Global rights spend climbs

Sports broadcasters and streaming platforms are on track to spend about $67.34 billion on global rights in 2026, lifted by this year’s major international events. (insidersport.com) S&P Global said the 2026 total would be up 9.6 percent from 2025, with roughly $5 billion of that increase tied to quadrennial events that return on a four-year cycle. (insidersport.com) Those rights are the fees media companies pay leagues and event organizers for the exclusive ability to show live games, and live sports remain one of the few formats that still draw large real-time audiences. Ampere Analysis said global spending is projected to pass $78 billion by 2030. (ampereanalysis.com) The United States is expected to drive much of that growth. Ampere said the new National Basketball Association rights cycle that started with the 2025-26 season, plus new Major League Baseball deals from 2029, could push the United States market above $36 billion by 2030. (ampereanalysis.com) Streaming companies are taking a bigger share of the bill. SportsPro, citing Ampere, reported in February 2026 that streamers are expected to spend $14.2 billion on sports rights this year, up from $13.2 billion in 2025, with Amazon Prime Video the biggest spender. (sportspro.com) That spending surge does not mean every property is winning equally. Boston Consulting Group said the top 10 sports properties more than doubled their global media-rights value between 2014 and 2024, while the next 20 properties grew far more slowly. (bcg.com) Ampere said the market is also being shaped by competition from global streamers in premium rights auctions, not just by traditional television groups. S&P Global’s 2026 estimate, by contrast, suggests this year’s jump is partly a calendar effect rather than a straight-line acceleration in demand. (ampereanalysis.com) (insidersport.com) The result is a market getting bigger, more concentrated, and more dependent on a short list of premium live events. The next round of renewals will show whether 2026 was a one-year spike from the sports calendar or the start of a higher baseline for rights prices. (insidersport.com) (ampereanalysis.com)