US sports rights spending hits US$30.5bn in 2025

Spend surges 122% over the past decade as lucrative rights deals fuel growth.

Spending on US sports rights has leapt 122 per cent over the past decade, rising from US$13.8 billion in 2015 to US$30.5 billion in 2025, according to Ampere Analysis.

Confirmed:

• Combined revenues from broadcast, cable and streaming in the US rose 24 per cent in the decade, from US$172 billion to US$213 billion
• Share of US TV revenue spent on sports rights climbed from eight per cent in 2015 to 14 per cent in 2025
• In the UK, sports rights spend has grown at twice the rate of TV revenues since 2015, and 1.6 times as fast in Spain
• Growth of rights has largely stalled in France and Germany

Context:

Ampere Analysis noted that landmark deals have fuelled growth, including the long-term National Football League (NFL) contracts signed in 2023 and National Basketball Association (NBA) rights agreements beginning in the 2025/26 season. The research also highlighted that rising spending reflects the value of live sport to broadcasters not only as a subscription driver and retention tool but also as a lever for audience growth and advertising revenue

Meanwhile, in the UK, Ampere found that between 2019 and 2025, TV revenue growth outpaced sports rights spend across all of Europe’s ‘big five’ markets. The US trend was the reverse, with rights spend rising at four times the rate of TV market growth.

Ampere added that European broadcasters have taken a more cautious stance, reflecting declining viewership and ongoing challenges in driving subscriber revenue growth

Comment:

“As TV markets slow, sports rights inflation continues,” said Daniel Harraghy, research manager at Ampere Analysis. “The huge hikes in NFL and NBA deals demonstrate how live sports continue to deliver unique value as a driver of audience reach and retention.

“By contrast, the more restrained approach in Europe reflects the tough economics of rights investment. Market differences are being driven by several factors, including longer-term rights contracts in the US, business models that place greater emphasis on affiliate fees and advertising rather than subscriptions, and a more competitive rights market.”

Credit: https://www.sportspro.com/news/sports-broadcast-rights-spending-usa-uk-nfl-nba-ampere-analysis-august-2025/