Spending on US sports rights has surged 122% over the past decade, rising from $13.8bn in 2015 to $30.5bn in 2025, according to new research from Ampere Analysis.
Over the same period, combined revenues from broadcast, cable and streaming rose just 24% from $172bn to $213bn, meaning that US investment in rights has grown five times faster than the broader American entertainment market.
Sports rights now account for 14% of total TV revenue, underlining the premium value of live sport as broadcasters battle for subscribers and viewer loyalty in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
Gorodenkoff
Landmark deals have fuelled growth, including new long-term National Football League (NFL) contracts signed in 2023 and National Basketball Association (NBA) rights renewals beginning in the 2025-26 season.
Furthermore, sports rights spending has grown in the UK at twice the rate of TV revenues since 2015, and 1.6 times as fast in Spain. However, in France and Germany, the growth of rights has largely stalled.
Between 2019 and 2025, TV revenue growth outpaced sports rights spend across all of Europe’s “big five” markets. This is because European broadcasters have taken a more cautious stance, reflecting declining viewership and ongoing challenges in driving subscriber revenue growth. On the other hand, the US market witnessed the opposite trend, with rights spend rising at four times the rate of TV market growth.
Ampere
Daniel Harraghy, Research Manager at Ampere Analysis, says: “As TV markets slow, sports rights inflation continues. The huge hikes in NFL and NBA deals demonstrate how live sports continue to deliver unique value as a driver of audience reach and retention.
“By contrast, the more restrained approach in Europe reflects the tough economics of rights investment. Market differences are being driven by several factors, including longer-term rights contracts in the US, business models that place greater emphasis on affiliate fees and advertising rather than subscriptions, and a more competitive rights market.”
Germany’s professional football league Bundesliga recently agreed multiple broadcast partnerships across subscription, free-to-air, and digital channels in the UK & Ireland market, including a first-of-its-kind deal with YouTube content creators to air games. Discover more here.
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