Streaming Giants to Pour $14.2 Billion into Sports Rights by 2026, With Amazon Taking the Lead
In a decisive shift for the media landscape, streaming services are projected to spend a staggering $14.2 billion on global sports broadcasting rights in 2026, according to a new report from Ampere Analysis. This represents a 7% year-over-year increase from an estimated $13.2 billion in 2025, underscoring the intensifying arms race for live sports content.
Amazon's Prime Video is forecast to lead the charge, accounting for 27% of the total spend with a $3.8 billion investment. This move will see it dethrone DAZN, the perennial top spender since 2018, by a margin of over half a billion dollars. DAZN is expected to hold a 22% share, followed by YouTube TV (14%), Paramount (8%), and Netflix (5%), with other services making up the remaining 23%.
The analysis points to Amazon's first full year of its landmark 11-year, $1.8 billion-per-season NBA deal as a key driver, bolstered by its existing rights to NFL Thursday Night Football and the UEFA Champions League in key European markets. Paramount's entry into the top five, meanwhile, is fueled by its major UFC deal in the U.S.
"Amazon is constructing a year-round sports fortress in the U.S., anchored by the NFL and NBA," said Danni Moore, Senior Analyst at Ampere Sports. "This isn't just about subscriber acquisition anymore; it's a retention and advertising play. The strategic pivot of generalist streamers into sports is now directly challenging pure-play sports services like DAZN for the premium rights that define the market."
The report notes that so-called "global generalist streamers"—including Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix, and Paramount+—will collectively account for 44% of total streaming sports rights spending in 2026, a significant jump from 31% in 2025. This consolidation of financial firepower is reshaping tender processes and pricing, as evidenced by Paramount+ outbidding DAZN for recent UEFA Champions League rights in Germany.
Viewer Reactions:
Marcus Chen, Sports Media Consultant: "The data confirms the inevitable. The deep pockets of tech giants are permanently altering the sports rights ecosystem. For leagues, it's a revenue bonanza, but for traditional broadcasters and niche sports streamers, the competition is becoming existential."
Sarah Jennings, Long-time DAZN Subscriber: "I'm worried. DAZN felt like our dedicated home for football. If Amazon and Paramount keep snatching up the big tournaments, what's left? It feels like we're just being shuffled between corporate mega-platforms based on who writes the biggest check."
David R. Miller, Venture Capitalist: "This is pure market logic. Live sports are the last bastion of guaranteed, high-engagement viewership. Every dollar spent here is a direct investment against churn and a lever for higher ad-tier revenue. The 7% growth figure is conservative; the real bidding wars haven't even started."
Layla Torres, Consumer Advocate: "It's a raw deal for fans. This frenzied spending isn't about improving coverage; it's a land grab. All it leads to is more fragmentation, higher subscription fees, and the constant hassle of chasing games across five different apps. The 'convenience' of streaming is becoming a very expensive myth."