Tops of sports
Media trends shaping sports marketing for 2026
2025 proved to be a pivotal year for sports as consumers continue to adapt to a changing media landscape. A growing intensity of fan engagement coupled with an evolution of how sports viewers tune in has fueled fierce competition.
To thrive in today’s competitive global sports market, brand sponsors, advertisers, media rights holders, leagues, and teams need to understand the drivers of fan behavior to effectively plan for key sporting moments in 2026.
Inside our Tops of Sports report, you’ll discover:
Viewership and fanbase growth
Sports fandoms are growing. Ahead of major events like the FIFA World Cup 2026™, soccer’s popularity is on the rise in the U.S., now boasting 62M fans as the fourth largest fanbase globally. And baseball, golf, basketball, and softball are also making gains in audience viewership and strengthening their fanbases.
Streaming impact
Streaming is changing the game for live sports through multiplatform viewing and creating new pathways for engagement by reaching wider audiences. Streaming sports documentaries are also keeping fans’ attention, reaching 16,937 million total viewing minutes in 2024, an 113% increase from 2021—and 2025 is on pace to finish with a similar total.
Sponsorship value
Sports sponsors have valuable exposure opportunities in leagues like the NBA and MLB, representing $515 million in media value for brands in 2025. MLB postseason excitement following Shohei Ohtani and the L.A. Dodgers unlocked new opportunities to reach fans from diverse backgrounds.
Start your 2026 strategy now.
