"Give Me The Ball!" Coming to Disney+ Globally This November

A legendary athlete, a trailblazer for equality, and a woman who changed the world of sports. The remarkable life and legacy of Billie Jean King are coming to Disney+ with Give Me The Ball!, an award-winning ESPN Films documentary that will premiere globally this month.

What’s Happening:

ESPN announced that Give Me The Ball! will debut on Sunday, November 22, in the United States, arriving on ESPN, the ESPN App, and Disney+. International Disney+ subscribers can stream the documentary beginning Monday, November 23, through ESPN on Disney+.
Directed by two-time Academy Award nominee Liz Garbus and first-time feature director Elizabeth Wolff, the 30 for 30 documentary offers an intimate portrait of King's extraordinary life and career, both on and off the tennis court. Produced by Ridley Scott Associates and Story Syndicate, in association with Elton John's Rocket Sports, the film explores how King repeatedly put her career, relationships, and public standing on the line while fighting for equality and opportunities for women.
Through unprecedented access, candid interviews, rare photographs, and never-before-seen archival footage, Give Me The Ball! follows King's journey from a young tennis player determined to compete at the highest level to one of the most influential athletes and advocates of the modern era.
The documentary revisits several defining moments in King's career, including her work to create professional opportunities for women in tennis, her historic 1973 victory over Bobby Riggs in the famous “Battle of the Sexes” match, and her ongoing fight for equal pay and opportunity. The film also features newly transferred footage documenting seven decades of women's tennis, along with unearthed footage from 1988 showing King alongside a young Serena and Venus Williams.
King's story is told in part through her own candid reflections on the personal sacrifices and professional challenges that accompanied her activism. Interviews with those who knew and worked alongside her, including Serena Williams, Elton John, and Chris Evert, offer additional perspectives on the determination and courage behind her lasting legacy.
“Billie Jean King is a selfless warrior whose life is a masterclass in advocacy and leadership, someone who put everything on the line for equality,” said director and producer Liz Garbus. “That’s exactly the kind of model we need right now, and I’m thrilled to help introduce her to a new generation. This story has never felt more urgent.”
Director and producer Elizabeth Wolff also reflected on King's place in sports history, comparing her influence to that of Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali while questioning why her name is not as widely recognized among younger generations. Wolff described spending time with King and exploring her story as a life-changing experience, adding that her example encourages people to be braver, more connected, and more aware of their responsibility to the world around them.
“Billie Jean King didn’t just change tennis – she changed the conversation around who gets to compete, lead and be seen,” said Marsha Cooke, Vice President and Executive Producer of ESPN Originals and 30 for 30. “Give Me The Ball! offers an incredibly intimate look at the person behind the icon, capturing the determination, courage and humanity that have defined Billie Jean’s life and legacy.”
Following its premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Give Me The Ball! has screened at more than 30 film festivals around the world and earned multiple audience and jury awards. The documentary will also receive a limited awards-qualifying theatrical release this month ahead of its streaming debut.
Give Me The Ball! premieres November 22, 2026, on ESPN, the ESPN App, and Disney+ in the United States, followed by its global Disney+ premiere on November 23.

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Billie Jean King Documentary "Give Me The Ball!" Coming to Disney+ Globally This November

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