Sports programming continues to spread on FAST platforms
Sports programming continues to spread on FAST platforms
The number of free sports channels is growing, and the number of unique titles on those channels is rising at an even faster rate.
As streaming prices continue to rise across the industry, more and more audiences are willing to turn to ad-supported streaming to keep costs down. Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels can help connect viewers to breaking news stories, nostalgic entertainment, and, increasingly, sports. New data from Gracenote — a division of Nielsen — shows that sports FAST channels are increasing in number, and that the unique programs on those channels are multiplying at an even faster rate.
Key Details:
- More choices: The number of sports FAST channels rose 13.8% year over year in Q3.
- New content: Individual games and events distributed on FAST platforms grew 37.5%.
- Outpacing: Sports programming on FAST channels is growing at a faster rate than FAST overall.
Per Gracenote’s data, in the third quarter of 2026, sports growth on FAST is outpacing other kinds of programming. The number of FAST channels classified as sports increased to 264, a year-over-year jump of 13.8%. Existing channels are also spreading to new territories; earlier this year, the NFL launched its FAST channel in international markets.
Viewers also have more games to watch on free streaming channels this year compared to 2025. Year over year, unique sports titles on FAST channels increased 31.2%, while individual games and events shown on FAST climbed by 37.5%.
There’s no doubt that the 2026 FIFA World Cup helped boost the number of events on FAST channels over the summer. Tubi helped Fox distribute a number of World Cup games and was rewarded with a big influx of new monthly active users. Sports on FAST channels is also beginning to resemble sports broadcasts on linear TV; in July, sports programming appeared on 20 FAST channels outside the sports category, mirroring channels like ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC that offer sports coverage even though they aren’t “sports channels,” per se.
Gracenote’s data also shows that growth of FAST programming overall is being outpaced by sports growth on free channels. The larger inventory will give FAST programmers more flexibility in making schedules, creating the feel that they have more premium content available. Sports could also help FAST platforms differentiate themselves while boosting engagement at the same time.
Tubi
Tubi is a free video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 200,000+ movies and TV episodes - more than any other streaming service. Its ad breaks are shorter and less frequent than most free services. Fox executives have called their service “TV on steroids.”