The Worst Sports Movies of All Time

Sports movies can soar when they capture real competition, compelling athletes, or an underdog story that actually lands. But a few releases missed the net by a mile: critical pile-ons, Razzie infamy, and box-office face-plants have turned certain titles into cautionary tales. For this list, the focus is on widely documented flops and fiascos—movies flagged by critics’ aggregates, saddled with Golden Raspberry attention, and/or demonstrably weak ticket sales.

Below, you’ll find verifiable facts—directors, casts, budgets, grosses, release history, awards and production backstories—so you can see exactly how each film earned its notorious reputation. Figures and details come from industry sources and public records like Rotten Tomatoes, Box Office Mojo, Wikipedia summaries with citations, and reputable outlets that reported on controversies behind the scenes.

‘Caddyshack II’ (1988)

Allan Arkush directed this follow-up with a cast that included Jackie Mason, Robert Stack, Dyan Cannon, and returning faces Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd. Despite the brand name, the sequel drew heavy critical fire upon release; reviews archived by Rotten Tomatoes describe career-damaging notices, and the film went on to collect multiple Razzie nominations and wins.

Financially, the movie stalled with roughly $11.8 million domestic against a reported $20 million budget, far below its predecessor’s cultural footprint. Records from Box Office Mojo document the opening and total domestic gross, and trade and awards listings confirm the Razzie haul tied to the production.

‘Ed’ (1996)

This baseball comedy teams a minor-league pitcher with a chimpanzee teammate, starring Matt LeBlanc and directed by Bill Couturié. Contemporary and retrospective listings show the film drew strongly negative critical notices and holds an extremely low approval mark on Rotten Tomatoes.

Box-office performance was equally bleak: domestic grosses totaled about $4.4 million, as tracked by Box Office Mojo’s year summary and title page. Those figures are frequently cited in overviews of notable commercial misfires from the period.

‘Juwanna Mann’ (2002)

Directed by Jesse Vaughan and released by Warner Bros., this comedy follows a suspended men’s pro who disguises himself to play in a women’s league. Critical reception logs show low scores and consistent complaints about story logic and execution; major review outlets catalogued those issues at the time.

At the box office, domestic grosses landed near $13.6 million, per distributor reporting and Box Office Mojo/Rotten Tomatoes summary data. The film’s premise and depiction of women’s basketball also sparked significant public discussion that remains documented in reviews and summaries.

‘The Love Guru’ (2008)

Mike Myers led and co-wrote this hockey-world comedy, directed by Marco Schnabel and released by Paramount. The title dominated the 29th Golden Raspberry Awards, winning Worst Picture, Worst Actor, and Worst Screenplay; coverage from the ceremony and subsequent reporting detail its sweep.

Financially, it underperformed relative to its reported $62 million budget, opening fourth in North America and finishing with about $40.9 million worldwide. Box Office Mojo and compiled box-office summaries verify the budget figure, opening weekend result, and final tally.

‘Rollerball’ (2002)

John McTiernan’s remake leaned into action while sidelining the social satire that defined the original. Contemporary records show the production became entangled in a high-profile wiretapping case involving the director and a private investigator, a controversy widely reported and chronicled in film histories.

The movie was a box-office bomb—about $25.9 million worldwide against a reported $70 million budget—and is regularly cited among costly flops of its era. Release data, budget reporting, and totals are preserved in studio-era archives and Box Office Mojo’s database.

‘The Slugger’s Wife’ (1985)

Written by Neil Simon and directed by Hal Ashby, this baseball romance paired Michael O’Keefe and Rebecca De Mornay. Review aggregations and studio histories document a rare feat: a 0% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes based on the sampled reviews, alongside poor audience polling at the time.

Commercial returns reflected the reception, with domestic grosses around $1.88 million. Box Office Mojo’s seasonal and yearly ledgers record its release pattern, theater counts, and closing total.

‘The Babe Ruth Story’ (1948)

Starring William Bendix and directed by Roy Del Ruth, this biopic is documented as heavily fictionalized, with numerous scenes and characterizations at odds with historical record. Encyclopedic entries and retrospective surveys explicitly cite it as one of the worst sports films and one of the worst biopics, noting long-standing criticism of its accuracy.

Contemporary box-office rentals were recorded, but later critical reassessments dominate its legacy; major newspapers and film references have repeatedly included it in “worst of” roundups. Those summaries are compiled in the film’s production and reception histories.

‘The Comebacks’ (2007)

A sports-movie spoof from director Tom Brady, this title set out to parody locker-room clichés across football, baseball, and more. Critics’ consensus pages note recurring complaints about the gags and execution, and the film’s premise, release details, and credited creative team are catalogued in studio and database records.

The release earned about $13.5 million worldwide, according to box-office tracking, which aligned with its modest reach and short theatrical run. Those totals and distribution details appear in industry databases and release summaries.

‘Celtic Pride’ (1996)

Directed by Tom DeCerchio and released by Hollywood Pictures, this basketball caper starred Daniel Stern, Dan Aykroyd, and Damon Wayans. Critical roundups captured its tepid reception, and official listings preserve the release and credits information.

Domestic box-office records show about $9.3 million, with no meaningful international expansion reported. That figure—and its limited rollout—are preserved in Box Office Mojo’s title and year pages.

‘Ladybugs’ (1992)

Rodney Dangerfield headlined this soccer comedy directed by Sidney J. Furie, with Jackée Harry and Jonathan Brandis in supporting roles. Critical summaries document a low approval rating, while contemporary reviews from major outlets describe concerns about tone and themes; release details and cast are recorded across studio databases.

At the U.S. box office, the film grossed about $14.8 million; box-office ledgers list the opening weekend, total gross, and single-territory footprint. Budget reporting and domestic-only earnings are also catalogued by third-party financial databases.

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