38% of U.S. internet households now subscribe to sports-specific streamers

Thirty-eight percent of U.S. internet households currently subscribe to at least one sports-specific streaming service, according to new research from Parks Associates. The figure represents a significant increase from 4 percent in 2019.

The National Football League remains the most-watched sport, with 82 percent of sports viewers in internet households regularly watching NFL content during the season. On average, households reported watching 4.2 different sports in season, spanning professional and collegiate leagues.

Other findings show that 52 percent of NFL and college football viewers engage with interactive features while watching. Among cricket fans, that figure rises to 83 percent.

Michael Goodman, senior contributing analyst at Parks Associates, said the integration of interactive and data-driven features is changing how viewers engage with sports content.

“Sports have become the backbone of live streaming adoption,” Goodman said. “Our research illustrates the huge potential for new monetization models as engagement deepens across connected screens.”

The report also notes that between one-quarter and one-third of the NFL’s broadcast revenue now comes from streaming platforms. These include pure-play services such as Netflix and Amazon, as well as hybrid platforms like NBC’s Peacock.

In terms of popularity, college football was the second most-watched sport among internet households at 55 percent, followed by Major League Baseball at 53 percent, the National Basketball Association at 46 percent, college basketball at 36 percent and the National Hockey League at 30 percent.

The National Basketball Association’s new 11-year media rights agreement, valued at $76 billion, begins with the 2025–26 season. Under the deal, 26 percent of NBA TV revenue will come from Amazon Prime Video.

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