Why sports media is entering its most disruptive decade yet

There was a time when watching live sport meant one remote, one broadcaster.

There was a time when watching live sport meant one remote, one broadcaster, and one living room. That era is quickly passing. Sports media is undergoing its most significant transition since the shift from analogue to digital, only this time the change is being driven by fans rather than technology.

Across Europe viewing habits are splintering; audiences now drift between broadcasters , streaming services, YouTube, TikTok, podcasts, and creator-led watchalongs. In the UK, YouTube now sits only behind the BBC for total audience reach. The once-stable value chain of buying rights, airing matches, and selling ads has become a fragmented ecosystem that is shaped less by the broadcaster partner and more by the p