Sports rights market growing steadily. Forecast of $78 billion in 2030.

The global sports rights market remains one of the most valuable media segments. Spending on sports rights for TV and streaming is expected to exceed $78 billion by 2030, according to Ampere Analysis forecasts. That's an increase of about 20% over the 2025-2030 horizon, a moderate but consistent pace, driven primarily by the United States and growing platform competition for live sports.

Stable growth, not an explosion

Ampere Analysis assumes that the total value of sports rights in TV and streaming will grow by about 20% over five years to reach $78 billion in 2030. However, it is key to specify that it is talking about growth calculated relative to 2025, not year-on-year dynamics. With this assumption, the market's starting point is about $65 billion in 2025, which translates into an average annual growth rate of 3-4%. The conclusions are clear: the market is growing steadily, but not at double-digit rates.

U.S. as main engine and training ground for bidding

The strongest growth driver is expected to be the United States, where large contract renewals are accumulating and the battle for premium content is accelerating in parallel. A recurring theme in Ampere's forecast comments is that US rights packages will shape the global outcome. At the same time, growing competition from global streaming platforms is making live sports a strategic commodity, rather than just another frame item.

In practice, this means that the market increasingly resembles a bidding war for a limited pool of the most attractive rights that can simultaneously build reach, subscriber retention and advertising revenue.

U.S. share is nearly half of global value

Ampere predicts that in 2030. The United States will account for nearly half of the global output. The calculation takes into account among others. new contracts with the NBA, which took effect this year, and the upcoming MLB television package. As a result, the rights to the U.S. games alone are expected to reach about $36 billion in 2030.

NFL continues to set price ceiling

The NFL has the biggest impact on the US market. The league is pursuing an 11-year, $110 billion contract starting in 2023 with five broadcasters and platforms: NBC/Peacock, Fox, CBS/Paramount+, ABC/ESPN and Amazon Prime Video. Although the contract runs until 2034, the NFL is signaling that the current pricing of the rights is undervalued and is considering exercising its option to renegotiate over the next two years. This is an important signal for the entire market: even at record amounts, upward pressure may continue.

Europe: growth despite bidding pressure

Europe is also set to enter a growth path. Spending by broadcasters and streaming services is projected to increase from $18.3 billion in 2025 to $21.3 billion in 2030. Ampere notes that some of the recent deals have brought downward pressure, but valuations could go up again in future cycles. This is expected to be driven by aggressive entries from global players and the growing importance of World Cup and Winter Olympics packages.

Asia: drive from India and the OTT boom

In Asia, the forecast also calls for an acceleration. Spending on sports rights is expected to increase from $7.2 billion in 2025 to $9.9 billion in 2030. One of the key drivers remains the Indian cricket league and its accompanying tournaments, which attract both traditional broadcasters and OTT platforms. In practice, the region shows that live sports are increasingly becoming the cornerstone of platform strategies, especially where audience scale allows monetizing rights simultaneously in subscription and advertising.

What is worth specifying

Ampere's forecasts should be read as estimates, not historical data. The final values will depend on the results of tenders, the health of the economy, the strategy of leagues and platforms, and currency fluctuations. The definition is also important: in this view, we are talking about media rights spending by broadcasters and streaming services, not total sports revenue or advertising spending.

Application

The sports rights market is entering another phase of growth, but it will be consistent rather than exponential growth. The biggest lever remains the United States and its renewal cycles, and the catalyst globally is the growing competition among streamers for live sports. For broadcasters and platforms, this means one thing: premium rights will become increasingly strategic, and their prices will increasingly be set in fierce competition, not in quiet negotiations.

Sources:

Ampere Analysis | Insight - Global sports rights media spend set to exceed $78bn in 2030
Global sports media rights spend to surpass US$78bn in 2030 - SportsPro
Ampere: Sports Rights Outpacing U.S. TV Revenues Fivefold | TV Tech
Paramount Wins European Rights to Soccer's Champions League in $11.5 Billion Auction - WSJ