As more and more platforms get into the sports rights business, fans are having a much harder time finding the coverage they want, Hub Entertainment Research indicates in a new study.
Evolution of Sports: What’s the Score? indicates that the discovery challenges for fans are taking a toll on the overall viewer experience. A whopping 87% of sports fans indicated it’s at least “somewhat frustrating” to find the games they want; almost 25% are “very frustrated.”
Aggregation tools help, Hub found. Of the respondents, 70% indicated that ESPN’s “Where to Watch” feature, telling viewers where to find any game, would make their sports viewing experience easier; while 60% were supportive of Roku’s “Sports Zone” hub.
Fans are also eager for services that consolidate all rights for the sport they follow; 60% said they’d be more likely to sign up for something that includes all rights for a particular league. Exclusivity is a key differentiator, Hub added. Of note, 89% of UFC fans say Paramount+ is now a more valuable subscription, given its exclusive deal with the MMA league, and 93% said the deal makes them more likely to retain that subscription.
“Fans will go to great lengths to watch the sports they care about—but that doesn’t mean they enjoy hunting across multiple apps to find them,” said Jon Giegengack, principal at Hub and one of the study authors. “Services that simplify the experience of watching sports—whether through discovery tools or by consolidating rights to an entire sport—are delivering more value to fans. And more value means more satisfied users and lower churn.”
Hub’s “Evolution of Sports: What’s the Score?” Wave 5 report is based on a survey of 3,733 U.S. sports fans. It was conducted in December 2025 and January 2026.
