UK Sport and the Media Market Report 2025
There is strong demand for more coverage of women's sport among sports fans. This is split far more by age than gender, with 75% of Gen Z wanting expanded coverage.
There is strong demand for more coverage of women's sport among sports fans. This is split far more by age than gender, with 75% of Gen Z wanting expanded coverage.
There is strong demand for more coverage of women’s sport among sports fans. This is split far more by age than gender, with 75% of Gen Z wanting expanded coverage. This has likely been inspired by free-to-air coverage of the England Women’s team winning the Euros in 2022 and reaching the World Cup final in 2023. Now, Sky is expanding its women’s football content, WSL matches have found an audience on YouTube, and Disney+ and Netflix have made moves to add coverage.
The main threat comes from reduced exposure to major competitions locked behind paywalls. The UEFA Champions League, the biggest club competition in European football, is primarily broadcast on TNT Sports. With most finding it too expensive to access all platforms, more are relying on highlights and clips online. This could in turn, see younger fans migrate towards free-to-air sports, or new sports and formats on streaming services.
With strong engagement in sport across media among younger Brits, there is opportunity for innovation. Particularly with these demographics focused on streaming, gaming and social media, there is scope for one-off sporting events, new tournaments, celebrity or influencer sports, or entirely new sports altogether.
The cost of sports rights has seen viewing fragment across platforms, but there remains strong opportunity for expanded coverage of women’s sports and new formats.
Adrian Reynolds, Associate Director