Streaming services widen their role in US live viewing
October 22, 2026 08.08 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Thirty-nine percent of US internet households watch live events or sports through on-demand streaming services, according to new research from Parks Associates.

The findings from The New Live TV Model: Skinny Bundles, Sports, News highlight how live viewing is spreading across subscription streaming platforms and free advertising-supported services.

A quarter of US internet households watch live video through FAST services, while 21% say they do not watch live video at all. Separately, 45% of pay-TV subscribers use their pay-TV service to access live video.

“Consumers value live content but struggle to find and access it,” said Michael Goodman, Director of Entertainment Research at Parks Associates. “The challenge for providers is making live content accessible. Sports is a good example, with programming now distributed across multiple services and platforms.”

The research also places live sports alongside established entertainment genres in consumers’ viewing habits. Comedy was watched by 60% of respondents, followed by drama at 56% and news at 50%. Live sports attracted 48%.

Subscription VOD platforms are adding sports, news and live events, while FAST services are seeking to build engagement through curated linear channels. This expanding choice increases the importance of discovery and navigation across different types of programming.

“Competition for viewers is increasingly about more than the content itself,” Goodman said. “Providers need to deliver an experience that makes it easy for consumers to find, access, and move between live and on-demand programming.”

Parks Associates will discuss the findings at its Future of Video: Business of Streaming conference, taking place in Marina del Rey, California, on November 17–18.