Despite not offering live game streams, NFL Game Pass is the most highly adopted sports OTT subscription service, according to a new study from Parks Research.
The study, based on a Q4 2015 survey of 10,000 U.S. broadband homes, found that 16% of all U.S. broadband homes subscribe to an over-the-top sports service.
NFL Game Pass is present in about 6% of U.S. broadband homes, followed by 4% for the WWE Network and MLB.tv.
Notably, the highest proportions of those surveyed said they signed up for a sports service via a TV provider, with 63% of NFL Game Pass taking that path, Parks Associates found.
“For sports content owners, OTT is a viable way to expand audience reach, but there are technical issues to consider,” Glenn Hower, research analyst at Parks Associates, said in a statement. “The user experience is of paramount importance to the viewer for sports content. The lead established by the NFL speaks to popularity of football, and the league’s service has avoided a major hurdle since it does not stream live games.”
TBS recently joined the OTT ranks with plans to launch its own eSports league in partnership with WME/IMG.
