More Streams, More Sports, More Frustrations

Most sports fans already pay for access, and many would pay more but a large share still cannot quickly find the games they bought. 

Gracenote, Nielsen’s content-intelligence unit, reported in its 2026 “Home Screen Advantage” study that 68% of self-identified sports fans subscribe to at least one service because it carries sports, half would consider adding another subscription for better access, and 26% say they frequently cannot identify which channel or app is showing the event they want. Nearly 24% of fans in the survey pay for three or more sports-related subscriptions. 

Even so, discovery remains a bottleneck: 19% said it takes them more than 10 minutes to locate a game, and 85% said they want a centralized sports hub with frictionless discovery of live games, highlights, and related content. On television specifically, 85% want the home screen to show upcoming games for their favorite teams and leagues along with where-to-watch information. 

The problem is worse among younger viewers. About 36% of respondents ages 18–34 said they frequently cannot determine where to watch the sports they want. More than two-thirds of fans use internet search as a workaround, yet 32% of U.S. respondents said search results always or often lack accurate information about locally televised games.

 

When Gracenote showed respondents a centralized demo combining linear and streaming schedules, viewing options, statistics, and links across platforms, 91% said gathering that information in one place would make games easier to find. Sixty-seven percent wanted schedules and stats tailored to the teams and leagues they follow, and more than 45% said a centralized schedule would save them at least five minutes per search. 

The findings come from an online survey of about 3,000 adults who watch sports on television, conducted June 29–July 8, 2026, in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 

Gracenote framed the results as a commercial opening for platforms: fans are already stacking subscriptions, but fragmentation across linear channels, streamers, and league apps is leaving them hunting for events they have already paid to see.