The way sports fans consume content is shifting faster than ever. In the UK, YouTube is now catching up with TV as a primary live sports destination, and Netflix has entered the game with no sign of slowing. The rise of streaming giants in live sports as well as direct to consumer (D2C) options means that traditional broadcasters are no longer the sole gatekeepers for live. If you’re a rightsholder, the question isn’t ‘if’ you should adapt—it’s how.
At The49, we help organisations navigate these moments of change, whether that’s finding new routes to growth, exploring emerging media models or technologies, or launching entirely new ventures. We specialise in building strategies that don’t just respond to trends, but shape them.
Flexible deals and smart bundling
Netflix’s moves into live sports highlight both the value that sports have in capturing live audiences as well as the desire from leagues to move to where global audiences are. Flexible rights deals such as the Women’s Super League’s (WSL) deal with Sky and BBC combined with YouTube demonstrates the growing versatility and options on the table. For the WSL, the move to a streaming platform helps with discoverability during an important growth phase, whilst the deal with Sky and BBC offers crucial credibility, marketing spend, and broadcast revenue for the league. Meanwhile, the emergence of bundles such as DirecTV’s new sports bundle in the US, showcases the potential for creative bundling and packaging strategies as a response to consumers tiring of multiple subscriptions. From smaller sports and emerging leagues, right up to global properties, rightsholders must navigate this complex, fast-changing landscape strategically to reach fans where they are and react to their needs. To map out how best to optimise, rightsholders must think holistically and not get distracted by the need to innovate for the sake of it. To achieve growth, rightsholders must fully understand their fans and marry this with long-term revenue targets across both commercial and broadcast.
The case for diversification
Adapting to new platforms and media deals involves a level of risk: deliberate evaluation and diversification can mitigate this. Rightsholders should consider a mix of platforms as part of a long-term revenue diversification plan rather than relying solely on one broadcast partner. Formula 1 was one of the first global sports to offer a D2C streaming platform. With its mix of lucrative broadcast deals and a compelling D2C offering in F1 TV, it is a brilliant example of a rightsholder diversifying and growing its revenues through a deep understanding of its fans and an awareness of changing consumer trends. In 2018, F1 TV launched with a focus on the most avid F1 fans with features such as unique feeds, live timing data, and exclusive access to on-board cameras. It has since continued to grow subscriber numbers far beyond core fans, appealing to casuals with behind the scenes, documentaries, and driver-focused content. What does this mean for rightsholders? A hybrid model will work if you understand your audience segments. Casual fans engage differently from die-hard supporters, so content strategies should reflect that.
Small and mid-tier sports properties, or those traditionally seen as “niche” sports, have taken creative approaches to grow into engaging properties. The World Surf League focused on content marketing and took on the role of media organisation. In doing so, they not only cultivated highly engaged audiences - boasting over 1m subscribers on YouTube as well as 2m on TikTok and 4m on Instagram - but have brought in lucrative sponsorship and broadcast deals. The league has streamed competitions live across many platforms including YouTube, TikTok, and its D2C app. In addition to this, they have recently expanded their broadcast deal with ESPN+ in the US and Disney+ in Latin America, showing that rightsholders can successfully deliver owned and operated streaming options for fans whilst expanding broadcast deals. This dual strategy approach helps rightsholders reach wider audiences while also controlling some content directly.
Think long-term, act with agility
When evaluating possible options, rightsholders need to consider their fanbase, budget and resource constraints, as well as their long-term ambitions. Spreading bets across a mix of streaming, D2C, or traditional models can provide resilience against shifts in consumer behavior and media trends. Testing new approaches in specific markets, like the Saudi Pro League has recently done with TikTok live in Brazil, can validate or disprove assumptions ahead of lengthy (and costly) rollouts.
Test, learn, and lead
To optimise for growth amidst change, organisations must be both strategic and agile. Diversification, experimentation, and data utilisation are essential tools for navigating this landscape. In an increasingly fragmented media, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The right strategy isn’t about chasing trends, it’s about knowing your fans, testing what works, and owning your space in the market before someone else does.
At The49, we work with organisations to help them define bold new strategies and test them in-market. We don’t just advise, we help build. Whether you’re looking to explore a new monetisation approach or rethink your content delivery model, we can help you move from idea to action. Reach out.
