People tend to go to sporting venues to watch some sporting action and to the cinema to watch movies. Yet there is the occasional overlap between these two different forms of entertainment. Over the years, some of the world’s leading sporting arenas have doubled as shooting locations for the world of Hollywood.
In this blog, we’ll run through some of the most iconic sporting venues and the shows or movies that were filmed there. And the best part? You can visit all of these locations to recreate your favourite scenes or just enjoy the action.
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs is the most iconic horse racecourse in the United States and arguably the world. It built its reputation because of the excitement of the Kentucky Derby, which is held at the venue each May, and it was at this racecourse that one of history’s greatest horses, Secretariat, ran his most famous race.
The movie based on the horse’s life, Secretariat, is well-worth watching. And once you’ve done that, you might just want to take a trip to the most famous venue yourself.
Secretariat was an outsider going into the last lap; could horse racing history repeat itself? At Churchill Downs, a surprise is always possible, so you might just consider using free horse bets to pick an outsider to romp to glory. Who knows, Hollywood might end up making a movie about that horse decades into the future!
Staples Center
It should come as no surprise that a Los Angeles sporting venue features on this list! After all, this is the home of movies and television shows, and there are also plenty of excellent sporting venues to be found here.
The most famous is probably the Staples Center, which is the home ground for four LA teams, including the LA Lakers and LA Clippers. The Hollywood-centred show Entourage shot four episodes here.
Take a trip to LA, book some tickets for the Staples Center (ideally a Lakers game) and live it up like you’re one of Vinnie Chase’s gang. Plus, while you’re there, you’ll probably see an A-list celebrity from a distance; stars such as Jack Nicholson, Larry David, and Adam Sandler are regulars at the Staples Center.
Madison Square Garden
New York is an iconic movie location in itself, so it makes sense that Madison Square Garden, the city’s most famous sporting venue, should have featured in so many movies that it’s almost worthy of its own star on Hollywood Boulevard.
There’s really no shortage of movies that have been shot here; some of the biggest – and most well-received by critics – include American Gangster, Space Jam and The Other Guys. While they’re not technically TV shows or movies, plenty of stand-up shows have been filmed here too. Aziz Azari, Ricky Gervais, and Kevin Hart are just a few of the famous comics to have shot a special here.
Wembley Stadium
If you’re looking for something a little closer to home, why not look at the home of English football, Wembley Stadium? The stadium doesn’t just play host to some of the world’s best sporting action, it’s also been a filming location for many awesome movies over the years.
The two big ones in recent times have been 28 Weeks Later and Fast & Furious 6. And we’re only talking about the new Wembley Stadium. The old one featured in a fair few too, including the most famous of all, Mike Bassett: England Manager.
You can take a trip to Wembley to see a concert, an American football game, or one of the many football games that take place throughout the year.