New research from Hub Entertainment Research indicates that sports remain the most valuable content on television. However, the increasing fragmentation of sports rights across numerous platforms is generating rising frustration among fans.
The findings, from the company’s “2025 Evolution of Sports: What’s the Score? Wave 4” report, were presented at Cynopsis’ ScreenShift event in New York. The study, which surveyed 3,802 U.S. sports fans aged 13 to 74 in June and July, demonstrates that sports content continues to drive viewer engagement and subscription activity. Data shows that 72 percent of avid fans consider sports more important than any other TV programming.
Among younger fans, the report discovered that a significant majority are willing to subscribe to new platforms to maintain access. Ninety-two percent of avid fans under age 35 stated they would be at least somewhat likely to sign up for a new service if it acquired rights to a sport they follow, with almost 75 percent saying they would be very likely to do so. Overall, 87 percent of avid fans reported a willingness to subscribe under such circumstances, while 42 percent of all sports fans said they had already subscribed to a service specifically to watch sports. This is up from 38 percent the previous year.
However, the study also highlights a growing sense of inconvenience related to the distribution of sports content. Sixty-five percent of respondents expressed frustration with needing multiple services to watch games during a season, and 53 percent said it has become harder to find the sports they want to watch compared to a year ago. In addition, 63 percent reported that having games on separate apps makes it more difficult to check on other games happening concurrently.
“These findings prove once again that sports have unrivaled power to attract new viewers to a platform, and keep them engaged over time,” said Jon Giegengack, founder and principal at Hub. “But it’s critical for services to remember that with great power comes great responsibility: the splintering of rights is making sports content harder to find. The backlash will come bigger and faster from sports fans than those looking for scripted TV.”