‘Dodgeball’s ESPN 8 (The Ocho!) Is Becoming Real
There are many ESPN channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN First Take where they just show that show on a loop forever. (It’s mostly watched in prisons as a form of enhanced interrogation technique.) But the greatest of all ESPN channels is ESPN 8, or “The Ocho,” as it’s known to devotees. It’s the ESPN devoted to the finest in seldom seen sports.
Okay, so technically the Ocho never existed before. It was a very funny joke featured in the 2004 Ben Stiller movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. But now it will! For one day only, ESPN is turning ESPNU into the real ESPN 8, with a full day of “offbeat, alternative events” including:
- 2016 American Disc Golf Championship: A sport that involves players throwing a disc at a target while adhering to rules similar to golf. More info here.
- 2016 WFTDA Roller Derby Championships: A game involving two teams of five women each, in which each team is on offense and defense simultaneously as they assist the designated “jammer” around the track. The jammer scores points for her team by lapping members of the opposing team. More info here.
- 2016 Sky Zone Ultimate Trampoline Dodgeball: Traditional dodgeball with the added element of players using trampolines during play. More info here.
That’s correct, the channel inspired by a joke in Dodgeball will air dodgeball, only it’s going to be totally x-treme and radicool and played on trampolines.
The ESPN press release also promises the 2017 “Championship of Bags,” which is described as a “cornhole tournament for a variety of skill levels.” Excellent.
(If you need a refresher on ESPN 8’s role in Dodgeball, please enjoy this brief clip):
ESPN 8’s takeover of ESPNU takes place on August 8. 8/8. Ocho/Ocho. Niiiiiice. Chuck Norris would totally give this whole thing a big thumbs up.