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Faced with booming media rights costs and legalized gambling, broadcasters, streaming services, and leagues are navigating how to stay innovative, remain profitable, and keep sports accessible for everyone. Media rights costs for major sports have surged dramatically, posing a significant challenge for traditional broadcasters like NBC and Disney.

Why it matters: Amazon鈥檚 NBA acquisition is part of a broader strategy to use live sports to expand Prime Video鈥檚 appeal, especially among cord-cutters who retain pay TV subscriptions for this content (see chart). The NBA deal cements Amazon鈥檚 role in premium sports streaming. As traditional TV continues to decline, Amazon is positioning itself as a long-term home for live sports content.

The number of companies generating more than $1 billion in annual US CTV ad sales more than doubled from two in 2020 to five in 2024. With ad dollars spreading out among services, a few streaming platforms stand out because of their heavy usage.

鈥楽tar Wars鈥� is coming back for another trilogy: Disney is likely to spend heavily, and a pipeline to streaming could bolster Disney+ revenues.

Nearly three-quarters of Gen Alphas (ages 1 to 12) are online. This means they will likely be more adept than their predecessors at navigating digital spaces and using tech.

HBO's hit show 鈥淭he White Lotus,鈥� is extending its off-screen influence with a series of retail partnerships. Though the show revolves around miserable rich people on vacation, it keeps viewers engaged with fashion, scenery, and unattainable luxury. Brands including Banana Republic, H&M, and Kiehl鈥檚 have seized the opportunity.

Disney鈥檚 going for efficiency across the board: Ad sales will be largely automated by 2027, while content teams are streamlined behind the scenes.

Video ad spending continues to outpace overall digital ad spending and will power the fastest-growing ad-supported media.

Marketers are increasingly concerned about reaching the consumers who avoid them. 41% say ad avoidance or ad blindness is a major area of concern, up from 29% in 2022, according to a November 2024 Mediaocean survey.

Peacock reduced losses, gained subscribers in Q1: The successes indicate that the streaming platform could become more enticing for advertisers.

A major rebound for Disney's streaming sector: Losses cut dramatically to $18 million, while Disney+ adds 6.3 million subscribers thanks to key partnerships.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what happens next now that sports-focused streaming service Venu Sports has been blocked, how to get customers onboard with your AI-infused products and services, how the streaming bundle is changing, the US considering a breakup of Google to address its search monopoly, the most sort after plane seats, and more. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson, director of reports editing Rahul Chadha and analysts Ross Benes and Max Willens.

Whether it thrives will depend on how well it adapts to an audience that has already moved beyond traditional pay TV.

Venu鈥檚 disruptive potential: The planned venture poses a significant risk to pay TV services that are already losing share to ad-supported streaming subscriptions. With Disney, Fox, and WBD鈥檚 linear sports offerings in one place at $42.99 monthly, Venu would offer cheaper access to sports than most linear and pay TV services. That threat is what spurred Fubo to launch its antitrust suit.

Why it matters: Venu Sports represents a significant shift in the sports streaming landscape, aiming to capture the attention of cord-cutters who have moved away from traditional pay TV. With a comprehensive package of live sports, the service targets a market segment willing to pay for sports-centric content at a lower cost.

Hulu also has a pay TV service, Hulu + Live TV, which is expected to grow to 13 million US viewers by 2024 (though there are concerns about price hikes).

After a hack exposed sensitive internal data, Disney is looking for other solutions, raising the stakes for Salesforce to restore trust in its products.