Netflix Leads U.S. Subscription OTT Video Services

According to Parks Associates updated list of the top ten subscription OTT video services in the U.S. market, Netflix, Amazon and Hulu continue to hold the top three slots while HBO Now made a significant move into the top five.

Based on number of subscribers, MLB.TV ranks fourth, followed by (in consecutive order) HBO Now, Starz, YouTube Red, Showtime, CBS All Access and Sling TV.

YouTube Red entered the top ten list during the past year, and the OTT services for premium channels Showtime and Starz moved up or entered the list compared to 2016. Sling TV has maintained its strong growth from 2016, and MLB and WWE continue to lead in sports-related subscription OTT video services, with WWE sitting just outside of the top ten.

“While the top three are no surprise, the big story over the past year has been the rapid subscriber growth for OTT video services from HBO, Showtime, and Starz,” said Brett Sappington, senior director of research at Parks Associates. “The combination of recognized brands and popular original content is driving demand for their offerings. Services such as Sling TV and Crunchyroll are still enjoying strong growth, but other services have simply grown at a faster rate over the past year.”

Sappington added that online pay-TV services are also growing quickly, fueled by nationwide advertising campaigns. “YouTube TV’s advertising and sponsorship deal with MLB during the recent World Series is just one example of the marketing dollars behind these service offerings. While more online pay-TV services could enter the top ten within the next year, those services that comprise the top ten are recognized brands that are aggressively working to expand their subscriber bases. Displacing them will be a difficult task.”