The news: Global sports rights costs across streaming and TV will increase 20% by 2030, per an Ampere Analysis estimate. That growth will send the total cost of sports media rights to over $78 billion.

Driving growth: Analysts cited rising competition for sports rights on global streaming platforms and major renewal deals as the driving factors behind rising costs—but there are several factors at play.

• Competition for sports rights is increasingly happening among streaming platforms. Companies like Disney and NBCUniversal weigh both their linear and streaming needs, but the real escalation comes from streamers using premium sports to differentiate their services and lock in subscribers.
• As a result, streaming-first strategies are increasingly driving rights fees higher. Streaming services aren’t only competing with each other, but also with traditional TV networks that have historically relied on live sports to drive viewership.
• Fragmentation across platforms is playing a major role. Leagues are increasingly spreading out their games across different streaming partners while adding more broadcast partners. As more parties are involved in bidding for exclusive or shared rights, costs are increasing.
• Shifting viewer habits are also contributing to higher prices. As more viewers turn to digital platforms for live sports, the value of digital sporting rights increases. This prompts both traditional and digital media companies to invest heavily in securing sports rights.

The advertising link: The shift will likely impact advertisers, as increased prices could translate to higher costs for ad placements around live sports events—especially since advertising around marquee sport events is a growing area of interest for marketers.

Streamers can partially offset costs through higher subscription prices, but ad prices are still likely to increase—especially as more platforms competing for rights means greater scarcity and higher premiums on the limited inventory that reliably delivers results.

What advertisers can do: Marketing around live sports is paramount because sporting events deliver reliable audiences and high ad effectiveness, especially on streaming platforms. Advertisers with tighter budgets might struggle as costs increase—but there are still opportunities to advertise around live sports without breaking budgets.

• Advertisers could get around increased ad costs by shifting away from big-name, high-cost events like the Super Bowl and toward smaller, but still impactful, events like women’s sports games. Women’s sports ads are still highly effective, maintaining a 40% greater impact on consumer engagement than the average primetime TV ad airing, per EDO, and offering consistent viewership growth.
• Targeting local broadcasts could prove valuable in saving costs. Amid the shift away from regional sports networks to over-the-air stations and custom streaming services, local broadcasts are becoming more accessible. Advertising on these platforms can be more affordable than national campaigns and allows brands to reach engaged local fan bases.