Live and Kicking: Why Streaming is the Future of Live Sports – Part 1

Despite its dominance in on-demand entertainment, Netflix avoided live sports for most of its history. Executives, including co-founder Reed Hastings, repeatedly stated that Netflix was not interested in bidding for live sports rights, citing high costs, unpredictable viewership patterns, and the complexities of live broadcasting.

Netflix’s first major sports-related move was through documentaries rather than live events in 2016. Netflix officially entered live sports broadcasting in 2023 with a series of test events. It debuted with The Netflix Cup (November 2023), a live-streamed golf event featuring Formula 1 drivers and PGA Tour golfers.

The streaming giant made its most significant sports investment in December 2024 by acquiring the rights to stream two NFL Christmas Day games for $150 million. The games attracted over 24 million viewers, making them the most-watched NFL games ever on a streaming platform.

This success fuelled speculation that Netflix would pursue further live sports rights, particularly for Formula 1. In early 2025, reports surfaced that Netflix was considering a bid for F1’s US broadcasting rights, a move that could reshape the sports streaming landscape.

With competitors like Amazon Prime (NFL, UEFA Champions League) and Apple TV+ (MLB, MLS) aggressively expanding into live sports, Netflix’s next moves will be crucial. If the company secures Formula 1 rights, it could open the door to bidding on other global sports leagues. However, balancing the high costs of sports rights with its subscription-based business model remains a key challenge.

Netflix’s cautious but strategic approach suggests it will continue experimenting with exclusive events and premium sports rights, potentially redefining how live sports are consumed in the streaming era.

Netflix biggest rival Amazon Prime Video is also ramping up its live sports presence, securing NFL Christmas Day games, a Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match, and WWE RAW events, The Information reports.

Amazon is pivoting towards live sports as part of its strategy to boost profitability, moving away from its previous emphasis on original movies and TV shows. This shift aligns with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s goal of making Prime Video profitable by the end of 2025.

Amazon is reportedly spending $3 billion annually on major sports leagues like the NBA and NFL. In July 2024, it secured NBA broadcasting rights alongside Disney’s ESPN and Comcast’s NBCUniversal in an 11-year, $77 billion deal.

Live sports provide real-time viewership, making them attractive for targeted ad placements, a key revenue driver. Amazon also introduced ads on Prime Video in 2024.

Since a 2022 internal planning meeting, Amazon has commissioned fewer film and TV projects. In 2024, its total content budget – including movies, TV, and live sports – was $7 billion.

This move highlights the growing competition among streaming giants for live sports rights, as they shift towards ad-driven revenue models.

One thing is certain: the sports-loving community is not hesitant to embrace streaming to consume live sports content.

The Indian scenario

India’s live sports streaming market is undergoing a seismic transformation, driven by digital-first platforms like JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. With high-speed internet penetration and affordable mobile data fuelling this shift, millions of sports fans are now consuming live matches on their smartphones rather than traditional TV screens. This digital evolution is redefining audience engagement, especially in a cricket-obsessed nation where tournaments like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and ICC World Cup attract record-breaking viewership.

In this two-part series, Adgully analyses the live sports market and the potential for brands.

The live sports streaming market in India is rapidly changing, fuelled by the rise of smartphone usage, affordable data plans, and a growing digital-first audience, points out Vipul Arora, Head of Brand Solutions, Gozoop Group.

“Platforms such as JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar are at the forefront of this transformation, offering both free and premium streaming options that make live sports more accessible than ever before. Cricket continues to be the main attraction, with events like the IPL, ICC tournaments, and bilateral series drawing millions of viewers at the same time. However, there is also a rising interest in football, kabaddi, and other niche sports, which is creating new opportunities for brands,” Arora adds.

For advertisers, this shifting landscape offers several significant benefits:

• Hyper-Personalized Advertising– Digital platforms allow for precise targeting based on demographics, behaviour, and location, enabling brands to shift from broad advertising to more personalized interactions.
• Shoppable Ads & Interactive Experiences– Innovations such as clickable overlays, real-time polls, and interactive ads empower advertisers to drive direct conversions instead of merely raising brand awareness.
• Multi-Screen Engagement – As viewers interact across mobile devices, smart TVs, and tablets, brands can create omnichannel campaigns that seamlessly integrate social media and commerce.
• Regional Language Opportunities – Streaming platforms are actively promoting multilingual commentary, opening up vast regional advertising potential for brands aiming at Tier 2 and 3 markets.
• Non-Cricket Growth – With platforms investing in sports like football (Premier League, La Liga), badminton, and e-sports, brands can pursue cost-effective sponsorships in non-cricket areas to foster long-term engagement.

The competition for dominance in sports streaming in India is far from settled, but one thing is certain: advertisers now have more avenues than ever to engage with highly involved audiences in real-time, making digital sports streaming an essential part of any media strategy.

Mehul Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO, SoCheers, notes that the Indian live sports streaming market is bustling and exploding. Platforms like JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar are obviously setting the pace, and we're likely to see more players jump in this race, Gupta adds.

Competition will definitely intensify, thus pushing everyone to innovate.

“We may probably see better streaming quality, smoother user experiences and possibly even more interactive features. While in India, cricket supremacy always remains, there’s surprisingly a growing appetite for other sports like football, kabaddi and also e-sports. Therefore, platform giants will need to cater to this demand by securing rights and offering dedicated content. As for advertisers, this is a golden age. Imagine reaching highly engaged audiences with hyper-targeted ads during live matches. The data these platforms collect is invaluable. Brands now can understand viewer preferences in detail and even tailor their campaigns according to the live KPIs. We may also see more creative ad formats too – think shoppable ads, interactive experiences, or maybe even augmented reality overlays during the game, but only time will tell,” he says.

According to Chintan Shah, Director - Customer Success & Content Management, Sportz Interactive, the live sports streaming market in India is rapidly evolving and is projected to be at $5 billion+ by 2027. This is driven by platforms like JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar which are leveraging cricket’s massive appeal and adopting innovative strategies such as ad-supported free streaming (JioCinema) and hybrid monetization (Hotstar).

“While cricket remains dominant, diversification into regional sports and tech advancements like 5G, AI-driven personalization, and interactive features are broadening audience engagement. For advertisers, this offers precision targeting across demographics, immersive ad formats, virtual sponsorships, and dual access to freemium and premium audiences,” Shah says.

(Tomorrow - Part 2: India’s sports landscape is rapidly evolving beyond cricket, with football, kabaddi, esports, and niche sports gaining traction through platforms like JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, offering brands new opportunities to engage audiences. By leveraging AI-driven personalization, AR/VR experiences, interactive sponsorships, gamification, and blockchain-based engagement strategies, brands can create immersive, data-driven fan experiences that go beyond traditional advertising and foster long-term loyalty.)