New data from Nielsen’s Gracenote shows live sports are solidifying as the centerpiece of the streaming ecosystem, with sports programming surging dramatically on major platforms.
Sports content on five leading subscription streaming services, Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Paramount+, and Disney+ (including Hulu), increased 52% year-over-year as of January 2026, according to the Gracenote Data Hub update.
On free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels worldwide, sports programming grew 30% in the same period.
The growth aligns with a major live sports period, including the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics, as marquee events shift to streaming and draw viewers along. Recent research from The Trade Desk Intelligence and Appinio found 27% of Americans are watching more live sports via connected TV (CTV), compared to 18% watching more on traditional TV.
Sports remain especially valuable to advertisers: 56% of Americans say they’re more likely to notice brands advertised during sports programming.
Overall streaming catalogs across the five platforms expanded 20% year-over-year, though U.S.-produced content dipped slightly from 44.7% to 42%. Japanese content more than doubled, with notable gains on Prime Video (where Japan ranks high in production) and Netflix (now third behind the U.S. and South Korea).
Advertising is increasingly vital for streamers. EMarketer projects major platforms with ad-supported tiers will derive at least 10% of revenue from ads, with some exceeding 20%. The Digital Entertainment Group estimates U.S. ad-supported subscription streaming revenue grew nearly 61% in 2025 from 2024, far outpacing the 13% growth in ad-free tiers.
“As consumers migrate to cheaper ad-supported tiers, advertisers gain broader reach on platforms more reliant on advertising,” EMarketer analyst Ross Benes noted.