ABSTRACT
Platformisation is transforming the audiovisual industry. The streaming era has resulted in a matrix of services provided by various players from all stages of the audiovisual value chain, each competing for viewers and/or revenues. Amidst this streaming war, sports media rights have become a critical part of the ‘streamification’ of the media industries, with global streaming services, such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, being the latest players to enter the sports rights market. This chapter describes the key elements of the streamification of European sports broadcasting. It identifies the main reasons why streaming services are increasingly seeking to acquire live sports rights and assesses the impact of this trend on the sports broadcasting value chain. To conclude, the chapter also addresses some of the main challenges associated with the streamification of sports broadcasting.
