Reports: sports rights

This case study is partnered with the report “Beyond broadcast | How digital natives will reboot sports content monetisation”, accessible to subscribers here ....

The 13.2% dip on the 2019–2022 English Premier League (EPL) rights deals compared to the 2015-2018 deal highlighted the decline in value for sports broadcast rights. In light of this downturn and a fall in the consumption of sports content on traditional linear TV, moves are being made into the subscription video on demand (SVOD) space, with Disney’s new direct-to-consumer flagship sports SVOD service ESPN+ leading the charge.

The broadcasting of live sport has been a key part of TV’s appeal and underpins the pay-TV ecosystem. However, a combination of entrenched cord-cutting and an ageing audience means that revenues are now moving out of synch with inflating domestic sports rights costs.