2025 Sports Media Predictions
Our Take on What’s Shaping the Future of Sports, Media, and the Creator Economy
Predictions are tricky. The sports industry has always balanced tradition with transformation, but today’s pace of change is unprecedented. The convergence of technology, media, and global culture is reshaping how fans engage and how leagues monetize.
What lies ahead isn’t just a continuation of trends—it’s a reinvention. The rise of AI, emerging market investments, the power of social media to create stars, and the quest for new revenue streams will define the next decade.
Here are Disruptive Play’s Predictions for The Year Ahead:
THEME: Creator-Led Sports Ecosystems and the Power of Individual Athletes
One Player Can Make a League…or Not
Following on from Caitlyn Clark’s impact on the WNBA, we are seeing the Ilona Maher effect raise the profile of women’s rugby in England. Already the Bristol Bears are looking to move games to bigger stadiums due to ticket demand - as are the teams who she will be facing. And she hasn’t yet played a game. There is going to be much more interest in the game this year and it bodes well for the Women’s Rugby World Cup taking place in England in August. Personalities drive interest in sport.
And while we see the power of Maher, the counterstory is how little sustained impact Messi and Ronaldo are having in their respective leagues. Their diminishing star power can’t make MLS or SPL any more exciting. Stars on social can do amazing things but they can’t do everything.
Disruptive Play Perspective: Leagues have to do more to enable athletes to put out the most compelling social content impactfully, cost-effectively and at volume. No one could have known that Maher would become the star that she is or that the most exciting player-turned-pundit would be an Eagles center with a podcast. It’s the job of the leagues to provide all of their players with the video components to build out social content. Tools like Greenfly can provide a means of getting the content into the hands of the player. Providing them with the right guidance in terms of channel management and optimization as well as picking the right clip
Creator-Led Leagues: A Make-or-Break Year
2025 is shaping up to be a defining year for creator-led leagues. The model—still unproven at scale—faces questions about sustainability, but the potential upside is undeniable. Creator-led leagues bring something unique to the table: the ability to engage hyper-loyal communities and disrupt traditional sports formats with fresh perspectives and content.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Can these leagues prove their staying power and deliver value to fans, sponsors, and participants alike? If they succeed, 2025 could mark the beginning of a new era where creators are not just athletes or entertainers but architects of sports culture itself.
Disruptive Play Perspective - Lots of new properties raised capital. Many of them are making grave mistakes betting on linear distribution to jump-start fandom. We believe those that are true to the audience they serve will find success.
CreatorCasts Go Mainstream
Alt-Casts continue to go mainstream, from ESPN's "The Simpsons" themed Monday Night Football, Nickelodeon's animated Super Bowl broadcasts, the "Big City Greens" NHL game on Disney, to the Manning Brothers' "Monday Night Football Manning Cast" featuring celebrity guests on ESPN2.
Fan-led commentary, popularized by figures like Pat McAfee and Mark Goldbridge are reshaping how we watch sports. As disillusionment with traditional commentary grows, expect more creators to step into the void, offering fresh, authentic perspectives that resonate with younger audiences. This democratization of sports content will be a trend to watch closely in 2025.
Disruptive Play Perspective: From LiveMode & CazeTV to Creator Sports Network we continue to believe this space will gain momentum. Gen Z and Gen Alpha spend the majority of their time on social platforms for 4-6 hours daily. Many pundits and data says that Gen Z and Gen Alpha (today’s generation) don’t engage in watching live sport and only prefer highlights” —but what they missed is major. It’s not that they WON’T engage, it’s that they DON’T. CreatorCasts fill this void, delivering the Social Sports Experience, Desired Active Participation, Immersive and Real-Time Features the generation demands! Past Articles HERE
THEME: Ramifications of Fragmented Sports Media Landscape
The Backlash to Ubiquitous Distribution
Fans will hit fatigue with sports content being spread across too many platforms. The fragmented distribution model has diluted the fan experience, with casual viewers frustrated by juggling multiple subscriptions just to follow their team. Will rights holders - NBA, NFL, Nascar care as they cash bigger and bigger checks ? 2025 could mark a turning point as leagues and broadcasters reassess strategies to avoid alienating fans. The v1 era of “everywhere, all at once” distribution may be nearing its end.
Disruptive Play Perspective - It’s time for a more well thought out plan that welcomes the $$ from the distributors but remembers the audiences that they serve, or else it’s all for naught. Past Articles HERE.
Forget Team Insolvency, One Mid-Sized European Sports League Will Face Insolvency
For mid-tier sports leagues barely scraping by, 2025 doesn’t look like fun. Shrinking television budgets and increased competition for sponsorship dollars are pushing some leagues to the brink. Those that don’t dominate a major domestic market are the most susceptible. Premiership Rugby is a prime candidate—but not the only one—teetering on insolvency.
Currently, 7 of the 10 Premiership Rugby clubs are considered insolvent, and league debts exceed £310M. Key clubs like London Irish and Wasps have already gone under, and further financial collapses could leave the league unable to fulfill its broadcast commitments, potentially opening the door for renegotiations or contract terminations. With broadcaster contracts running through the 2025-26 season, the league’s ability to hold things together is on a knife’s edge.
Disruptive Play Perspective: Keep an eye on similar leagues struggling to stay afloat—Premiership Rugby may be the most obvious, but it’s far from the only one in danger. It’s extremely difficult for a league to overhaul its distribution and give it away for free when under extreme financial duress. But the alternative becomes the downward cycle of doom - where shrinking viewership leads to less interest in licensing by broadcasters and lower values of sponsorship.
We’re Nervous about the Club World Cup
No Barcelona. No Liverpool. No Arsenal. The weird qualification rules mean that some of the world’s best clubs won’t be there. So that’s a bit a of a bummer considering those club’s popularity in the U.S. Secondly, it will be available on DAZN, more popular in the U.S. for YouTuber boxing than the go to for major sports events. What the Club World Cup has going for it is a fairly soft summer sports schedule and the extended format allows this to feel like a real tournament for the first time. But whether we can get excited about CF Pachuca v FC Salzburg or Ulsan HD v Mamelodi Sundowns FC is still a big bet by FIFA.
Disruptive Play Perspective: The Club World Cup would be best served by a strong commitment to a high volume of social content. DAZN has demonstrated an ability to do that with both its boxing and women’s football properties and made some good traction with NFL Game Pass (the league’s international commitment doesn’t hurt too). Equally, it’s unclear FIFA+’s remit here.
What would be good for DAZN to do is explore social distribution of a number of matches and equally with some alt-cast approaches using local market influencers. It’s important to understand that while there are big clubs and big players participating, that doesn’t mean people will be looking to download an app for it. Make access easy and fun to win over fans.
THEME: New Business Models, Markets and Commercialization Hit Stride
AI “Rights Window” Emerges
Imagine Roger Federer facing off against Lleyton Hewitt in their primes, with outcomes driven by data and scenarios that fans dream about. Thanks to advancements in AI (SportsRadar is already doing this) and access to extensive historical archives, recreating games between legends across eras is no longer science fiction. These AI-driven simulations use historical performance data, player stats, and advanced modeling to create realistic, interactive matchups that answer the eternal “what if” questions of sports fans.
Disruptive Play Perspective: This innovation opens up a whole new rights window for leagues and rights holders. Instead of solely relying on live games, they can monetize their archives in groundbreaking ways. Fans could watch and wager on simulations, engage with unique merchandise tied to the recreated events, or even participate by voting on matchups and outcomes.
Sponsorship opportunities are massive—imagine a simulation of Federer vs. Hewitt powered by Rolex or Nike, seamlessly blending brand integration with nostalgia. For betting operators, these simulations offer a fresh, untapped market. Meanwhile, fans gain a dynamic way to connect with the history of sports, deepening their loyalty to both players and leagues.
2025 could mark the beginning of a new era where sports history isn’t just remembered—it’s relived, reimagined, and re-monetized.
Emerging Markets Offer Untapped Social-First, Sport Media Platform Opportunities
While the Middle East dominates the spotlight with its seismic investments in sports (from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to the UAE’s bold plays in global sports partnerships), there are untapped opportunities waiting to emerge in other regions. Brazil, for instance, has long been a powerhouse in football, exporting its players to leagues across the globe. But the challenge for Brazil is transforming its undeniable footballing strength into a cohesive global media brand.
Disruptive Play’s Perspective: Both Brazil and the Middle East offer immense potential to engage younger, digital-first audiences. Brazil’s football passion, rich in stories and rivalries, combined with its strong social media presence, can connect with global fans and transcend traditional media formats. Similarly, the Middle East’s digital-first culture positions it to redefine the fan experience, reshaping how sports are consumed globally. These regions are primed to unlock new, borderless sports media platforms that captivate today’s digitally-savvy fanbase.
A New Monetization Playbook Bears Fruit
Sports leagues, teams, and creators will embrace a commerce-first approach to monetize fandom, inspired by QVC’s collaboration with USA Pickleball and McLaren’s bold fashion partnership with Abercrombie & Fitch. Expect a rise in shoppable experiences integrated into live events and digital broadcasts, event-driven product drops, and partnerships that reflect the lifestyle and interests of modern fans. This strategy will create a hybrid model where entertainment and shopping are indistinguishable, fostering a deeper connection between fans and brands.
Disruptive Play Perspective: The playbook for sports monetization is being rewritten in real-time. QVC’s partnership with USA Pickleball highlights how smaller, emerging sports can thrive by leaning into commerce-driven content, while McLaren’s fashion collaboration with Abercrombie underscores the power of brand alignment in non-traditional spaces. For creators and leagues alike, the challenge is to make monetization seamless and authentic. This isn’t just about selling merch—it’s about building ecosystems where commerce becomes part of the fan experience. Those who adapt to this model will unlock new revenue streams and create communities that aren’t just watching—they’re buying into the lifestyle.
Final Thoughts: 2025 will be a defining year for sports—a time of great opportunity and significant risk.
The challenges are clear: financial instability, shifting audience demands, and the struggle to stand out in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. Yet, these challenges also create unprecedented opportunities for those willing to adapt, innovate, and embrace bold new approaches.
At Disruptive Play, we thrive in moments like this. As change agents at the intersection of sports, media, and the creator economy, we’re here to help leagues future-proof their models, creators unlock their full potential, and fans rediscover the joy of connection. Whether it’s reimagining distribution strategies, maximizing athlete-driven content, or pioneering entirely new formats, we’re ready to lead the charge.
The rules of the game are changing. The question is: will you adapt—or get left behind?