7 sports comedies to watch if you liked Apple TV's Stick
Apple TV's Stick is a quirky, heartfelt sports comedy that premiered on June 4, 2025. Created by Jason Keller, the series stars Owen Wilson as Pryce Cahill, a washed-up former golf pro who’s now a grumpy club salesman.
After his wife left him and he was fired from his job, Pryce is at his lowest point when he is persuaded to coach a talented teen golfer Santi Wheeler (Peter Dager). Although Santi is a talented player, he quit the sport after his father walked out. What starts as a reluctant partnership between Wheeler and Pryce gradually becomes a journey of redemption, trust, and second chances.
With dry humor, awkward team dinners, and touching moments of growth, Stick transforms the quiet world of golf into something moving. The supporting cast includes Lilli Kay as a bartender, Mariana Treviño as Santi’s mother, and Marc Maron as Pryce’s ex-caddy and confidant.
Fans of Stick will find similar warmth and laughs in these seven sports comedies.
A League of Their Own, Running Point, Ted Lasso, and more sports comedies like Apple TV's Stick
1) A League of Their Own (2022)
A League of Their Own reimagines the 1992 film of the same name with new characters and a richer focus on identity, ambition, and love.
Set in 1943, the new show follows Carson Shaw (Abbi Jacobson) and her team the Rockford Peaches as they break barriers in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. It also sees Max Chapman (Chanté Adams), a Black pitcher, fight for a chance to play despite being shut out due to her race.
Like Apple TV’s Stick, the show uses sports to explore themes of being queer, being underdogs, and facing the struggle to belong. While Stick goes toward comic anarchy, A League of Their Own balances drama and comedy to illustrate that sports are about participation and not always about winning.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
2) Running Point (2025-Present)
When an ex-party girl Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) is put in charge of her family's professional basketball team, the Los Angeles Waves, she isn't the only one who is surprised. The fast-paced Netflix comedy follows Isla as she deals with deal with family rivalries, player drama, and office politics while proving that she is more than just a party girl.
The show was made by Elaine Ko, Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen. Running Point has a great cast including Drew Tarver, Scott MacArthur, Brenda Song, and Chet Hanks.
Where to watch: Netflix
3) Ted Lasso (2025-Present)
Jason Sudeikis stars in the sports comedy-drama Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ as a perennially hopeful American football coach. He has been recruited to oversee the fictional English soccer team AFC Richmond—despite having no soccer expertise. Originally a sabotage scheme hatched by team owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), what starts as a negative story turns into a story of belief, progress, and kindness rapidly changes.
Much like Apple TV's Stick, Ted Lasso celebrates misfits who rise through camaraderie, not just talent. Both shows thrive on quirky humor, sports chaos, and emotional growth—proving that the real win is learning to stick together, no matter the game.
Where to watch: Apple TV
4) Happy Gilmore (1996)
Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore turns golf into chaotic comedy gold. Sandler plays Happy, a failed hockey player with a killer drive who joins the PGA Tour to save his grandma’s home. His wild antics clash with golf’s prim traditions—most memorably in a legendary brawl with Bob Barker.
Packed with offbeat humor, underdog charm, and absurd training montages, Happy Gilmore echoes the tone of Apple TV's Stick, where unpolished athletes shine in unlikely sports. Directed by Dennis Dugan and co-written by Sandler, the film was a box-office hit and remains a cult favorite in the golf world. With a sequel set to reportedly release in 2025, there’s no better time to revisit this sports-comedy classic.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix
5) Ballers (2015-2019)
The sports comedy-drama Ballers tracks retired NFL great turned business advisor for pro athletes, Spencer Strasmore. Played by Dwayne Johnson, Spencer helps athletes control fame, money, and personal challenges while negotiating the glittering and competitive world of sports business.
Like Apple TV's Stick, Ballers explores the realm of sports off of the field by fusing comedy with real-life issues players off the field encounter. While Stick leans into the ridiculousness of amateur floorball, Ballers offers a glossier, high-stakes look at professional sports. However, both catch the emotion, pressure, and friendship that make sports stories so interesting.
Where to watch: HBO
6) Haikyuu!! (2014-2020)
The sports anime Haikyuu!! centers Shoyo Hinata, a tenacious but small volleyball player who teams with Karasuno High's fallen squad. Leading his squad back to national prominence, he creates a potent pair with competitor-turned-comrade Kageyama, pushing each other to excellence.
Like Apple TV's Stick, Haikyuu!! combines sports humor appeal with underdogs' tenacity. One through animated volleyball, the other through eccentric floorball, both shows examine the anarchy and friendship of unusual teams pursuing excellence.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
7) The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (2021-2022)
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers brings the beloved underdog saga into a new era. Set years after the original film, the Ducks are no longer scrappy misfits—they're a competitive, cutthroat team.
When 12-year-old Evan Morrow gets cut, his mom (Lauren Graham) helps him start a new team of outcasts. They find an unlikely mentor in Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez), now a disillusioned rink owner with a complicated past.
Developed for Disney+ by Steve Brill, Josh Goldsmith, and Cathy Yuspa, this spirited follow-up blends heart, humor, and comeback energy—echoing the message of Apple TV’s Stick: real growth comes from connection, not perfection.
Where to watch: Disney Plus
Stick is available for online streaming on Apple TV.
