MPA Forecasts 35-Percent Drop in AsiaPac Sports Media Revenues

Sports media revenues across the Asia Pacific are expected to fall by 35 percent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis, according to Media Partners Asia (MPA).

MPA released its Asia Pacific Sports Media 2020 report earlier this month projecting $5.7 billion in sports-related media revenue generation in 11 key markets in the region this year. Since then, the global sports events industry has largely wound down, with two marquee events, EURO 2020 and the Summer Olympics, now being pushed to 2021.

MPA projects revenues will fall by $2 billion this year, on the basis that most of the international properties in basketball, motorsport, tennis, golf and rugby will have truncated seasons while European football will likely complete its season. MPA is also operating on the assumption that local sports, including IPL, AFL, NRL and Nippon Professional Baseball, will have shortened seasons.

Looking ahead, MPA estimates that 35 percent to 40 percent of this year’s losses will be recovered in 2021 when the Tokyo Olympics and EURO 2020 are expected to be held. D2C SVOD sports-based offerings that offer month-to-month subscriptions could also be important for the sports ecosystem in key markets.