Live Sports Shift to FAST, But Monetization Models Still Developing
This trend analysis piece argues that live sports and advertising dollars are increasingly moving to Free Ad-supported Streaming Television (FAST) as viewership on these platforms grows. It uses The E.W. Scripps Company's recent launch of the Scripps Sports Network (SSN) with PWHL and NWSL games as a primary example. The article also weighs the opportunities of growing CTV ad spend against the current commercial challenges, such as revenue-share models and low rights fees, exemplified by MLB's reported ~$10 million deal with Roku for its 'Sunday Leadoff' package.
Key Takeaways
- Viewership on PlutoTV, Roku, and Tubi reached 5.7% of all TV viewing in May 2025, up from 3.7% fifteen months prior, per Nielsen.
- Most FAST platforms operate on a 50/50 or 60/40 revenue-share model without minimum guarantees, a structure that has slowed widespread adoption by sports leagues.
- MLB’s ‘Sunday Leadoff’ package reportedly earned Roku only ~$10 million, a fraction of what Tier 1 leagues secure from traditional broadcasters, highlighting the model's current limitations.
- Scripps Sports Network is testing a hybrid approach, pairing its FAST channel with linear TV carriage and a foundational sponsor, State Farm, to fund its rights.
- Despite current challenges, WARC Media projects that Connected TV, including FAST, will command over 40% of global video/TV ad spending by 2030.
Why It Matters
The migration of live sports to FAST creates a crucial distribution tier for challenger leagues like the NWSL and PWHL that need reach without high carriage fees. This positions FAST channels as an alternative for rights that might have once gone to regional sports networks. While major leagues are experimenting, Roku’s ~$10 million MLB deal shows the model doesn't yet support high-value national packages. The metric to watch is whether CPMs on live FAST programming rise enough to support minimum guarantees, not just revenue-share agreements, which would signal a maturing market for sports rights.
Read full article at johnwallstreet.com
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