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Key stat: 19% of US adults play team sports, up from 11% in 2020, according to CivicScience, signaling that people aren鈥檛 only watching sports, they鈥檙e participating as well.

Peacock will lead all platforms (47.0% growth), thanks mainly to the 2024 Summer Olympics and other live sports offerings. Max will take second place, growing its time spent among the population by 12.0% this year. YouTube鈥檚 share of total video time continues to grow. Despite a crowded and competitive digital video environment, YouTube鈥檚 significance is still growing.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how Netflix鈥檚 recent live sports events have performed, if there鈥檚 a new streaming price ceiling for consumers, and whether its entertainment hub playbook is replicable. Tune in to the conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson and Vice President Paul Verna. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

While live sports and premium content will drive growth鈥攖he company shared news on that front at CES鈥擯eacock鈥檚 profitability remains a challenge. The coming NBA season will be a major test; if it attracts subscribers, Comcast鈥檚 approach could prove to be a winning formula. But if price hikes lead to churn, the company may have to rethink its media ambitions.

The NFL鈥檚 shift to streaming reflects a broader move away from traditional cable, yet latency issues could hinder real-time engagement and sports betting. The final word: Super Bowl LIX showcased the changing nature of live sports broadcasting, advertising, and viewership habits.

Amazon鈥檚 streaming and live sports content is turning into a high-margin media empire and becoming a major driver of its advertising expansion. Advertising has become a fast-growing component of the company鈥檚 overall revenues鈥攁pproaching 10% of Amazon鈥檚 total鈥攁nd despite headwinds, it is poised to capture an even greater share. Go further: Read our analysis of Amazon's Q4 commerce performance.

According to Ad Age reporting, some advertisers complained about VideoAmp鈥檚 ability to measure live sports viewership and track diverse audiences. Advertisers also struggled to compare Nielsen and VideoAmp measurements to ensure that contracts were fulfilled, a sign that a lack of standards across currencies could help Nielsen maintain its lead.

The influx in digital upfront spending stems from Amazon Prime Video鈥檚 new ad tier and more live sports coming to streaming services. Nielsen will remain the primary currency. But alternative currencies are increasingly gaining adoption. Upfront deals are happening all the time. Ad buyers no longer only make advance commitments during the spring based on a broadcast year.

Over the years, Amazon has piled on perks and benefits including ad-free listening with Amazon Music, access to a vast collection of programming and live sports on Prime Video, and unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos.

As sports wagering grows its digital footprint, ad spending by the gambling industry levels off.

Live sports offer a rare communal viewing experience, amplifying ad impact and embedding campaigns into cultural conversation. Beyond entertainment, these ads are carefully designed for social media, where teasers and extended versions expand their reach.

Numerous providers produce original content, and some have dipped their toes into live sports with developmental and niche leagues. FAST has made it easier for viewers to quickly find a show to watch when they don鈥檛 feel like searching. Almost two-thirds of US consumers polled by Comcast Advertising in December 2023 spent more than 6 minutes searching for something to watch. How many people use FASTs?

Peacock and Paramount+ will use live sports programming to increase ad revenues. Live sports will likely have a bigger impact on Peacock than they will for Paramount+. This is because Peacock鈥檚 sports programming features a mix of linear TV retransmissions and streaming exclusives, whereas Paramount鈥檚 sports programming is available on CBS. Max will lean on live sports to grow ad revenues.

They had a lot of trouble re-signing some of their sports licenses, so they basically lost out to some of the big tech players when it comes to live sports. And they seem to be in a place where they're still prioritizing user growth. (14:44):.

Ad-supported streaming grows: 66% of US viewers prefer affordability as Netflix and Amazon refine ad strategies with lighter loads and live content.

WWE Raw鈥檚 move to Netflix is a bold experiment in sports entertainment streaming鈥攐ne that could either cement wrestling as a mainstream digital draw or test the limits of Netflix鈥檚 ability to sustain weekly live programming.

Going forward, we expect TV鈥檚 live sports advantage to further erode, making its even-numbered recovery years increasingly less impactful. Click here to view our full forecast for US TV ad spending. TV still out-earns retail media and CTV. But it won鈥檛 be long until TV falls behind the digital media hotshots.

Hulu鈥檚 technical breakdown at the Oscars sparks backlash: Subscribers missed key moments as the stream crashed early, exposing the platform鈥檚 struggles with high-profile live events.

The company has dipped its toes into live sports by securing the rights to "WWE Raw" and tennis, golf, and boxing exhibitions, all of which create lucrative sponsorship opportunities for Netflix to sell. Click here to view our full forecast for Netflix ad revenues. Its ad tier boosts its average revenue per user (ARPU).

Netflix's NFL debut sets records: Despite technical hiccups, Christmas Day games drew over 24 million viewers each, boosting the platform鈥檚 sports ambitions.