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Sports streaming data shows ESPN, Fox One could be having effect

Sports streaming data shows ESPN, Fox One could be having effect

Research from Antenna shows that sign-ups to services like DIRECTV and YouTube TV fell 12% year-over-year in September.

David Satin
David Satin has been a dedicated News Writer at The Streamable since 2022, covering a wide range of stories in the entertainment and streaming industries. With years of experience writing online, David previously worked as a list writer for Screen Rant, where he gained recognition for his extensive coverage of sci-fi and fantasy genres. His ability to break and analyze major stories has made him a trusted voice in the streaming world. Over the course of his career, Satin has become an integral part of The Streamable team, contributing to some of the most impactful stories in the industry.
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David Satin
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Known for breaking major streaming stories, he’s covered everything from Netflix policy shifts to Peacock’s ad-tier changes. A sci-fi fan and Toshiba Fire TV user, he brings sharp analysis and a love for the genre to his reporting.
Known for breaking major streaming stories, he’s covered everything from Netflix policy shifts to Peacock’s ad-tier changes. A sci-fi fan and Toshiba Fire TV user, he brings sharp analysis and a love for the genre to his reporting.
Sports streaming services saw declines in new signups year over year.

The 2025 fall sports season is winding down, and soon the calendar will turn to 2026, and with it NFL and college football playoffs and more attention on the NBA, NHL, and college basketball. There’s now enough data available to look back and reflect on the beginning of the fall sports season, particularly as it relates to sign-ups at popular streaming services, including live TV streaming platforms that let viewers see multiple sports on the same service, as well as NFL-specific streamers.

Key Details:

  • Trending down: Sign-ups for live TV streaming services in Q3 2025 were down 12% year-over-year.
  • New competition?: The launch of ESPN Unlimited and Fox One could have been big factors in the decline.
  • NFL still reigns: NFL-focused streamers showed strong data in Q3.

Antenna measured the number of new sign-ups to virtual multi-channel video programming distributors (vMVPDS) — also known as live TV streaming services — dipped by 12% in the third quarter of 2025, which is when the NFL and college football seasons first started.

These streaming services still saw a bump in subscribership during the quarter, and 4.7 million new customers came to them overall. YouTube TV increased its market share to 44% in the third quarter, up six points year over year. That makes it the largest single distributor measured by Antenna by far.

Click chart to expand.

The year-over-year decline in new sign-ups to sports streaming services could be an indication that the launch of ESPN Unlimited and Fox One are eating into the viewership for live TV streaming platforms. Both services launched on Aug. 21, and both give viewers access to sports content that they otherwise would have to subscribe to a vMVPD to get at a much lower price.

The data from Antenna also shows that, while live TV streamers may have seen a reduced number of new sign-ups in Q3 2025, NFL-focused streamers did not. The out-of-market games platform NFL Sunday Ticket totaled out at over 2 million customers in Q3 2025, up 37% as compared to the same period of 2024.

NFL+ also saw a large influx of new customers in the third quarter, ending that period with 3 million subscribers. Subscriptions grew 22% versus Q3 2024.

The data shows that the NFL continues to be the No. 1 viewing event on TV in the United States, but it’s too soon to draw concrete conclusions about the future of the live TV streaming marketplace during sports season. It appears ESPN Unlimited and Fox One could pull viewers away from those platforms, but viewers could turn back to them as they are reminded of the convenience of finding all sports on one service that live TV streamers offer.

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ESPN Unlimited

ESPN launched its highly anticipated direct-to-consumer streaming service on August 21, 2025. For the first time, this service gives sports fans access to its full lineup of linear channels without a traditional cable or satellite subscription.

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Subscribers can pay the $31.99 monthly fee for ESPN Unlimited, which unlocks all ESPN linear channels — including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN on ABC — plus ESPN+ and ESPN3, totaling around 47,000 live events each year. A subscription may be purchased monthly or annually.

ESPN+ content is available as part of an ESPN Ultimate subscription; those seeking only ESPN+ can subscribe to ESPN Select for $13.99 instead.

ESPN Unlimited offers extensive coverage of the NFL, NBA, MLB, college sports, UFC, soccer, tennis, and more, along with original programming, studio shows, and “30 for 30” documentaries. Starting in 2026, the platform will become the exclusive U.S. streaming home for WWE’s premium live events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble.

NFL Network and NFL RedZone are also included through an NFL-ESPN partnership, which adds draft coverage, preseason games, and NFL+ Premium features. The enhanced ESPN app will feature Multiview for watching multiple games simultaneously, real-time stats, betting and fantasy tools, personalized highlight reels, and even e-commerce options for tickets and merchandise.

On September 1, 2026, ESPN Unlimited prices were raised — barely a year after launch — from $13 to $14 per month for ESPN Select and from $30 to $32 for ESPN Unlimited.

Viewers can subscribe directly or bundle ESPN Unlimited with Disney+ and Hulu. With its robust live sports lineup, premium features, and the convenience of streaming anywhere, ESPN’s new service is a must-have for die-hard sports fans looking to cut the cord without sacrificing coverage.

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David Satin
David Satin has been a dedicated News Writer at The Streamable since 2022, covering a wide range of stories in the entertainment and streaming industries. With years of experience writing online, David previously worked as a list writer for Screen Rant, where he gained recognition for his extensive coverage of sci-fi and fantasy genres. His ability to break and analyze major stories has made him a trusted voice in the streaming world. Over the course of his career, Satin has become an integral part of The Streamable team, contributing to some of the most impactful stories in the industry.
Read full bio ›
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