10 Best Sports Comedy Movies Of All Time

The recent series A League of Their Own proved once again that sports stories and comedy can really complement each other well. This has been shown in movies as well with some of the best sports movies of all time delivering huge laughs throughout.

In some cases, these sports comedies take a wild and silly approach to the game at the center of the story. In other cases, the sport is treated very seriously but the humor comes from all the great characters. And as many movies like this as there are, only the truly great ones can be considered the best sports comedies of all time.

10 BASEketball (1998)

While Trey Parker and Matt Stone are mostly known for their work on South Park, but they have also worked on some movies such as BASEketball. Parker and Stone play best friends who start a new sport that combines baseball and basketball that becomes a national phenomenon.

As with most of their projects, Parker and Stone have a lot of fun not taking any of this too seriously. The movie might not have much of a story, but there are some hilarious gags and clever comedy bits which is not surprising given the talent of the filmmakers.

9 Bring It On (2000)

Cheerleading is not something that is often presented in movies nor is it given much respect as a sport itself. However, Bring It On both respects the hard work that these cheerleaders put into their work and has a lot of fun with the high-energy world.

Kirsten Dunst stars as the new captain of her high school cheerleading squad as she prepares for the big cheerleading competition. It is a light-hearted high school comedy with a fun sports angle and a terrific lead performance from Dunst.

8 Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Will Ferrell has appeared in a number of sports comedies throughout his career by Talladega Nights is likely the funniest of them all. Ferrell plays Ricky Bobby, the most successful and arrogant NASCAR driver around whose position is challenged by a former Formula One driver.

Ricky Bobby’s endless funny quotes make him another memorable character for Ferrell and he is joined by a wonderful supporting cast that includes John C. Reilly and Sacha Baron Cohen.

7 Kingpin (1996)

The Farrelly Brothers are known for taking gross-out humor and immature characters and turning it into a hilarious ride for audiences. Kingpin has the brothers taking on the world of bowling with Woody Harrelson as a pathetic former bowler who sees his shot at glory by coaching an inexperienced Amish bowler (Randy Quaid).

Harrelson and Quaid make for a wonderful comedic pair as they embark on a road trip on their way to the championship match. Bill Murray also steals the show as the sleazy rival bowler who ended Harrelson’s career.

6 Slap Shot (1977)

Along with being hilarious, Slap Shot is perhaps the best hockey movie ever made and a wonderful comedic role from Hollywood legend Paul Newman. He plays the player-coach of a struggling team who turns to violence and outrageous gimmicks to regain his team’s audience.

The movie is endlessly entertaining as the team embraces its new style. It is especially fun with the addition of the Hanson brothers, three belligerent players who love causing mayhem on the ice.

5 Bull Durham (1988)

The combination of a romantic comedy and a baseball story doesn’t sound like an obvious pairing, but it really works in Bull Durham. The movie stars Kevin Costner as an aging catcher in a minor league team who mentors an arrogant young pitcher (Tim Robbins) as they fall for the same woman (Susan Sarandon).

There is a definite charm to the movie as well as a genuine love of the sport. The three stars also have wonderful chemistry together, delivering great comedic moments in this love triangle.

4 The Bad News Bears (1976)

Fans might expect a movie about a little league team to be wholesome and kid-friendly, but The Bad News Bears is far from either of those things. Walter Matthau makes for one of the funniest sports movie coaches as the gruff and hard-drinking Buttermaker, a former big-league player now coaching a group of misfits.

The rag-tag team is a lot of fun to see in action and their horribly inappropriate attitudes make them so funny. Matthau also looks to be having a lot of fun playing the slob of a man who should not be in charge of any kids.

3 Caddyshack (1980)

The wacky style of 80s comedy clashes with the stiff society of a country club in the golf comedy Caddyshack. The movie doesn’t have much of a plot to speak of but simply follows the various colorful characters who make up the employees and members of a prestigious club.

The fact that the cast is made up of some of the greatest comedy actors of that era really adds to the iconic status of the movie. Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, and Bill Murray all deliver hilarious performances and make Caddyshack a very rewatchable ride.

2 Happy Gilmore (1996)

As one of Adam Sandler’s best movie characters, Happy Gilmore is an endlessly enjoyable movie. Sandler plays the titular wannabe hockey player who discovers an unexpected talent for golf. However, his violent, angry and unsophisticated personality makes him an odd addition to the sport.

Sandler’s manchild energy and hilarious fury helped to make him a comedy star. Christopher MacDonald is also hilarious as the pompous villain, Shooter McGavin. And the movie may be remembered for one of the funniest movie fight scenes between Sandler and Bob Barker.

1 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

The comedy Dodgeball not only have fun characters and hilarious gags, but it also uses a bizarre sport to add to the comedic energy of the movie. Vince Vaughn stars as the slacker owner of a struggling gym who competes against an evil fitness guru (Ben Stiller) in a dodgeball tournament.

Stiller’s villainous character is the highlight of the movie, adding a zany quality to the story. But there are also some wonderful supporting players that make it an even funnier ride, including Gary Cole and Jason Bateman as the competition’s oddball announcers.