History Trivia / DodgeballATrueUnderdogStory

* CreatorCouple: At the time of the movie, Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor were married.

* YouLookFamiliar: Creator/PattonOswalt has lines as two different characters: one speaking over the phone at the start, and the other as the pizza chef on White's laptop when he's shoving the slice of pizza into his crotch. This was before Oswalt was a mainstream performer, so audiences were probably expected not to notice.

* StarMakingRole: They're not exactly superstars, but Creator/JustinLong, Creator/AlanTudyk, and Creator/JoelDavidMoore were basically unknown before this movie. After they became easily recognized character actors. It also elevated Creator/VinceVaughn to marketable leading man.

* DoingItForTheArt: Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox finally agreed to make the film when Creator/BenStiller reduced his salary to well under $1 million.

* StarMakingRole: They're not exactly superstars, but Creator/JustinLong, Creator/AlanTudyk, and Joel David Moore were basically unknown before this movie. After they became easily recognized character actors. It also elevated Creator/VinceVaughn to marketable leading man.

* FollowTheLeader: After this movie's success, there were a bunch of comedy films that put focus on obscure sports -- [[Film/BladesOfGlory figure skating]], [[Film/BallsOfFury table tennis]], [[Film/{{Beerfest]} underground drinking competitions]]...

* ChannelHop: Many studios, including Creator/DreamWorksPictures and Creator/{{MGM}}, passed on this movie. As of March 2005, the movie has grossed over $124 million, when it only cost $23 million to make.

* {{Defictionalization}}: Starting in 2017, as a response to the still-popular "The Ocho" joke, ESPN has devoted August 8th (normally a slow day in sports) to turning one of their channels into "[=ESPN8=]", airing 24 hours of oddball sports like trampoline dodgeball, competitive juggling, kabbadi, bossaball, video game tournaments, and even lightsaber dueling, concluding with airings of this movie. The promotion initially started on college channel ESPNU but in 2018, made its way to its original inspiration, [=ESPN2=], formerly nicknamed "The Deuce."

* PlayingAgainstType: Creator/JasonBateman's role is one of his few that is not an uptight StraightMan. Also, Creator/BenStiller's role as White Goodman is a change from his usual roles as a hapless everyman ButtMonkey, although he plays a similar fitness-obsessed villain in ''Film/{{Heavyweights}}''. Downplayed with Creator/VinceVaughn, where he is somewhat sarcastic, he's also the [[Main/OnlySaneMan Only Sane Man]].

* PlayingAgainstType: Creator/JasonBateman's role is one of his few that is not an uptight StraightMan. Also, Creator/BenStiller's role as White Goodman is a change from his usual roles as a hapless everyman ButtMonkey, although he plays a similar fitness-obsessed villain in ''Film/{{Heavyweights}}''.

* CastingGag: Two of them. Though their characters here never interact, Creator/GaryCole (Cotton [=McKnight=]) and Creator/StephenRoot (Gordon) had starred together in ''Film/OfficeSpace'', while Creator/JustinLong and Creator/MissiPyle had previously both been in ''Film/GalaxyQuest'' (though their characters only shared a scene at the end of the film).

* ExecutiveMeddling: The film is a spoof of the {{Sports Stor|ies}}y Tropes. This was reflected in the original ending, which spoofed the trope UnderdogsNeverLose by having the heroes lose the final round to the {{Jerkass}} villain, only for one of their number to win big in Vegas and recover some of their losses. The suits didn't like this and insisted that the heroes win. In response, the director created an overly-complicated ending with an obviously labelled DeusExMachina, and a scene in the credits shows the villain whining that he only lost because "audiences can't cope with anything challenging". The DVD has an "alternate ending" which gives insight into how the original might have gone; if it were genuine, it would have been the cruellest ending ''ever''.

* RealLifeRelative: At the time of the movie, Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor were married.

** One of the considered endings early on was that the Average Joes lose, but Steve the Pirate finally manages to find some treasure and save them afterall.

* YouLookFamiliar: Patton Oswalt has lines as two different characters speaking over the phone. This was before Oswalt was a mainstream performer, so audiences were probably expected not to notice.

* YouSoundFamiliar: Patton Oswalt has lines as two different characters speaking over the phone. This was before Oswalt was a mainstream performer, so audiences were probably expected not to notice.

* {{Defictionalization}}: Starting in 2017, as a response to the still-popular "The Ocho" joke, ESPN has devoted August 8th (normally a slow day in sports) to turning one of their channels into "[=ESPN8=]", airing 24 hours of oddball sports like trampoline dodgeball, competitive juggling, kabbadi, bossaball, video game tournaments, and even lightsaber dueling, concluding with airings of this movie. The promotion initially started on college channel ESPNU but in 2018, made its way to its original inspiration, [=ESPN2=], formerly nicknamed "The Deuce".
** Furthermore, due to the positive reception of both instances of "The Ocho", ESPN is realizing that there actually is a potential audience that would want to see coverage of obscure and alternative sports, and is seriously considering a complete defictionalization of the channel. Notably, WebVideo/JellesMarbleRuns was one of the featured "sports" in 2019, and received a huge boost in popularity as a result, showing that this interest does, in fact, lead to engagement and increased exposure for these obscure sports.

* TheDanza: Justin Long as Justin Redman.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: White Goodman and his refusal to eat food are inspired by professional wrestler The Wrestling/UltimateWarrior.

* SeparatedAtBirthCasting: In the 1950s dodgeball documentary, Creator/HankAzaria has a brief [[TheCameo cameo]] as a young Patches O'Houlihan. Amusingly, Patches' actor Rip Torn actually ''did'' look quite a bit like Hank Azaria in his younger days.

** Furthermore, due to the positive reception of both instances of "The Ocho", ESPN is realizing that there actually is a potential audience that would want to see coverage of obscure and alternative sports, and is seriously considering a complete defictionalization of the channel.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The film is a spoof of the {{Sports Stor|ies}}y Tropes. This was reflected in the original ending, which spoofed the trope UnderdogsNeverLose by having the heroes lose the final round to the {{Jerkass}} villain, only for one of their number to win big in Vegas and recover some of their losses. The suits didn't like this and insisted that the heroes win. In response, the director created an overly-complicated ending with an obviously labelled DeusExMachina, and a scene in the credits shows the villain whining that he only lost because "audiences can't cope with anything challenging." The DVD has an "alternate ending" which gives insight into how the original might have gone; if it were genuine, it would have been the cruellest ending ''ever''.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Not to the film, which was given a wide release in theatres and on home media-- but to the soundtrack, which was never given an official release and features Theodore Shapiro's excellently breezy score (as well as the [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome ass-kicking "Face Off"]], composed by [[Music/RageAgainstTheMachine Tom Morello]]).

* ExecutiveMeddling: The film is a spoof of the {{Sports Stor|ies}}yTropes. This was reflected in the original ending, which spoofed the trope UnderdogsNeverLose by having the heroes lose the final round to the {{Jerkass}} villain, only for one of their number to win big in Vegas and recover some of their losses. The suits didn't like this and insisted that the heroes win. In response, the director created an overly-complicated ending with an obviously labelled DeusExMachina, and a scene in the credits shows the villain whining that he only lost because "audiences can't cope with anything challenging." The DVD has an "alternate ending" which gives insight into how the original might have gone; if it were genuine, it would have been the cruellest ending ''ever''.

* PlayingAgainstType: Jason Bateman's role is one of his few that is not an uptight StraightMan. Also, Ben Stiller's role as White Goodman is a change from his usual roles as a hapless everyman ButtMonkey, although he plays a similar fitness-obsessed villain in ''Film/{{Heavyweights}}''.

* StarMakingRole: They're not exactly superstars, but Creator/JustinLong, Creator/AlanTudyk, and Joel David Moore were basically unknown before this movie. After they became easily recognized character actors. It also elevated Vince Vaughn to marketable leading man.
* TheDanza: Justin Long as Justin Redman.

* {{Defictionalization}}: Starting in 2017, as a response to the still-popular "The Ocho" joke, ESPN has devoted August 8th (normally a slow day in sports) to turning one of their channels into "ESPN8", airing 24 hours of oddball sports like trampoline dodgeball, competitive juggling, kabbadi, bossaball, video game tournaments, and even lightsaber dueling, concluding with airings of this movie. The promotion initially started on college channel ESPNU but in 2018, made its way to its original inspiration, ESPN2, formerly nicknamed "The Deuce".