What to expect in 2025: Ten sports broadcasting predictions
From AI-driven production and cloud-based workflows to multiview streaming and the push for sustainability, 2025 is poised to be a transformative year where technology, personalisation, and competition could redefine the industry. Industry leaders share insights into the trends and technologies set to shape the next chapter of live sports broadcasting.
“In 2025, one thing is certain; the sports broadcasting landscape is again set to be a battleground between established broadcasters and digital newcomers. But as bidding wars intensify, it’s uncertain whether traditional broadcasters will stage a comeback, or streaming powerhouses like Apple and Netflix will secure the upper hand with exclusive rights. Only time will tell, but the fact that many of us watched the NFL on Netflix this holiday season certainly makes things interesting.”
James Rivers, Imagine Communications, solutions engineer
“While the industry has begun transitioning to IP-based infrastructures, many broadcasters remain heavily invested in SDI systems. For these customers, a phased approach to IP adoption is essential. Technologies with an IP backbone that also support existing SDI infrastructure are enabling a gradual transition, allowing broadcasters to maximise their current investments while progressively adopting new capabilities…in 2025, we expect to see continued investment in solutions that bridge SDI and IP workflows, providing broadcasters with the tools they need to evolve without overhauling their entire infrastructure at once.”
Sébastien Verlaine, EVS, senior brand & corporate communications manager
“If 2024 was the year AI became essential, 2025 is the year it becomes the norm. AI-powered production is only going to get smarter and more widely adopted. We’ll see systems that adjust dynamically to the pace of a game, weather conditions, and even the tone of the crowd. It’s not just about capturing the action anymore – it’s about enhancing the story in real time.Beyond the game itself, AI will take on tasks like creating personalised highlights and analysing data to predict trends. This will make it easier for broadcasters to deliver the kind of content fans crave, faster than ever before.”
Patrik Olsson, Spiideo, co-founder and CEO
“As the sports broadcasting industry heads into 2025, the focus shifts from the technological trials and breakthroughs of major events in 2024 to consolidating these innovations into sustainable, scalable practices…2025 is set to see a deeper embrace of software-defined broadcasting, a shift from hardware-dependent workflows to software-centric approaches. This offers unparalleled flexibility, enabling productions to scale infrastructure dynamically, share costs, and sustain operations. Technologies such as IP networks and software solutions, are now essential for improving efficiency across platforms.”
Norbert Paquet, Sony Europe, head of live production
“Personalisation reached new heights in 2024 with the rise of multiview streaming, a feature allowing fans to control their viewing experience through multiple camera angles, customised audio feeds, or simultaneous game streams. NBA League Pass’s multiview functionality, launched in 2024, was lauded for its intuitive interface…as consumer demand for interactivity grows, multiview technology will likely expand further in 2025, driving broadcasters to adopt and refine these features…multiview capabilities will become standard across major broadcasters and streaming platforms, offering fans an unprecedented level of control over their viewing experiences.”
Jean-Christophe Pineault, Mediakind sports sales manager
“The sustainability imperative will drive further changes in 2025. Remote production will become more sophisticated, with distributed teams collaborating across continents. This approach not only reduces carbon footprints but also allows organisations to access global talent pools more effectively. One challenge that remains is skills development. The industry needs to invest in training to ensure broadcast engineers are comfortable with IT concepts like networking and virtualisation. This transition from traditional broadcast engineering to IT-based systems represents perhaps the biggest cultural shift our industry has seen.”
Russell Johnson, Hitomi Broadcast director
“As more broadcasters and leagues lean into cloud-based media pipelines in 2025, not only will they be able to cut down on physical gear and travel costs, but they’ll also unlock a wealth of new engagement and entertainment possibilities. They can produce traditional and alternate programming at scale for a differentiated offering that adds new value for fans. It will also become easier for them to leverage cloud-based technology, like artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML), to further evolve experiences.”
Andrew Reich, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Senior Industry Specialist, BD – Media & Entertainment, Games, and Sports
“As the industry looks toward 2025, one of the continuing challenges will be engaging Gen Z viewers, who prefer personalised, authentic, and interactive content over traditional, passive broadcasts. To appeal to this demographic, broadcasters are likely to increasingly collaborate with influencers and create social-media-friendly content. Building a genuine narrative in sports coverage requires careful planning, especially in the unpredictable world of live broadcast where spontaneity is key. Broadcasters will increasingly value innovative technologies with the flexibility that enables them to meet
Ophir Zardok, LiveU head of sports strategy & business development
“The biggest threat to the majority of streaming services is going to be short-form social videos. The big platforms like YouTube and Netflix will be important buyers of content and every sports streamer or broadcaster is going to come under more and more pressure to consider involving and integrating a TikTok-like experience for viewers, as the NBA and MLB have already done. Sports rights owners will have to balance the exclusivity of their linear content with the demand for real-time social media distribution, as getting this balance right is crucial for driving engagement and interest in live sports.”
Simon Brydon, head of sport – video network at Synamedia
“I am confident we will see more hyper-personalisation of sports media, and further exploration of the metaverse as an extended platform for sports event delivery. And in a surprise return swing of the pendulum, satellite technology promises to disrupt the traditional models of connectivity for live events, in the form of LEO services, if the challenges of continuous coverage can be met. Starlink, Amazon’s Project Kuiper and OneWeb offer the potential to extend the reach of sports coverage to budgets and locations not previously thought possible.”
Steve MacMurray, Globecast digital media development manager