Will the sports streaming shift hurt sponsorship value and visibility?
In 2025, streaming platforms continue to shape how sponsors are being reached. According to Ampere Analysis, streamers will account for 20% of global sports rights spending this year at around $12.5 billion, up from 18% in 2024. DAZN alone will drive roughly one‑third of that, buoyed by its €1 billion acquisition of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup rights, while Amazon expands its footprint through NBA and NFL deals. The question remains: what does this forthcoming era of streaming mean for sponsorship value?
Reduced visibility, murky value
Historically, shirt and pitch sponsors in the highest-profile tournaments like the Premier League relied on mainstream broadcast reach (think BBC, Sky Sports, or ESPN highlights). Today, Ampere estimates that 30% of top‑tier matches in Europe are exclusively available via streaming, making exposure more dispersed and harder to measure. Unlike traditional broadcasters, streamers tend not to disclose granular viewership data, so figures can become hazy and unreliable. Nielsen’s 2025 Global Sports Report also observes a 21% rise in fans aged 50+ turning to streaming over two years, which raises questions about uniform sponsor visibility across demographics.
Technology to the rescue (sometimes)
To compensate, rights-holders and sponsors are increasingly using AI-driven overlay tech. In 2025, brands are piloting virtual ad boards and region‑specific overlays, powered by companies like Vizrt, Supponor, and Veritone, allowing sponsor branding tailored by geography or fan segment. Formula 1 has made use of these tools since 2022; now, European football and tennis are experimenting. Meanwhile, LIV Golf’s “Any Shot, Any Time” streaming lets viewers choose players, with sponsors embedded dynamically across user-selected feeds.
Adoption remains uneven
This kind of innovation is still optional. Amazon Prime Video, which holds expansive rights to the NBA starting in 2025 and covers WNBA games, relies predominantly on pre-roll or halftime ads, rather than integrated sponsor displays in live action. For sponsors accustomed to passive but frequent logo impressions, this can feel like a downgrade in both reach and perceived sponsorship value.
The measurement chasm
Without standardised transparency, evaluating the ROI of streaming-based deals is challenging. Sponsorship executives reported in late 2024 that inconsistent or unavailable streaming metrics were a top concern, undermining deal confidence. In 2025, with measurement tools so remarkably advanced, companies are finally demanding consistent KPIs (spotted impressions, ad view rates, and engagement analytics) to justify their sponsorship commitments.
A double win or a dangerous gap?
Despite the decentralised, harder to measure format, streaming platforms can make richer user data available. Amazon and DAZN collect precise viewer analytics, enabling brands to activate personalised digital campaigns, retarget fans, and report conversions tied to specific content exposures. Sponsors can integrate with apps, social media overlays, or live streaming interfaces to go beyond branding, making the most of interactivity and real-time feedback.
Looking ahead
Streaming fragmentation isn’t inherently negative; it expands content windows and is capable of offering deeper user data. The value of a sponsorship hinges, in any case, on execution and alignment. Rights holders must look at three things above all: determining a mode of measurement, guaranteeing sponsor visibility across all platforms, and facilitating innovative activation formats. Without these, fragmentation can erode sponsor confidence and ROI. On the other hand, clarity and creativity in the streaming era can elevate sponsorship to form immersive, hyper-tailored campaigns.
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