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ESPN+ leads US sports streaming as cable sports audience shrinks

A new Parks Associates study reveals that 19% of US internet households subscribe to ESPN+, making it the leading sports-specific streaming service. NFL+ follows with 10%, as streaming continues to reshape how fans consume live sports.

The research - Streaming Sports in the Fan Experience - highlights shifting viewer habits, with 33% of households subscribed to a sports streaming service and 70% of young viewers (18-24) watching at least one live game per week.

"As more games move to streaming platforms, the traditional sports viewer, or 'Sports Traditionalist,' who watches only via broadcast or pay TV, is becoming a smaller segment of the overall audience," said Jennifer Kent, VP of Research at Parks Associates. "By Q3 2024, only 8% of consumers in internet households were Sports Traditionalists, with an additional 13% using both traditional outlets and streaming services to watch sports."

From the CSI Magazine article, "ESPN+ leads US sports streaming as cable sports audience shrinks

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