A new study reveals that sports fans are increasingly frustrated by the fragmentation of viewing options across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms, making it difficult to simply find and watch their favorite games.
According to Hub Entertainment Research’s “Evolution of Sports: What’s the Score?” Wave 5 report—based on a survey of 3,733 U.S. sports fans conducted in late 2025 to early 2026—87% of fans say it is at least somewhat frustrating to figure out where to watch the sports they follow today. Nearly a quarter (almost 25%) describe themselves as “very frustrated.”
The proliferation of sports rights across multiple services has turned following teams and leagues into a complex and aggravating task, diminishing the overall enjoyment of the experience.
“Fans will go to great lengths to watch the sports they care about—but that doesn’t mean they enjoy hunting across multiple apps to find them,” said Jon Giegengack, principal at Hub and one of the study’s authors. Services that simplify discovery—through tools or by consolidating rights for an entire sport—provide greater value, leading to more satisfied viewers and reduced churn.
The study highlights growing interest in aggregation solutions. When asked about specific features:
- About 70% of fans said ESPN’s “Where to Watch” tool—which shows where any game is airing, even outside ESPN—would make viewing easier.
- 60% said the same about Roku’s “Sports Zone,” which gathers all content for a particular sport in one place across platforms.
These responses indicate strong demand for tools that reduce the hassle of fragmented sports media.