Digital Live Sports Audiences Are Projected To Grow 5.8% in 2026

For years, broadcast has been the default home for live NFL audiences. According to  EMARKETER, linear TV still commands the largest reach, with marquee games topping 40 million viewers and traditional TV accounting for roughly 90% of sports viewing. Yet while broadcast remains the primary destination for sports viewers, that position reflects legacy more than growth.

Digital live sports viewership, by contrast, is building momentum. This audience is projected to grow 5.8% year over year in 2026, far outpacing the 0.4% growth expected for live sports overall. That shift is translating into stronger ad performance, too. EDO data shows that ads in streaming-exclusive NFL games are 66% more effective than the cable and broadcast average, with recent standouts underscoring the gap: Netflix’s NFL Christmas Day games delivered ads that were up to 84% more effective for entertainment brands, while Peacock and Prime Video exclusives outperformed traditional NFL broadcasts by 116% and 51%, respectively. The result is a clear shift in value: broadcast still delivers scale, but streaming is increasingly where sports advertising delivers measurable impact.

Connected TV in the News

Nielsen: Streaming Shatters Multiple Records in December 2025
TV Tech
New data shows that streaming captured 47.5% of television viewership in December 2025, eclipsing its previous record set in July 2025 to achieve the largest share of TV ever.

Two-Thirds of U.S. Viewers Will Watch TV With a Second Screen in 2026
MNTN Research
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. social network users will actively be using a second screen while watching TV. But they aren’t tuning out ads while on their phones, they’re inspired to take action.

Sports Ad Spending Will Surge in 2026 Thanks to Olympics, World Cup
EMARKETER
With the Olympics and Super Bowl  less than a month away (and the World Cup coming this summer), 2026 is set to be flush with sports ad spending.