Sports fans want to watch live games, and they’ll pay to do it. Increasingly, though, they can’t find them leading to growing frustration according to a new Nielsen Gracenote survey.
What We Know: The data shows nearly 52% of streaming viewers frequently don’t know where a game airs. Meanwhile, nearly 55% subscribe to a streaming service specifically for live sports. Additionally, 50% of sports fans would pay for another service just for its live games. That figure jumps to nearly 69% among fans ages 18-34. However, the growing decentralization of where to find games for leagues/teams is growing. Thus, game distribution is working against the primary goal of rightsholders, leagues and publishers. The broadest reach possible.
What The Data Said: (Graphics via Nielsen Gracenote)
What Remains Unclear: Every major league now splits its games across broadcast, cable and streaming. NFL games air on CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Prime Video, and Netflix. Similarly, the NBA uses multiple outlets, while the NHL splits between ESPN and TNT. Meanwhile, MLB added Netflix and NBC Sports/Peacock this year, and it’s unclear whether shared data will follow.
What It Means: Ultimately, scattered distribution undercuts the leagues’ main goal: the broadest possible reach. Fans clearly will pay, yet finding the game remains the bigger hurdle. In fact, more than 31% of fans ages 18-34 pay for three or more sports subscriptions. However, that same group leans hardest toward highlights, and the report links that partly to discovery problems.
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