53% of the total F1 fans in the US cited the Netflix documentary series ‘Drive to Survive‘ as a reason to watch the sport. Formula 1 now boasts a seven million global audience post the documentary’s success. Apart from increased viewership, it also opened up new commercial opportunities, aiding the expansion of the sport. Well, the man responsible for crafting it appropriately was Paul Martin, who has recently worked on another Netflix documentary, Sprint: The World’s Fastest Humans. It depicts the life stories of several renowned athletes like Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Shericka Jackson, and more.

It is the cinematic narrative that appeals to the masses and gets them interested in following a sport. Thus, Martin is trying to replicate his F1 success in track and field. 

Paul Martin shares secret to viewership in sports

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Paul Martin recently sat down with CITIUS Mag to discuss SPRINT. Speaking about a range of topics, he stumbled on how to garner more viewership for a sport as he emphasized that the viewers must be fed with intrigue, drama, and proper storytelling. The Box to Box Films co-founder mentioned that people won’t follow a sport just because it is great. There needs to be athletes who can rise to a larger-than-life level. 

Citing examples from his Drive to Survive success, Martin stated, “You know, the race has never changed, but it was suddenly you just felt a connection to whether it was Esteban Ocon,  Pierre Gasly, or you know, someone above and beyond Lewis Hamilton at that point.”

The executive producer also talked about promoting the little rivalries that lead to a big story. “It’s about getting those stories and getting those people out there because that’s what, that’s what changed Formula One,” he said.

Sharing his opinions about the recent dynamics of track and field, Paul Martin thinks something’s amiss despite the surging popularity of Noah Lyles, and Fred Kerley.

Martin misses the Usain Bolt era despite the popularity of Noah Lyles

Paul Martin mentioned that he grew up watching Usain Bolt and Carl Lewis. Unfortunately, post their retirement, the craze around track and field has died down significantly. One of the main reasons for this, according to Martin, is the lack of a dominant name. Unlike the Bolt era, one cannot single out a name that has undisputed dominance in the realm right now. 

However, the Emmy award-winning producer feels that the times are changing. With the likes of Noah Lyles challenging for the world’s fastest times, fans are bound to get attracted to track again. Martin also has high hopes for the LA Olympics in 2028. He predicted that it would turn out to be a game-changer if marketed properly.

With positive reviews from Paul Martin, track fans can once again dream about the good old days coming back.