T-Rex racing, Microsoft Excel data management and dodgeball are just a few of the bizarre sports that spectators can watch on ESPN8 The Ocho. Originating from the 2004 comedy “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” what started as a joke ESPN channel highlighting the worst sports ESPN had to offer turned into an annual program in which ESPN broadcasts obscure sports. The program ran for four days this year, showcasing over 65 hours of events across all ESPN channels. Though it appears silly and downright obnoxious at first glance, The Ocho exposes sports fans to sports they otherwise might remain unaware of, and it demonstrates the passion that people have for sports, no matter how unconventional they may be.
The original joke from “Dodgeball” was a spin on “The Deuce,” a nickname that ESPN 2 had received in the ’90s when it was first launched. Fans of the movie immediately latched on to the joke, but it would take ESPN 13 years to make The Ocho an official part of their program when they implemented it in 2017 to fill airtime on ESPNU (ESPN’s station for collegiate sports). ESPN continued The Ocho as a one-day program until 2024, when they did a four-day Ocho program to “celebrate ocho years of Ocho.” The four-day program was a success, so ESPN decided to continue the format for 2025.
One of the first events broadcasted this year on The Ocho was the T-Rex Racing World Championships. The race is an annual event that takes place at Emerald Downs racetrack in Auburn, WA. The event is a 100-yard race divided into different heats and categories for ages. Competitors don inflatable dinosaur costumes and attempt to cross the finish line first without tripping or toppling over one another. The race started small in 2017 as a team building activity for a pest control company. This year, it had over 300 participants. 2025 marked the first year that T-Rex racing was featured on The Ocho.
As with T-Rex racing, it’s unlikely that Microsoft Excel comes to mind when people think of sports. However, The Ocho reminds us that anything can be classified as a sport, including the management of spreadsheets. The competition includes multiple rounds in which contestants are given files of jumbled data that they must organize and sort. In addition to sorting data, contestants are given a problem that they must solve using the data. The competition is a race to solve the problem first, and it requires math and creative problem-solving skills. The competition takes place in an e-sports arena in Las Vegas, and the winner takes home a $60,000 prize.
It would be wrong to talk about The Ocho without mentioning dodgeball — the sport that started it all. Dodgeball, the beloved game popular among middle schoolers, has become a fan favorite and staple for bizarre sports. The National Dodgeball League competition took place in New Orleans this year. The league has multiple divisions and the tournament is specifically for the no-sting division, which uses regulation foam balls. While the competition is not as frenzied as the dodgeball from the movie, it’s still highly entertaining for spectators.
ESPN The Ocho has transformed from a tongue-in-cheek reference in a comedy film into a genuine celebration of the strange, the niche and the wonderfully absurd in the athletics realm. By spotlighting events like T-Rex racing, the Microsoft Excel World Championship and dodgeball, the program reminds audiences that sport is not confined to stadiums or professional leagues — rather, it thrives wherever people bring passion, creativity and competition. What makes The Ocho remarkable is not just the novelty of inflatable dinosaurs sprinting or spreadsheets being conquered, but the way these spectacles reveal the human drive to test limits, entertain and connect. In its four-day marathon of obscure contests, ESPN offers fans a chance to laugh, marvel and discover communities that they never knew existed. Ultimately, The Ocho proves that sport is as much about joy and imagination as it is about skill, and that even the quirkiest competitions can inspire a loyal following.
