The term “streaming” was first applied in the early 1990s as a better description for video on demand and later live video on on IP networks. It is estimated that 85% of American households have a streaming service such as Netflix, Disney + and Amazon Prime, and it is further estimated that 60% of households have paid for a music streaming service such as Spotify (Pattison, 2024) . With such a large pull, one question arises: is this future of sport?
The first mainstream streaming platform was YouTube, which launched in 2005. Since then, more personalised services have been released, such as Netflix. Netflix not only offers countless films, television shows and games, but provides users with Netflix exclusives- media made by the company. Fast forward to 2014, and the first “sports” company, WWE, began offering a monthly subscription to their entire catalog of events, as well as pay-per-views or as they now known as, premium live events. Easy accessibility and relatively cheap prices have seen a steadily increasing user base, although they have struggled at times due to WWE not giving fans what they want (WWE Corporate, 2014).
The influence of this streaming service has inspired the MLS season pass on Apple TV, which if we are being serious is the first real streaming service catered exclusively for football. Apple TV’s deal with the MLS, spread over 10 years, will provide the MLS with 2.5 billion dollars (McCaskill, 2023). This deal is the first step in the future of consumption of football. Whilst it has been discussed, a streaming service for the Premier League is out of the question until at least 2029, thanks to a new television deal (Sky Sports, 2023).
This below YouTube video highlights the rise in broadcast deals:
So what of television deals?
Well, it is clear to see award money in elite tier footballing competitions has stagnated. The most recent deal, which begins in 2025/26, has an annual fee of £1.68 billion. Still a massive amount, but when compared to previous deals, it has dropped by over 0.03 billion since 2019 (Parnell, 2022). Whilst factors such as the Covid-19 Pandemic attributed to the loss in annual fees, the Premier League, Sky and TNT all have considerably more money than this. With the 3pm blackout not being a popular introduction, and more and more individuals illegally streaming through websites and “dodgy” fire sticks, moving matches to a streaming platform seems like a no brainer.
What can a streaming service offer?
One interesting concept surrounding the idea of the Premier League introducing a streaming service is the potential option of only buying your team– meaning you would only be able to watch the team you support. Whilst this would make it considerably cheaper than purchasing Sky or TNT, you don’t get as much variety, and it also means some fans may not consider going to matches- as they can just watch their team from home. Another concept is just paying a monthly fee for unlimited access to the Premier League- be it matches from all teams, highlights, classic matches and documentaries. This is a more favourable purchase, that offers content from all 20 teams (Whittaker, 2023).
The below article discusses the potential of streaming in the Premier League:
Conclusion
It is clear that streaming is the future of sport. With already successful examples in place- the MLS season pass- it seems like it is more a matter of “when” and not “how.” There are hurdles for streaming in football to overcome, however, such as questions along the line of “will average attendances at matches drop”, or “will existing broadcasters suffer?” But, in my honest opinion, streaming is the way forward for football. It is an affordable option for fans, and the next logical step in the future of football coverage.
Media and Digital Transformation in Sport 
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