A new report from Samsung Ads provides some disturbing data for streaming services that have been spending massive amounts of money on their NFL and sports rights. The Samsung Ads’ Quarterly State of CTV Report found that while the number of new users to three apps that streamed live NFL football games grew by 28% over the 2024 regular season, 65% of those new users had churned out by March 2025, the month after the Super Bowl.
And while monthly hours per viewer increased by 57% during the NFL football season, by March monthly viewing declined 59% from its football-powered peak, the report found.
The report, which offers a deep dive into how audiences are consuming television in 2025 and where advertisers can unlock transformational value, also found that streaming now representing the majority of TV viewing time and Smart TVs increasingly used for more than just passive viewing, the findings underscore a new era for consumer attention, and for advertising strategy.
“We’re entering a new chapter in TV history, one where the living room screen is no longer just for passive entertainment,” said Justin Fromm, Head of Insights & Thought Leadership, Samsung Ads. “CTV is where consumers are spending time, engaging, and shopping. This report makes it clear: advertisers who continue to treat CTV like linear are leaving significant growth on the table. It’s time to embrace the full capabilities of the platform, not just for reach, but for outcomes.”
Other key takeaways included:
- The report underscores how new TV behaviors create new data signals that make CTV a powerful performance medium. TVs are no longer used for “just watching.” 83% of Smart TV owners, and 96% of those ages 25-34 use the apps on their Smart TVs for activities like social video, fitness and mindfulness, learning and education, and shopping. The data from these new ways for using the TV are highly predictive of consumer behavior.
- Built-in CTV operating systems have driven down the use of connected media devices by 31% from 2023 to 2024. And while CTV accounts for 55% of time spent with digital video, and continues to grow, 41% of ad campaigns' reach is duplicated across linear and CTV, wasting up to $141 billion in missed opportunities for conversion and reach.
- CTV accounts for 74% of viewing time on Samsung Smart TVs and 69% of streaming time is now ad-supported, representing a massive, scalable opportunity.
- Streaming Churn Remains a Challenge. Across all the apps in the Tizen device ecosystem, for every 10 users in the past 12 months, 9 have churned out by the most recent quarter. For the top tier of apps, 2 out of every 3 past year users have churned out by the most recent quarter.
- TVs Are Now Multi-Functional Digital Hubs. 83% of Smart TV owners use their TVs for more than shows and movies, including social media (37%), ambiance like background visuals or fireplace simulations (35%), workouts (33%), online shopping (26%) and smart home control (17%). Gen Z and Millennials are leading the charge toward interactive, commerce-enabled experiences.
- CTV: Conversion TV. With first-party data from over 77 million active TVs in the U.S., Samsung Ads enables advertisers to connect with the right audience, in the right moment, with the right message.
“This is not just a measurement story, it’s a roadmap for better results,” Fromm concluded. “We’re helping advertisers close gaps, spark action, and deliver campaigns that match how people actually interact with their TV today.”
The full report is available here.
