Sports content is growing faster on streamers than TV and movies
Illustration by Reagan Hicks / Getty / Shutterstock / The Current
It’s no secret that the major streaming platforms are going all in on sports content. From live broadcast rights to related programming like docuseries, sports dominated recent TV upfront presentations.
Now, new data puts the trend into perspective.
Five of the top streaming subscription video –on demand (SVOD) platforms — Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ — grew their combined sports content by 7.8% from February to May this year, according to a new report from Nielsen’s Gracenote published on Thursday.
That growth rate is nearly twice as fast as the expansion of movie catalogs on those platforms during the same period, and a full percentage point higher than the growth of their TV libraries, Gracenote found.
The data is global and includes live sports as well as sports-related programming like news and documentaries.
“We’ve moved beyond the peak TV phase, which was all about driving subscriber growth and reducing churn by creating and distributing original tentpole content,” says Bill Michels, chief product officer at Gracenote. “Now, streaming services seem to be taking a more measured and targeted approach.”
Why sports, why now?
Sports events remain the most-watched programs on TV, and streamers are looking to capture that audience for their platforms — especially on a global scale, with events like next year’s Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup on the horizon.
Plus, every service included in the Gracenote report, except for Apple TV+, provides ad-supported plans. As streamers build those businesses, sports will continue to be crucial in attracting advertisers.
“Sports content provides a great vehicle for streaming services to attract and retain audiences, drive engagement or monetize content through advertising,” Michels says.
The biggest gains
Prime Video, Disney+ and Netflix account for 92% of streaming sports content among the measured platforms, according to the Gracenote report (Hulu content was included with Disney+).
Disney’s upfront presentation positioned the company, including ESPN, as a sports leader. CEO Bob Iger boasted that the company delivers “the most live sports hours” in the industry.
But Netflix had the biggest gain in Gracenote’s report, growing its sports programming by more than 18% in the measured months.
The streamer may not be aggressively going after big sports rights at the moment — instead prioritizing events like Christmas Day NFL games — but the data suggests it’s still interested in sports-related content.
“While live games bring real-time viewership, shoulder content like original series, documentary films and highlight shows provide additional opportunities for fans to connect to their favorite sports, teams and athletes,” Michels says.