A new three-part ESPN series, Believers: Boston Red Sox, aims to do more than relive victories and heartbreaks. It frames the Red Sox as a cultural force–a franchise embedded in myths, identities, and a “haunted history” that goes beyond the diamond.
With appearances by Ben Affleck (who also serves as executive producer), Matt Damon, and a cast of cultural figures and former players, the drive of the series is to tell why the Red Sox mean what they mean–to Boston, to New England, and to baseball.
In typical sports docs, the emphasis is on stats, games, and personalities. Believers intentionally shifts the lens: it asks how history, place, identity, and fandom converge around a team. As director Gotham Chopra puts it, to understand 2004, “you had to understand the place where it happened, and the people from there.” That foundation is as much about Boston’s cultural and historical DNA as it is about the Curse of the Bambino or comeback upsets.
Stars, Storytellers & the Red Sox Legacy
Affleck wears multiple hats in the project: he’s on screen, but also behind the scenes as executive producer. Alongside him, Damon lends his voice and star power, helping to broaden the appeal beyond purely baseball audiences. The documentary also features commentary from Bill Burr, Donnie Wahlberg, Katie Nolan, Uzo Aduba, Sam Jay, and more–bridging sport, culture, entertainment, and commentary.
From the roster side, the documentary includes interviews and narratives from key Red Sox figures: Johnny Damon, Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, Kevin Millar, Bronson Arroyo and others. Their presence provides firsthand perspective on pivotal eras — especially the 2004 championship run that “redefined what it meant to believe.” The doc doesn’t just retell the stories; it contextualizes them in the greater mythos — heartbreak, curses, resurgence.
Place, Myth & Redemption
One of the most compelling aspects of Believers is how it ties the Red Sox saga to broader New England narratives. Chopra and team don’t limit themselves to stadiums and locker rooms; they trace roots through colonial history, identity, and the collective psyche of Boston and its people. The notion is that to understand why Red Sox fandom is so intense (so borderline obsessive), one must see it as part of a deeper relational and cultural tapestry.
That idea is explicitly stated in the doc: “less about what happened on the baseball diamond and more about what it meant–to the people and the place where it happened.” The series wants viewers not just to watch games, but to feel what it’s like to live in Boston, to carry the weight of generations of hope, disappointment, and, finally, breakthrough.
The 2004 championship, in particular, is treated as a turning point–not just for the team, but for identity. The doc positions it as more than a sports victory: a moment when a collective belief, battered by decades of near-misses and “the curse,” finally erupted into proof.
Why It Resonates
For hardcore Red Sox fans, this documentary promises catharsis, validation, and storytelling that marries nostalgia with deeper insight. It offers not just “how they did it” but “why it mattered”–the emotional pull of being a fan, enduring the losses, the suspense, and the hope.
For general sports fans (or even non-fans), the involvement of Affleck and Damon helps broaden reach. Their participation says this is a story not just about baseball, but about culture, identity, and the power of myth. It’s ESPN betting that the cross-section between sport and storyteller matters. The inclusion of voices beyond purely athletic ones–comedians, cultural commentators–suggests the film expects that many will watch less for games and more for narrative.
