Watching some of the Netflix docs like the Formula 1 one or the Tour de France one is a good gateway drug into "sports watching". It turns out it's all just for the stories, and a bit for the game.
If you're talking about Drive To Survive, keep in mind it's specifically backstage F1 drama and doesn't really capture the sport itself.
As for me, and most motorsport fans I know, it's very much about the sport and skill involved. Sure, there's other aspects to it (people like their drivers/teams/etc) but I would say it's primarily for the sport, not the stories. I can't really speak to any other sports though.
Sports is drama, it follows rules but the details are unscripted. It's never entirely predictable like most other entertainment can be. At the top levels it's also a demonstration of incredible physical skill (perhaps not appreciated if you haven't tried it, or haven't watched a lot).
