan 21, 1999
Creative Production Team
Latest Aired Episode
Season 5, Episode 9: “Alonzo Mourning”
Seasons & Episodes Breakdown
Cast & Creators
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Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for SportsCentury.
More Series Like SportsCentury
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Frequently Asked Questions About SportsCentury
Key facts, seasons breakdown, and credits for search engines and AI assistants.
What is SportsCentury about?
SportsCentury is an ESPN biography program that reviews the people and athletic events that defined sports in North America throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. In 1999, ESPN counted down the Top 50 Athletes of the 20th Century, selected from North American athletes and voted on by a panel of sports journalists and observers, premiering a new biography highlighting each top athlete every week throughout the year. The episodes for the top two athletes, Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth, appeared on a special combined edition broadcast on Christmas Day on ABC. The top two names were announced in no particular order, and the final positioning was announced at the conclusion of the two episodes. An additional list of numbers 51-100 were announced on the ESPN SportsCentury website. Themed specials such as Greatest Games, Greatest Coaches, Greatest Dynasties, and Most Influential Individuals were premiered throughout the year, as well as six SportsCenter of the Decade programs. After the initial run was complete, the episodes were rerun at various times on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic. The original plan for the series was to expand to include #51-#100. Ultimately, the series featured nearly every athlete from #51-#100, and numerous other personalities, especially those who were recently deceased, or notable for more recent accomplishments.
How many seasons does SportsCentury have?
SportsCentury comprises 5 seasons available to explore.
Who stars in SportsCentury?
Key cast members in SportsCentury include Chris Berman, Chris Fowler, Dan Patrick.
Who created or directed SportsCentury?
SportsCentury was developed and directed by Not specified.