Now That Roku Channel Has Inked First Live Sports Deal, What Other Sports Could Come to Free Streaming Service?
Now That Roku Channel Has Inked First Live Sports Deal, What Other Sports Could Come to Free Streaming Service?
Roku isn’t exactly the first name that a sports fan might think of when considering where to stream live sporting events. The Roku Channel is a free streaming service, after all, meaning that it doesn’t really have the purchasing power to go after the top professional sports leagues in the world.
But fans might have to adjust that line of thinking, as this week it was announced Roku had reached an agreement with ABB FIA Formula E World Championship racing to air 11 of that league’s races starting in January of 2024, in addition to other Formula E-related content.
Now that Roku is officially entering the world of sports streaming, it’s fun to imagine what other live sports rights the company might pursue. It’s hard to imagine Roku going after top-ticket items like NBA rights; although the league reportedly wants to sell a streaming-only package of games in its next broadcasting deal following the 2024-25 season, its asking price will almost certainly be too rich for Roku.
On the other hand, a free streaming platform like The Roku Channel could be perfect for more niche sports. The top option in this category is pickleball, which currently holds the position of the fastest-growing sport in America. Prime Video recently signed the Professional Pickleball Association to a multiyear streaming deal, but there are plenty of other organizations in the International Federation of Pickleball for Roku to pursue.
There are myriad niche sports out there with the ability to draw an audience worth broadcasting to. The Underwater Hockey World Championships need a broadcasting partner, and because of how difficult it is to tell what’s going on underwater from the stands, underwater hockey (AKA Octopush) is the perfect sport for streaming at home, using multiple camera angles to capture the action.
Is ultimate frisbee on the table for Roku? USA Ultimate already has a broadcasting partner in ESPN, but what about organizations like the Premier Ultimate League or the Western Ultimate League? Both would seem to be ripe for the plucking, if Roku thinks they would attract a wide enough audience to be worth its time.
The door is wide open for Roku to continue making live sports deals if it wishes. There are innumerable niche sports leagues out there waiting for a broadcast partner, and now it’s up to Roku executives to decide which would help their service continue to grow its 71.6 million monthly active users.
Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is a free, ad-supported streaming service that offers a broad mix of movies, TV shows, live linear channels, and original programming. Available to all viewers — not just Roku device owners — the service features licensed content from major studios alongside Roku Originals, which include exclusive series, movies, and specials previously produced for Quibi, as well as new original projects developed specifically for the platform.