Sports programming is rapidly becoming a key driver of growth for subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms, with new research from Gracenote revealing that sports now accounts for 5 percemt of all content available across major global streaming services. The findings highlight how streaming platforms are increasingly investing in live sports and related programming as competition for viewers intensifies.

According to a Gracenote report, the latest analysis from the company’s Data Hub shows that sports content has evolved from a niche offering into a significant component of streaming catalogs. The report also marks the inclusion of HBO Max in Gracenote’s quarterly tracking of major global streaming services alongside Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix and Paramount+.

The study found that sports content has grown substantially over the past 18 months. In November 2024, sports represented just 1.4 percent of the combined catalogs of Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix and Paramount+. That figure has since risen to 3.3 percent. With HBO Max now added to the analysis, sports programming accounts for 5 percent of all content available across the leading global SVOD platforms.

Gracenote’s data shows there are now nearly 38,500 sports shows, episodes, games and events available on the major streaming services. HBO Max leads the category, housing 35 percent of all sports content tracked in the study. When measured specifically at the individual game and event level, HBO Max’s share rises to 42 percent, making it the largest destination for sports programming among the platforms surveyed.

Following HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video holds 25 percent of available sports content, while Netflix accounts for 16 percent and Disney+ contributes 14 percent. Paramount+ remains a major player in the live sports segment, with 30 percent of sports games, events and sports show episodes available on the platform. However, HBO Max has now moved ahead in overall sports content availability.

The report noted that the upcoming merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery could further reshape the competitive landscape for streaming sports, potentially creating an even stronger global sports content powerhouse.

Beyond SVOD services, the report also highlighted the continued rise of Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channels. According to Gracenote, the number of FAST channels has increased by 19 percent year-on-year, reflecting growing consumer interest in free streaming options.

Entertainment, sports, news and reality programming remain the dominant FAST channel categories, with news recording the strongest annual growth at 57 percent. Sports continues to play a crucial role in the FAST ecosystem as well, with more than one-third (37 percent) of content on sports-focused FAST channels consisting of live sporting events.

The findings underscore the increasing importance of sports in the global streaming economy. As platforms compete for audience attention and subscriber loyalty, live sports and premium sporting events are becoming critical assets, helping streaming services differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded market.