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2019-2021 Emerging New Metrics for Sports Streaming Success

Alistair Taylor
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The 20,000 Foot View:  The clock is ticking down to 2021 when the major domestic sports rights in the US and the UK will start coming up for renewal. Thus far, pureplay sports streaming video on demand (SVOD) services such as DAZN and Eleven Sports have experienced mixed fortunes. Meanwhile, Disney’s ESPN+ launch in 2018 marked the arrival of the first of the big guns in the sports streaming space. It remains to be seen which is optimally placed to capitalise on the 2021 opportunity,  with success ultimately depending upon a winning combination of tech stack, social reach and commercial clout to meet the only modestly reduced expectations of the leagues. The stakes have rarely been so high. The winner could cement its role as the go-to sports provider for the next decade.

Key Findings

  • Attention has            a scarce commodity, and without            compelling value proposition, sports streaming            will struggle to displace pay-TV
  • The top            leagues have a combined social            of            million, however social reach            unevenly distributed and does not            to league value
  • The National            League (NFL), which earned            billion            2017, only ranks sixth in            of social media following, with            half the size of the            Basketball Association (NBA)’s following
  • The tech            focus on global reach matters            leagues with global audiences (e.g.            English Premier League (EPL) and            NBA) at a distinct advantage            the NFL and Major League            (MLB) 
  • The demands            the attention economy will consolidate            licensing to a few sports            creating a superstar effect with            sports pushed to the side
  • Streaming services            not yet competing for top            domestic rights, instead preferring to            up smaller packages to test            waters for live streaming
  • A blend            big budgets, tech stacks and            reach will determine the next            of major rights

Companies and brands mentioned in this report:   ABC,AFL, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon, Apple, AppleTV+, CBS, DAZN, DirecTV, Disney, Disney+, Eleven Sports, English Premier League, ESPN, ESPN+,            Facebook, Fox, Gallagher, Premiership Rugby, Houston Rockets, Hulu, IPL, KFC Big Bash, La Liga, MLB, NBA China, NBA, NBC, Netflix, NFL, NHL, NRL, Serie A, TBS, Tencent, TNT, UEFA Champions League, UFC, Verizon, Warner Media, WeChat, WWE