News · Economics and Business of Sports · Marketing and Media
The value of global sports media rights has hit a record high of $65.8 billion.
The global value of sports broadcasting rights hit a new record in 2026, growing by 15%, but a decline is expected next year.
The global value of sports media rights reached $65.82 billion in 2026, according to a report by a sports economics website. This represents a 15% increase from the previous year, as revealed by the SportBusiness Global Media Report.
A Reuters report published on October 14 attributed the growth in this market this year to factors such as the FIFA World Cup being held in North America and the Winter Olympic Games. However, the global value of sports media rights is projected to decline to $62.2 billion in 2027.
The United States remains the largest market in this industry, accounting for 53.9% of the global media rights value, up from 46% in 2022. The NFL and NBA alone make up around 30% of the global market value, while the English Premier League accounts for 7.8%.
These figures highlight that media rights continue to be a vital economic asset for professional sports. However, an increase in overall market value doesn't necessarily translate to equal income growth for all leagues. Factors such as bargaining power, audience size, competition among broadcasting platforms, and the commercial appeal of events all influence the value of individual media packages.
For leagues and federations, managing media rights has evolved beyond simply negotiating with TV networks. Developing digital broadcasting, understanding audiences, creating regional packages, and maintaining the appeal of competitions are all crucial factors that can impact future revenues.
Source: Reuters report on the global value of sports media rights, published on October 14, 2026, on Strait Times.
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