The Importance of Sports for DTC Streaming Platforms

Sports are a key draw for streaming platforms seeking to attract subscribers and build long-term audience growth. They can generate significant revenue through sponsorship and advertising deals, differentiate a platform with exclusive rights and help establish market position.Resource: https://www.radiokrka.com/

Sports streaming’s resurgence is being driven by the need to diversify audiences, mitigate escalating pay TV costs and compete with the likes of Netflix in an increasingly competitive entertainment landscape. Live sport is a proven draw for consumers and offers a unique opportunity to build long-term loyalty with viewers by providing them with regular, high-quality content they can enjoy whenever they want.

The Psychology of Watching Sports Live vs. On-Demand

While it has taken some time for the industry to catch up, the technology needed to stream live sports events is now firmly in place. The low-latency required to deliver high-quality, HD video streams can now be delivered at scale to millions of concurrent viewers. Furthermore, the infrastructure now exists to support real-time ad insertion and other monetization opportunities.

This is evident in the significant investments being made by all the major streaming services. Apple has gone all-in on esports and soccer with its deal to show the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Amazon Prime is eyeing NBA and Champions League rights and Disney’s ESPN is partnering with Fox Corp and Warner Bros in a new venture called Venu Sports that will launch later this year. In addition, Roku’s recent acquisition of NFL Sunday Ticket is another sign of the increasing importance of sports for DTC streaming platforms.…