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With more and more platforms entering the fray, NFL fans will need to subscribe to no fewer than six streaming services this year to watch every game. That’s to say nothing of the other pro sports leagues starting again this fall. Accordingly, new CivicScience data show 35% of sports fans say they’ll subscribe to a new streaming service specifically to watch sports this fall and winter.
Who are These Likely New Subscribers?
Likely subscribers skew heavily under the age of 45, yet still include roughly one in five sports fans over 45. The 45+ crowd is also more likely than younger fans to have already subscribed to the platforms they need (13% to 8%, respectively). Men slightly outpace women in sports subscription likelihood (36% to 34%).
CivicScience data also offers a tiny glimpse into who is looking to add a new subscription watch sports this fall and winter:
One-Third of Subscribers Already Have 3+ Subscriptions Specifically To Watch Sports
The surge of sports on streaming platforms means many fans are managing more than one subscription. Just over one-third of sports-focused streamers report having a single subscription, while 33% hold three or more — including 12% with four or more. Younger fans are especially likely to stack services: only 27% of subscribers under 45 have just one, compared to more than half (53%) of those 45 and older. It is also important to note that one-third of those who expect to sign up to a new service soon already juggle three or more subscriptions.
Those already managing 3+ sports-focused streaming subscriptions unsurprisingly overindex the Gen Pop as subscribers of each of the following platforms studied. That said, sports subscribers are far more likely than the average American to subscribe to Paramount+ and HBO Max.
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To Churn or Not to Churn
With tariffs and economic volatility weighing heavily on the American budget, holding onto multiple subscriptions can be tough to manage. Subscribing and unsubscribing as needed to watch content is quite common—of streaming subscribers, overall, 32% say they’ve re-subscribed to a service they previously canceled in the past six months.
The seasonal nature of sports naturally leads to higher churn rates for sports-focused subscriptions—51% of those who subscribe specifically to watch sports say they only subscribe during a particular season and then cancel. However, 7 out of 10 who are ‘very’ likely to subscribe to a new platform watch sports this fall and winter, specifically, say they tend to keep their sports subscriptions all year round.
ESPN Strengthens Its Position in Sports Streaming, Will Fans Bite?
This week, ESPN’s new Direct-to-Consumer platform hits the market, on the heels of their recent deal to acquire NFL media assets like NFL Network and NFL RedZone. Fresh CivicScience data show the new option is garnering significant interest—40% of those who watch sports and who don’t already subscribe to an ESPN property (e.g., ESPN+) say they would be at least ‘somewhat’ likely to subscribe to the new service, including 14% who are very likely to do so. Given the high intent to subscribe to watch sports in the coming months, the release appears to be aptly timed.
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Sports streaming continues to grow, but the data reveal a market that is both vibrant and fragile — vibrant in the number of new subscribers expected, fragile in the prevalence of churn and subscription fatigue. The companies that succeed will be those that adapt to fans’ shifting behaviors while minimizing friction and cost.
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