Artificial intelligence (AI) and streaming will be among the most significant themes shaping the sports sector in 2025, according to a new report.
GlobalData’s Key Themes in Sport for 2025 report predicts that new technologies in general will have a significant role to play across the industry next year.
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It also forecasts that other key areas at the forefront of decision-makers' minds will be the growth of women’s sport – with the 2025 UEFA Women’s European Championships to be held in Switzerland – geopolitics spilling over from global instability and environmental, social and governance issues like sustainability, sportswashing, diversity and inclusion.
Artificial intelligence
GlobalData suggests that the adoption of AI across the sports industry has not been as rapid as many anticipated largely because there is, as yet, no fully developed use case for it. It also notes that the sports sector is likely to make more use of computer vision (CV) and machine learning (ML) than the generative AI that has been widely adopted in other industries.
Despite all this, the report argues that the potential for AI to enhance fan engagement remains significant.
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By GlobalData“AI could underpin chatbots that offer fans deeper insights into their favourite leagues or clubs,” it says. “It could also play a role in sports betting, creating customized models that generate odds for specific scenarios. As other industries identify profitable applications for generative AI, the sports sector is expected to follow suit, rather than lead. This pattern of adoption is typical for the industry.”
It adds that the diversification of the sports industry, in terms of the rising popularity of new sports and the evolving ways in which sports media is consumed, presents substantial opportunities.
GlobalData proposes that sports organisations that are willing to take risks with AI and fans that are receptive to new ways of consuming content are likely to be the winners as the use of AI grows within the industry. Organisations that are not ready to adopt AI and regulators struggling to keep pace with the technology are cited as likely losers.
Streaming
Of the continued rise of over-the-top (OTT) video streaming platforms, GlobalData’s report suggests that 2024 has supported the idea that they are likely to remain – at least in the near future – as additional outlets to traditional TV. It points to the strong viewership on traditional platforms of the 2024 Olympic Games and soccer’s 2024 European Championship as supporting this forecast.
“The model of traditional broadcasts supplemented by streaming services may represent the future for sports broadcasters aiming to reach the broadest audience,” the report states. “Casual fans may prefer to watch marquee events available on main broadcasts, while more dedicated viewers seek to consume as much content as possible, turning to streaming options for greater depth.”
Notably, though, the report also suggests that streaming platforms are recognising that securing sports rights “is pivotal to becoming 'must-watch TV' and delivering content that captivates audiences at specific times—key to attracting advertising revenue, which is essential for profitability.”
It notes the recent entries into sports broadcasting of the likes of Amazon Prime and Netflix, as well as major rights deals that for the first time are including streaming services, such as the NBA with Amazon.
“What is clear is that OTT platforms, with DAZN acquiring global rights for the revamped FIFA Club World Cup and other services securing additional sports rights, must embrace sports as a means of driving both audiences and advertisers to their platforms,” it says. “What remains uncertain is how this model can be monetized effectively without resorting to increased subscription fees.”
