NFL Football Is Gaining Popularity As A Result Of Widening Broadcast TV And Streaming Reach

While there is still conflict between streaming and traditional broadcast TV, with the former threatening to devour the latter, the NFL is benefiting from a stronger presence on both.

According to BNN, the NFL’s viewership is up 6% this season, thanks in part to Amazon Prime Video carrying Thursday Night Football and the ABC and ESPN networks carrying their games. Taylor Swift certainly didn’t hurt.

The increasing viewing demonstrates why so many streaming services are rushing to enter the live sports market. Fans, leagues, and advertisers have all recognized the value of incorporating live sports into streaming platforms. Games reach a larger audience and, as a result, their marketers. Fans appreciate the ease, content options, and high-quality game streaming. As the demand for sports streaming grows, more cable companies are looking for ways to participate. According to Parks Associates, income from sports streaming services is estimated to reach $22.6 billion by 2027.

Amazon owns exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football, which has elevated the business to the forefront of the fight among providers to give fans with live sports streaming. Furthermore, Amazon’s ad-free viewing experience appeals to sports enthusiasts, but advertising spaces during the game are in high demand. According to BNN, Thursday Night Football viewership increased by 25% year over year, with an average of 12.5 million viewers per game.

The games’ impact is palpable. Comcast reported last month that Amazon’s Thursday Night Football accounted for 25% of its network internet traffic. Furthermore, Comcast said that the NFL will stream a playoff game exclusively on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock, later this season.

While Amazon Prime Video is changing the way we watch sports, the traditional broadcasting paradigm isn’t dead. Monday Night Football would return to ABC and ESPN in September, according to Disney. The networks were looking for methods to fill their programming slots while actors and writers were on strike in Hollywood – the latter of which has since struck an agreement. As a result, interest in the games has grown.

Streaming is dominated by sports.

Sports leagues, television providers, and streaming platforms have discovered a potentially synergistic connection. Leagues want to get their games in front of a huge audience, and many media businesses seek to find a method to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.

With so many providers to choose from, leagues can go to the highest bidder. This is why larger corporations have purchased sports content rights, making their services more desirable to viewers and advertisers. While fans may watch Thursday Night NFL games on Prime Video, they can also subscribe to the NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV, which gives them access to all out-of-market games on Sunday each week.

According to Eric Sorenson, Parks Associates’ streaming video director, purchasing sports media rights is becoming a primary acquisition technique for businesses looking to obtain new customers. Furthermore, because of the “limited inventory” of sports, the rights aren’t cheap. This significantly lowers the number of companies that can afford to buy them. The premium fee for watching sports on these platforms is a means for the streamers to recuperate their investment.

According to Sorenson, the “long game” for many firms is to build a sports tier or package within their service for a cost. Streamers are already engaging in the “long game” suggested by Sorenson.

Max, formerly HBO Max, unveiled its Bleacher Report sports layer last month, which covers over 300 live U.S. and global sports events year-round, including MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA Men’s March Madness, and U.S. Soccer. Live video content, replays, and pre- and post-game shows are also included in the package. While it is now free, Max will begin charging $9.99 per month for the add-on in February.

If an agreement is already in place, other well-known companies, such as Verizon and the NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV, have formed alliances with the rights holders.

Netflix is one streaming service that has not explored league arrangements. The firm has primarily focused on documentaries and specials about sports, as well as highlighting athletes such as Michael Jordan and David Beckham. However, The Netflix Cup, a live sporting event created by Netflix, will debut next week, pairing athletes from its Formula 1: Drive to Survive and Full Swing shows in a match play golf tournament at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas.

This demonstrates that even Netflix, the world’s largest streaming service, cannot ignore the call of live sports.

NFL Football Is Gaining Popularity As A Result Of Widening Broadcast TV And Streaming Reach

While there is still conflict between streaming and traditional broadcast TV, with the former threatening to devour the latter, the NFL is benefiting from a stronger presence on both.

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