A new study released this week suggests most sports fans are turning to streaming platforms to watch live events, despite ratings data and other information that indicates broadcast and cable TV remains one of the most-used platforms to watch live sports on television.
The study, from Performance Research and Full Circle Research, said nine out of 10 sports fans surveyed use at least one streaming service to watch live games, and streamers are watching more sports now than they did last yaer.
The trend is led by Gen Z — (63 percent say they’re watching more sports now on streaming compared to 2024 — and Millennials (56 percent), but also includes a growing share of Gen X (35 percent) and Boomers (21 percent), suggesting the shift is broad-based across age groups.
Amazon’s Prime Video leads the pack as the most-used platform for live sports, cited by 65 percent of respondents. Amazon’s sports lineup includes “Thursday Night Football,” NASCAR, and the WNBA. Disney’s ESPN Plus follows with 39 percent usage, while Peacock and Paramount Plus are close behind at 37 and 32 percent, respectively. Apple TV Plus, which holds rights to some MLB and all MLS matches, trailed at 17 percent.
Beyond sheer access, the study found streaming platforms are enhancing fan engagement. Nearly half (48 percent) of viewers said streaming made them feel more connected to their favorite sports and teams. That sentiment was even stronger in niche or premium sports: 75 percent of MLS fans, 66 percent of tennis fans, and 64 percent of UFC fans said streaming improved their connection. Much of that content is behind paywalls, such as Apple’s exclusive MLS package and UFC’s pay-per-view model.
While the study claims more sports fans are using streaming platforms now than ever before, survey participants expressed frustration over costs associated with accessing live events on streaming platforms and industry fragmentation that has led popular franchises like football, baseball and basketball to play out over multiple platforms. Seventy-three percent (73 percent) said they expect to cut back on streaming services within the next six months, which could chip away at streaming sports leads.
The study also contradicts ratings data reviewed by The Desk in connection with some major sports events over the past year. During the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, all events were streamed live on Peacock, which also offered features like Gold Zone that offered novel ways of viewing events. Still, most Olympics viewership last year took place during the prime-time hours on NBC, according to a comparison of Nielsen ratings for NBC and Adobe Analytics data for Peacock.
Only around one in six Olympic fans watched live events or whip-around coverage on Peacock, Adobe Analytics data showed, while independently-owned NBC affiliates saw the biggest share of Olympics viewership, The Desk reported last year.
The same trend played out earlier this year when Fox-owned Tubi offered a free live feed of Super Bowl LIX, which offered enhanced features like ultra high-definition (UHD) video. Only around one in 10 Super Bowl viewers watched the live event on Tubi, while most still watched on their local Fox station or affiliate, according to data from Fox and Nielsen.
