Key takeaway: Live sports have moved to streaming. Brands need a CTV-first strategy to capture today's sports audiences.

Major sporting events have taken center stage this year and the way audiences engage with live sports is undergoing a seismic shift. For advertisers, understanding these evolving viewing habits isn't just beneficial — it’s critical for capturing audience attention where it matters most.

We recently surveyed viewers to uncover exactly how they plan to watch and engage with this year's heightened sports calendar. The verdict? Streaming has officially claimed the home-field advantage, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for brands.

Here is a breakdown of the key findings and what they mean for your next campaign.

Streaming is the new arena

 

Live sports are no longer just a cable phenomenon; they are driving the streaming economy. Our survey found that 80% of viewers typically watch live sports via streaming with 76% of respondents having subscribed to a service specifically to access live sports.

 

For advertisers, this means CTV (connected TV) isn't just an alternative to linear TV — it is the primary arena. Reaching passionate, engaged sports fans now requires a digital-first, streaming-centric approach.

 

Navigating the Sports viewer: Quality, price and the ghosting challenge

Today's sports viewers are strategic consumers. When choosing how to watch, picture quality is a top decision driver and Samsung’s picture quality is immaculate - ranked #1 by 44% of respondents. For 20 years, Samsung has been ranked the world’s #1 TV brand.

However, brand loyalty is often secondary to team loyalty. Sports-driven ghosting is a reality: 54% of viewers pause or cancel their subscriptions after a season ends and 39% have cancelled a service simply because it lacked live sports.

This transient behavior means audiences are constantly re-evaluating their options at the start of every season. For advertisers, this churn represents a continuous influx of fresh, unduplicated reach — making CTV an ideal environment to consistently capture new eyes especially in FAST (free ad-supported television).

The FIFA World Cup: A monumental acquisition moment

The FIFA World Cup represents one of the most significant subscriber and viewership opportunities of the year. Awareness of the event is massive at 89%, with 37% definitely planning to watch. Most importantly, 74% of those viewers plan to watch via streaming.

Many viewers are open to short-term subscriptions specifically for this event. In fact, 44% of respondents interested in watching the World Cup through a streaming service they don’t currently subscribe to would be willing to pay between $6-$10 for access. This willingness to pay for short-term access creates a highly concentrated window of high-intent viewers, offering premium value for advertisers looking to make an impact during a global cultural moment.

Our playbook: How we are capturing the audience for you

To help brands capitalize on these trends, we outlined how our platform is perfectly positioned to maximize your CTV impact:

• Prioritizing sports content: As the OEM (original equipment manufacturer), we are actively acquiring and promoting sports-related content on our platform. Because 76% subscribe for live sports and 80% stream them, we ensure our platform is where the fans are for you to reach them
• Optimizing the seasonal buy cycle: With 54% pause or cancelling their subscription after a season with 72% of those re-subscribing at season start, we’ve designed seamless interactivity with these audiences across all seasons- pre, during and post-seasons. We ensure brands have the opportunity to run year-round campaigns to build a brand affinity during every season.
• Bundling to retain viewers: We combat post-season churn by pairing FAST content with compelling non-sports content. 86% of sports subscribers also watch non-sports content (58% watch originals/movies; 34% stay for other live sports; 19% stay for sports documentaries). By offering broader catalogs, we keep audiences on-platform longer, extending your campaign's shelf life beyond the final whistle.
• Event-driven bundles: For the World Cup, we are leveraging event-driven acquisition. We offer short-term World Cup bundles with upsell opportunities to our broader catalog, capturing the 42% of short-term subscribers who will stay if other content appeals and capturing the 44% willing to pay $6-$10 for short-term access.

Partner with the leader in CTV Sports

The data is clear: sports fans are streaming fans. As leaders in the CTV space, we understand the rhythm of the sports viewer better than anyone. Our ad platform is built to attract, retain, and engage these viewers precisely so you can deliver your brand message during the most anticipated moments of the year.

Don't sit on the sidelines while your audience streams the biggest games of the year.

If you’re ready to reach millions of engaged sports fans on the biggest screen in the house, partner with us to launch your next CTV ad campaign and make this sports season your most successful yet. Contact our team today to secure your inventory.