• Loading stock data...
Thursday, January 23, 2025

How International Sports Streaming Rights Is ‘Trench Warfare’ Now

International media rights have always been a “market by market” game. Streamers may change that.

Amazon-Thursday-Night-Football
Amazon

After spending several decades growing fandom abroad, U.S.-based leagues like the NFL are looking to sell international rights for eye-popping sums. But according to EverPass CEO Alex Kaplan, leagues looking to create a global audience should expect “trench warfare.”

At EverPass, a sports streaming platform used by restaurants and bars, Kaplan’s team targets the estimated 20% of U.S. viewers who watch games away from home. Global audiences are far larger but even more diffuse.

Speaking about international media rights at the Front Office Sports “Future of Sports: Mergers & Acquisitions” event Wednesday, Kaplan said: “We’re guilty in this country of referring to it as ‘international.’ Sure, it is—but it’s a bunch of individual countries with different consumers, entirely different economies, different media distribution dynamics. So it’s really a local strategy.”

Think of the U.S., where sports fans juggle a dozen services to get all the games—and that’s just one country. International markets are far more fragmented. While industry watchers have for years anticipated that a major media company would swoop in and centralize global viewership, it’s easier said than done—just look at Disney’s shaky strategy to win over Asian markets by purchasing Indian Premier League rights.

“Legacy media never really consolidated on the global level that would offer sports leagues and properties that sort of turnkey partnership that I think every sports league is looking for,” Andrew Brown of consulting firm 1896 Partners told the panel.

While he believes sports rights deals will continue to be made “market by market,” Kaplan said there are at least two streamers that have the global reach to change the distribution dynamic: Netflix and Amazon.

Amazon Prime Video already streams Thursday Night Football, and could be interested in an international NFL package. And the NBA, which is toying with international expansion and has games scheduled this season in Mexico City and Paris, tapped Amazon for part of its national media rights earlier this year. 

But it’s Netflix that’s showing the way for leagues below that top tier who want to go global. 

In January, the streaming giant signed a $5 billion deal with WWE to stream Raw on Monday nights. That deal gives the wrestling outfit access not only to U.S. audiences but also to viewers in Canada, Latin America, the U.K., and elsewhere. 

Brown, who spent eight years crafting global strategy at WWE, said that “Netflix is very good for business” because it can simultaneously reach audiences in more than 150 markets worldwide without sacrificing revenue. “It means you don’t have to go country by country, region by region as it relates to securing new distribution.”

Wendy Bass, EVP of business operations for the UFL, agreed: “If Netflix wants to call, we are open for business.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera Accused Of Covering Up Sexual Abuse in Lawsuit Against Church

Rivera and his wife founded the church sued in New York court.
Trent Baalke

Trent Baalke Out As Jaguars GM After Scaring Off Head Coach Candidates

At least three coaches were uninterested in working with Baalke.
Mike Golic Jr and Mike Golic
exclusive

Mike Golic, Mike Golic Jr. Leaving DraftKings

A source tells FOS their contracts expire in late March.

Netflix Sports Strategy Unchanged Despite Growth: Events, Not Seasons

Shares in the company surge after a particularly robust quarterly report.

Featured Today

Jeremiah Smith

Ohio State’s Title Isn’t As Simple As $20 Million in NIL

Three lessons from the Buckeyes’ title beyond “pay the best players.”
January 22, 2025

Can Upstart Sports Leagues Beat the Grim Start-Up Odds?

Investors think they can buck the massive failure rate of new enterprises.
January 21, 2025

Amateurism Dilemma on Full Display at the College Football Playoff

The sport has never looked or operated more like a pro league.
January 19, 2025

Unrivaled’s Impeccable Timing Pressures WNBA to Give Players More

The league could “blow the lid off” the business of women’s sports.
Napheesa Collier

Unrivaled Debuts With Modest Ratings on TNT

Opening night on TNT peaked at 364,000 viewers.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen points before calling the snap during first half action during the Buffalo Bills divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 19, 2025.
January 21, 2025

NFL Divisional Playoff Viewership Drops Despite Plenty of Drama

Dramatic wins by the Bills and Eagles fail to match prior viewership totals.
Netflix logo on top of building
January 21, 2025

Netflix Stock Soars As Sports Help It Exceed 300M Subscribers

Live NFL and boxing lead to big increases in subscribers and revenue.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
January 20, 2025

NFL Saturday TV Ratings Fall Despite Record ESPN Viewership

The NFL sees more viewership attrition compared to the banner 2023 season.
Bill Simmons
January 20, 2025

Bill Simmons Expected to Stay at The Ringer and Spotify on New..

Simmons sold The Ringer to Spotify in 2020 for $250 million.
January 18, 2025

Tom Brady Addresses Fox Contract, Raiders Coaching Search

Brady’s dueling jobs came under the spotlight this week; he addressed it.
Broadcaster Troy Aikman on the sideline of an NFL game.
opinion
January 18, 2025

ESPN’s Aikman Calls Foul on Mahomes for Flopping

There’s a perception NFL refs give Mahomes preferential treatment. Aikman addressed it.