John Oliver Thinks The Dutch Marble League Might Be The Future Of Sports

By Corey Atad. Published: 18 May 2020 1:22 PM Last updated: 19 May 2020 7:10 AM

Get ready to become obsessed with your new favourite sport: marble racing.

On Sunday’s “Last Week Tonight”, host John Oliver took a deep dive into the future of sports in a post-coronavirus world.

Given the risks associated with spreading the coronavirus at stadiums filled with sports fans, Oliver has seemingly found the perfect alternative.

With the help of HBO’s money, Oliver has become a sponsor for Dutch online marble league Jelle’s Marble Runs.

Never thought I’d produce a story on Marble Racing and definitely didn’t think it would end up on John Oliver. @Josh_Frydman getting some well deserved screen time @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/a6HbUGmISh

— Rick Tarsitano (@RickTarsitano) May 18, 2020

Players in the league compete in intricate marble relay races featuring obstacles, water courses and more.

“Nobody to whom we showed this, including non-sports fans, has not ended up wanting to watch more,” Oliver told the audience “This isn’t just a YouTube distraction. It’s a beautiful, competitive event, and the world needs those more than ever right now.”