StreamTime Sports

Netflix's acquisition of the 2030 FIFA World Cup rights in Spain is another sign that the streaming giant is becoming increasingly serious about live sports. But what does the deal reveal about Netflix's long-term ambitions?This episode explores why Netflix targeted Spain, how the streamer could use the World Cup to grow both subscriptions and advertising revenue, and whether similar deals could emerge in other markets. Chris and Nick also examine DAZN's growing presence in the United States, where a series of local rights deals could provide a pathway toward larger national opportunities. Finally, they discuss the remarkable story of Bodø/Glimt, the Norwegian football club using an innovative partnership model to attract technology companies and accelerate growth.
Key Topics:
Why did Netflix target Spain for its first major men's FIFA World Cup rights deal, and could the company replicate that strategy in other markets?
How important could advertising become to Netflix's sports strategy as it expands beyond subscriptions?
Can DAZN's local rights strategy in the United States become a stepping stone toward larger national sports rights opportunities?
Could Bodø/Glimt's transparent approach to technology partnerships become a blueprint for smaller sports organisations looking to compete with larger rivals?

LIV Golf may have entered bankruptcy, but does that automatically make it a failure?
In this special StreamTime Sports deep dive, Chris Stone and Nick Meacham unpack one of the most controversial and consequential stories in modern sport. From Greg Norman's decades-long ambition to challenge golf’s status quo to Saudi Arabia's multi-billion-dollar investment through PIF, the episode explores how LIV Golf emerged, why elite players joined, and what happened when the challenger league collided with the PGA Tour.
The discussion covers antitrust lawsuits, sportswashing debates, media rights struggles, player economics, franchise ownership models and the future of LIV 2.0. Most importantly, it asks whether LIV Golf should be judged purely as a business venture or whether its lasting impact will be the changes it forced upon the wider golf industry.
Key Topics:
Did LIV Golf fail as a business, but succeed as a disruption?
Why did LIV Golf ultimately fall short of its expectations?
How did the PGA Tour have to adapt and change in response?
What lessons does LIV Golf provide for other emerging sports leagues?

A week of major developments across the Premier League, media and streaming has raised important questions about the future of sports business.
This episode explores the potential consequences of Manchester City's ongoing regulatory battle and what it could mean for the finances and global appeal of the Premier League. Nick and Chris also unpack the completion of Skydance's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, examining the impact on sports rights, streaming platforms and competition across the media landscape. Finally, they discuss Disney+'s growing sports strategy in the Nordics, where the addition of NHL rights further strengthens their portfolio and if its a sign of the company's plans to develop their sports offering internationally.

Not every sports property can be the NFL, Premier League or NBA. But not every sport is a niche passion play either. So what happens to the vast number of organisations caught in the middle?
 
This episode explores the growing challenges facing sports media's "middle class" - established properties with meaningful audiences, passionate fans and commercial ambitions, but without the scale of the world's biggest leagues. Nick and Chris examine how streaming has changed the economics of sports broadcasting, why premium sports and niche sports often have clearer business models, and what middle-tier properties must do to remain competitive.
 
Using examples including Dyn Media, FloSports, Formula E, the EuroLeague and rugby, the discussion explores whether strategy, aggregation and audience growth can provide a sustainable path forward in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
 
Key Topics:
Was traditional TV historically propping up sports media's middle class all along?
How has streaming changed the economics and opportunities available to middle-tier sports properties? 
Why do niche sports often have an easier path to monetisation than larger, more established middle-tier sports?
Can platforms like Dyn Media and FloSports prove that aggregation is the future for middle-tier sports?
Is it possible for a sport to move from the middle tier into the top tier of the global sports ecosystem?

What happens when a football league needs to broadcast its own live games?

On this episode of StreamTime Sports we bring you the latest episode of our New Economics of Fandom miniseries in partnership with Genius Sports. Co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone are joined by Cyprien Castanedo, head of media and platform innovation at LFP Media, to explore the launch and growth of Ligue1+, the league's direct to consumer streaming platform.

After the LFP lost its domestic broadcast partnership, Castanedo explains how Ligue1+ was built in a matter of months, reached one million subscribers within three weeks and drove revenue through both subscriptions and major distribution partners.