PLANO, Texas—An increasing number of U.S. internet households are watching live events or sports through an on-demand streaming service, according to a new report from Parks Associates.
In its new report, The New Live TV Model: Skinny Bundles, Sports, News, the research firm says that 39% are doing so, illustrating the growing role of streaming services in delivering live programming. The expanding mix of options to watch video is changing how consumers find and watch sports, news, and events, as live video viewing is no longer synonymous with pay TV, Parks adds.
The report also found that 25% surveyed watch live video through free ad-supported television (FAST) services and 21% report they don't watch live video at all.
"Consumers value live content but struggle to find and access it," said Michael Goodman, Director, Entertainment Research, Parks Associates. "The challenge for providers is making live content accessible. Sports is a good example, with programming now distributed across multiple services and platforms."
Consumer interest in live sports is growing alongside broad-appeal entertainment. According to Parks Associates consumer research, comedy (60%), drama (56%), and news (50%) are the most popular content categories, while 48% report watching live sports. Subscription VOD (SVOD) services continue to add sports, news, and live events while FAST services build engagement through curated linear channels.
"Competition for viewers is increasingly about more than the content itself," Goodman said. "Providers need to deliver an experience that makes it easy for consumers to find, access, and move between live and on-demand programming."
