Streaming rights: live sports unite audiences in cultural moments worth fighting for

In a media landscape of rapid change, live sports offer a measure of relative certainty. Consumer appetite is arguably at an all-time high with almost half of us spending more time watching live sports content last year than we did the year before, according to Accenture. Advertising-led streaming services lead the march to profitability and sports offer the most predictable audience. It’s why rights remain in high demand as streamers and broadcasters compete for the most valuable content on the planet.

Netflix’s global deal to air live NFL matches for the next three Christmases should be seen in this light. Sports remain light among the platform’s library but it has made repeat recent moves to test the appetite for live events. This includes November’s inaugural Netflix Cup - which pitted leading golfers against F1 drivers, and the clash between boxer Mike Tyson and social media star Jake Paul coming in July. Earlier this year the company paid more than $5bn to be the home of WWE which it is billing as “sports entertainment.”...