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Study: Millennials Lead Move to Streaming, but Not for Sports

Study: Millennials Lead Move to Streaming, but Not for Sports

Matt Tamanini
Matt is The Streamable's News Editor and resident Ohio State fan. You can find him covering everything from breaking news to streaming comparisons to sporting events. Matt is extremely well-rounded, having worked for the Big Ten Conference, BroadwayWorld, True Crime Obsessed, and Land-Grant Holy Land before joining TS. He cut the cord in 2014, streams with a Fire TV, and his favorite titles include "The Bear," "The Great British Bake Off," "Mrs. Davis," and anything on the Hallmark Channel.
Read full bio ›
Matt Tamanini

It’s no surprise that the younger TV viewers are the ones leading the charge from traditional television to streaming, but there is one area in which millennials are more beholden to the linear model than any other.

The latest State of Viewership Report from Samba TV shows that while millennials (people born roughly between 1981 and 1996) are more likely to have cut the cord than any other fully adult generation, when it comes to watching live sports, they tend to stick to traditional TV.

Samba reports that even though one-quarter of millennial households watch less than one hour of linear TV per week, when it comes to sports, they are far more likely to tune in on cable or satellite. During the first quarter of the year, NBA games, ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” and the NFL playoffs were the most viewed sports-centric programming on linear for millennials.

However, with streaming live sports becoming more common as various services jockey for broadcast rights, it would not be a surprise if that trend shifts in the coming years.

The Samba survey also showed that — despite recent subscriber losses — the two most popular streaming titles amongst millennials in Q1 2022 were on Netflix with the third being Peacock’s biggest breakout hit.

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  • Love Is Blind

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  • Bel-Air

    February 13, 2022

    The journey of a book smart teen whose life is forever transformed when he moves from the streets of west Philadelphia to live with his relatives in one of LA’s wealthiest suburbs.

For the Gen Z streamers (individuals born approximately between 1997 and 2012), Netflix remains a must-have, but HBO Max tops their most-viewed list.

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    June 16, 2019

    A group of high school students navigate love and friendships in a world of drugs, sex, trauma, and social media.

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    A high school becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. Trapped students must fight their way out — or turn into one of the rabid infected.

  • Good Girls

    February 26, 2018

    Three “good girl” suburban wives and mothers suddenly find themselves in desperate circumstances and decide to stop playing it safe and risk everything to take their power back.

Matt Tamanini
Matt is The Streamable's News Editor and resident Ohio State fan. You can find him covering everything from breaking news to streaming comparisons to sporting events. Matt is extremely well-rounded, having worked for the Big Ten Conference, BroadwayWorld, True Crime Obsessed, and Land-Grant Holy Land before joining TS. He cut the cord in 2014, streams with a Fire TV, and his favorite titles include "The Bear," "The Great British Bake Off," "Mrs. Davis," and anything on the Hallmark Channel.
Read full bio ›
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DIRECTV STREAM Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $50 Amazon Gift Card when you sign up for DIRECTV STREAM.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Offer Terms

  • Only valid for new DIRECTV STREAM subscribers.
  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • Purchase must be completed on the DIRECTV STREAM website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and won’t be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.

Sling TV Cash Back

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  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • You must click from The Streamable and complete your purchase on the Sling TV website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and won’t be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.

Hulu Live TV Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $35 Amazon Gift Card when you sign up for Hulu Live TV.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Offer Terms

  • Only valid for new Hulu Live TV subscribers.
  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • You must click from The Streamable and complete your purchase on the Hulu Live TV website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and won’t be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.