Sports are one of the most fascinating and dramatic forms of entertainment, and cinema is often used to put a focus on some of the more endearing qualities of the industry. But sports can also include some rather humorous gaffes and botches, as well as some heated tempers, and the film genre of sports comedies does a great job of wrapping all of that together into one fantastic package. Here we are going to rank some of the finest sports comedies to have hit the big screen, reviewing the plots of each film as well as citing highlights of feel-good moments and scenes that made audiences burst with laughter.

10 White Men Can't Jump (1992)

Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson playing basketball in White Men Can't Jump
20th Century Fox

Featuring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, this film focuses on Billy (Harrelson), who is conning people into facing him in street basketball games for money. Sidney (Snipes) begins to hold a grudge against Billy after losing to him twice, and the two would form a rivalry that costs Billy a large sum of money.

With Billy and Sidney eventually working to put their differences aside to win a doubles tournament, Sidney still mocks Billy for his inability to make a slam dunk, invoking another bet between the two that sees Sidney walking away with all of the money the pair had won. Feeling bad for Billy's romantic turmoil, Sidney would begin to help Billy out, and in return, Billy would join Sidney for one final two-on-two game where the pair would finally set aside their differences in an alley-oop finish, proving that Billy can indeed jump.

9 Major League (1989)

Major League II
Warner Bros. Pictures

Major League (1989) follows the baseball team, the Cleveland Indians (now known as the Cleveland Guardians), as they receive a new owner in Rachel Phelps. Phelps initially states that she wishes to move the team to Miami and decides to fire the entire team, replacing them with burnt-out players and hopeless rookies.

Throughout the film, we are given hilarious scenes of a baseball team struggling to work through their shortcomings and somehow managing to put together a winning record. Despite this, Phelps is still dead set on moving the team (something she contractually can only do if the attendance sales suffer at their current location) and attempts to dissuade the team from success. Coming together despite the drama, the team works together to win a division title against the New York Yankees. In an alternate ending, it would be revealed that Rachel had devised the entire plan to move the team to motivate them, as the team was on the verge of bankruptcy when she took over.

8 Caddyshack (1980)

Bill Murray with a gopher on a golf course
Warner Bros. Pictures

This film focuses on events that take place in a country club, with the primary focus being on golf, with some shenanigans involving a gopher thrown in for good measure. Danny Noonan is looking to impress the influential members of the club as he works under them as a caddy. A real estate developer, Al Czervik, enters the club as a guest, constantly embarrassing Danny's bosses and leading to a high-stakes bet over a game of golf.

Danny would be swayed to Czervik's side with the promise of fortune, though he is tasked with a near-impossible putt to secure victory. Thankfully, the infamous gopher has been eluding capture the whole film, leading the groundskeeper to use explosives, an action that causes the golf ball to fall in the hole, awarding Danny and Czervik the win at the last second.

7 She's The Man (2006)

Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum in She's the Man
DreamWorks Pictures

Taking cues from Shakespeare, She's The Man (2006) follows Viola Hastings (Amanda Bynes) as she takes her brother's place on a private school boy's soccer team. Viola seeks to prove herself after her school's girl's soccer team is cut. But throughout the film, Viola begins to develop feelings for her roommate, Duke Orsino (Channing Tatum).

There are many pieces of humor depicting Viola's attempts at convincing her teammates that she is just one of the guys, including breaking up with her brother's girlfriend to avoid suspicion. One of the film's highlights is Vinnie Jones as the boy's coach, putting his all into every comedic scene he participates in.

Related: Best Ensemble Comedy Movies to Watch for a Good Time, Ranked

6 Happy Gilmore (1996)

Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore
Universal Pictures

Failed hockey player Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) is desperate for money when his mother loses her home. Discovering his slapshot is perfect for performing long drives on golf, Happy begins training with Chubbs Peterson (Carl Weathers) to become one of the best golfers and win enough prize money to earn his mother's house back. Adam Sandler films are always guaranteed to get laughs, and Happy Gilmore is no exception. With plenty of slapstick humor and hilarious product placements (i.e., the subway commercial in the middle of the film), Happy Gilmore did not fear doing whatever it took to get the people laughing.

5 Nacho Libre (2006)

Jack Black Nacho Libre
Paramount Pictures

Jack Black stars in this comedic ode to lucha libre. Growing up in a monastery, Nacho (Jack Black) always dreamed of becoming a luchador. Though the order looked down upon the sport of lucha libre, Nacho would team up with a common street thief to participate in tag team matches. Donning a mask to keep his identity a secret, Nacho and his partner would regularly lose though they would still receive payment, which Nacho would use to improve the food for the orphans.

The order would soon discover Nacho's secret, but Nacho would still work tirelessly to earn a shot against the champion, promising to use the prize money to buy a bus for the orphans. Working through many unorthodox situations, Nacho would face the champion and, inspired by the orphan's support, would go on to win the championship and the prize money.

4 Space Jam (1996)

Michael Jordan in Space Jam
Warner Bros. Pictures

Space Jam combines the greatness of NBA legend Michael Jordan with the insanity of the Looney Tunes. When the Looney Tunes are attacked and threatened with becoming attractions in an amusement park, they get their attackers to agree to a basketball match. Unfortunately, the Monstars that attacked them didn't play fair as they stole the talent of star NBA players, leading to the NBA's cancelation of the season. With Michael Jordan joining the team to form the Tune Squad, they work together using toon physics (or what the team of Death Battle would call toon force), inspirational speeches, and "secret stuff" to defeat the Monstars and return the talent to the NBA stars.

3 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

dodgeball
20th Century Fox

Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn) is the owner of a gym that is dangerously close to being foreclosed. Looking to raise some money for this gym, Peter recruits his small group of regulars and forms a dodgeball team. Some of the most hilarious scenes in the film would come during the team's training sessions, featuring Patches O'Houlihan (Rip Torn) throwing wrenches at the group. Despite selling the gym to his rival, Peter would win the dodgeball tournament, having bet the money on his team. Using all that money to invest in the gym, Peter becomes the controlling stockholder, giving him the power to remove his rival from ownership and take his gym back.

Related: Funniest Western Comedies, Ranked

2 The Longest Yard (2005)

The Longest Yard Team (1)
Paramount Pictures

Adam Sandler makes this list again, this time being featured in a film that focuses on a group of prisoners coming together to form bonds over the sport of football. This film features plenty of laughs as well as an all-star cast. Standing alongside Adam Sandler would be Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, and Nelly. There would also be multiple cameos from athletes such as Bill Goldberg, Kevin Nash, Steve Austin, Dalip Singh Rana (The Great Khali), Bob Sapp, and Terry Crews, among others. With great laugh-out-loud moments and a touching story of Paul Crewe (Sandler) redeeming his deplorable actions and working with his fellow inmates to earn a comeback victory, The Longest Yard (2005) is often on people's minds when discussing sports comedies.

1 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

will-ferrell-talladega-nights (1)
Columbia Pictures

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby tells a tale of a man born in the back of a speeding car. His fate was determined on that day as he would grow up to become one of the most successful NASCAR drivers to be seen. However, his confidence is highly shaken after a new French driver is brought into the league and proceeds to defeat Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrel) at every turn.

Abandoned by his sponsors and losing his wife to his best friend, Ricky begins to learn what family is truly about, seeing the people that have stuck by him and want to see him succeed. Returning to NASCAR without any sponsors, Ricky Bobby makes amends with his best friend, and they work together to defeat the Frenchman. And although Ricky Bobby was disqualified for leaving his car and racing Jean on foot, his best friend still earned the victory, leading to a feel-good moment after all the hijinks that ensued throughout the film.