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One in six US broadband homes take an OTT sports service
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Some 16% of US broadband households now subscribe to an over-the-top sports video service, according to Parks Associates.
The NFL Game Pass is the most widely adopted service, with 6% of US broadband homes subscribing to this compared to 4% for the WWE Network and baseball service MLB.TV.
“For sports content owners, OTT is a viable way to expand audience reach, but there are technical issues to consider. The user experience is of paramount importance to the viewer for sports content,” said Parks Associates research analyst, Glenn Hower.
“The lead established by the NFL speaks to popularity of football, and the league’s service has avoided a major hurdle since it does not stream live games.
“Leagues lean heavily on television distribution partners for revenue, and disruption to existing distribution models may give television partners pause. A rapid expansion in sports OTT growth requires either heavy external investment from a streaming distribution partner – like a Google or Apple – or a tiered business model that targets key consumers for all-access services.”
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