Ampere: Live Sports Lifts U.S. Streamers

Live sports is proving to be increasingly valuable to U.S. streaming platforms, Ampere Analysis reveals, noting that Paramount+ saw a significant boost from its coverage of this year’s Super Bowl.

Per the research firm’s latest consumer survey, streaming platforms that held rights to the NFL saw a significant boost in monthly active viewing in the first quarter of 2024, far greater than platforms without NFL rights. Paramount+, streaming home to Super Bowl LVIII, saw the largest gain. Monthly active viewers for U.S. platforms with NFL rights were up 14 percent between Q3 of 2023 and Q1 of this year. SVOD platforms without NFL rights showed a 10 percent gain.

Of note, in the first quarter of this year, 50 percent of U.S. internet users used Prime Video in the last month, an 8 percent gain, while 22 percent used Paramount+—an increase of 22 percent—and 21 percent used Peacock, reflecting an increase of 18 percent.

Minal Modha, research director at Ampere Analysis, noted: “The growth in viewership for platforms holding NFL rights shows how important tier one sports rights can be to streaming platforms, especially in an increasingly competitive streaming market. While most U.S. domestic rights have now been tied up, Q2 will likely see the awarding of the NBA rights, the last chance for platforms or streamers to get a seat at the table for a significant amount of time. As streaming platforms try to diversify revenue streams through advertising, live sports will play a bigger role in helping to guarantee eyeballs, thereby pushing up advertising value.”