Every year, more than 2 million kids participate in the many thousands of Little League programs around the world. But only about 250 kids get to participate in the most iconic event in youth sports: the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Get an in-depth and heartfelt look at what makes the Little League World Series so special in “Big Dreams: Little League World Series 2024.” The documentary, helmed by Emmy Award-winning director Rudy Valdez, premieres on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The film follows many of the players and coaches from the 20 teams that qualified for last year’s World Series, from the tournament’s first day through the championship game. But “Big Dreams” is about so much more than baseball. It’s a portrait of how the sport fosters connection and friendship between kids from all around the globe.
“We were fortunate enough to be able to capture a lot of really, I think, genuine moments of kids being kids at sort of the best version of that," Valdez said on a recent episode of the Off Base Podcast.
As Colin Boots, a player for the team from Illinois, says in the documentary, “This is the only place, besides the big leagues, that we get to see people from other countries like this.”
“Big Dreams” intimately captures the emotions that flow during the Little League World Series, from the joy of victory to the tears of defeat. It also contains many personal stories, such as how Team Mexico plays inspired by the memory of a young coach who recently passed away.
“We, just as filmmakers, put our head on a swivel and looked for stories and followed our instincts and found some really, really magical moments and stories and kids and people,” Valdez said.
In association with MLB Studios, Imagine Documentaries and Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios, “Big Dreams: Little League World Series 2024” will be available for streaming on ESPN+ immediately following Tuesday’s debut.
The 2025 Little League Baseball World Series will take place in Williamsport from Aug. 13-24.