Sports programme offerings across the top five subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services jumped 52% year-over-year, according to research by Gracenote, the content data business unit of Nielsen.
This sharp increase, reported in the latest Gracenote Data Hub update, underscores the importance of live sports to content providers’ audience engagement strategies.
Over the past year, Paramount+ has overtaken Amazon Prime Video and Netflix to lead in streaming sports programming at the individual game and event level.
Following its acquisition of UFC broadcast rights from ESPN starting in January 2026, Paramount+ now delivers more than twice the sports content of any SVOD platform, up 219% year on year. During the same period, the Disney+ sports catalogue contracted 23%.
Streaming content growth has extended beyond subscription platforms to FAST channels. Gracenote’s analysis of 2,060 FAST channels available worldwide revealed that sports content on FAST grew 30% YoY.
With more than 200 dedicated news channels now available, news programming on free ad-supported streaming services increased 58%. Movies and TV shows available on FAST rose 26% and 24% YoY, respectively.
Gracenote recently has reported quarter-over-quarter growth in available programming on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix and Paramount+, the top global subscription video on-demand (SVOD) services. Discover more here.
Viaplay Group to sell Dutch operations for €142m
Nordic broadcaster Viaplay Group is to sell its Dutch streaming and broadcasting operations to Videoland for €142m.
Paramount offers EU concessions to gain approval for WBD takeover
Paramount Skydance has offered concessions to the European Commission to help pave the way for its $110bn takeover of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD).
BBC R&D extends iPlayer low latency trial to Wimbledon
BBC Research & Development has expanded its low-latency streaming trials on BBC iPlayer to coverage of the Wimbledon tennis championship.
.jpg)
Lumine Group acquires Imagine Communications
Lumine Group has acquired Imagine Communications through one of its subsidiaries.
UK “minded to intervene” in $110bn Paramount-WBD merger
In a written statement, Lisa Nandy, the UK’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, has warned of the likelihood of governmental intervention in Paramount’s $110bn acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.
