What’s the Score? is Hub’s ongoing deep dive into how sports fans watch content across platforms—from broadcast to streaming—and what they value most. It explores not just where fans watch, but which types of content matter most.
Since launching in January 2024, the sports media landscape has shifted rapidly. Streaming giants are reshaping access: Amazon now carries Thursday and Monday Night Football, streams NBA and WNBA games, and Netflix has added NFL games on Christmas Day. Paramount+ streams top soccer like the Champions League and NWSL, while DAZN holds international rights to FIFA and other global leagues.
Wave 4, What’s the Score? is capturing how fans are adapting to these changes. More specifically, What’s the Score? examines how fans engage with sports across different viewing platforms. How “sticky” is exclusive content when it comes to attracting or retaining subscribers? Do these effects vary by major U.S. sport? Is fragmentation diluting the fan experience—or are new sports bundles helping to ease the frustration?
Each wave also explores timely topics shaping the sports landscape. In Wave 4, we delve into:
- The rise of women’s sports—who’s watching, how often, and what fans enjoy compared to men’s
- Reactions to changing local coverage as RSNs decline and streamers step in
- Fan response to new bundles like DIRECTV’s MySports
- Attitudes toward AI and other innovations in sports broadcasting
Source: Interviews with 3,802 U.S. Sports Fans with broadband access age 13-74