Report: The Future of Sport Is Multi-Format, Multi-Channel Offerings

Why It Matters

The shift forces rights owners and advertisers to redesign distribution and revenue models, unlocking new growth avenues as younger fans prioritize digital, non‑live formats. Ignoring this trend risks losing audience share and advertising dollars to more agile competitors.

Key Takeaways

• 25‑34 cohort consumption up 6% in past five years
• 18‑34 viewers spend three times more on highlights
• Multi‑format strategy essential as linear TV declines
• Data-driven monetisation will outpace live broadcast revenue
• Rights owners must redesign packaging for varied formats

Pulse Analysis

The Altman Solon seventh Annual Global Sports Survey confirms that the era of pure linear television is ending for sports content. Executives are being urged to adopt a multi‑format, multi‑channel distribution model that blends live broadcasts, short‑form highlights, behind‑the‑scenes clips, and interactive experiences. This pivot mirrors broader media trends where audiences fragment across streaming platforms, social feeds, and mobile apps. By diversifying delivery, rights holders can capture attention wherever fans congregate, turning what was once a single‑screen habit into a portfolio of touchpoints that sustain engagement throughout the week.

Age‑group analysis reveals the most dynamic shift among 25‑34‑year‑olds, whose weekly live‑sport consumption rose 6 percent and now averages over four hours, while their appetite for non‑live formats—highlights, recaps, and short‑form analysis—outpaces older cohorts. Even younger fans, 18‑34, allocate nearly three times more time to these ancillary formats than to live events, indicating that highlight reels and social‑driven clips are becoming primary entry points. Advertisers and sponsors must therefore recalibrate spend toward these high‑impact moments, leveraging real‑time data to target viewers with precision.

To monetize this fragmented landscape, the report stresses data‑driven rights packaging and licensing. Teams and leagues can bundle live rights with digital‑only packages, offering tiered access to highlights, player‑generated content, and immersive AR experiences. Advanced analytics enable dynamic pricing, personalized offers, and cross‑sell opportunities that were impossible in a linear‑only world. Companies that invest in robust fan‑data platforms and flexible distribution agreements will capture the “scale of opportunity” the survey describes, positioning themselves at the forefront of the sport industry’s accelerated transformation.