How FAST Is Powering the Future of Sports Viewership

How FAST Is Powering the Future of Sports Viewership

Author: Jen Pittenger, Senior Director, Xumo Advertising Sales

Over the past two years, virtually every major live sporting event has been available on a streaming platform, delivering record-breaking viewership for events like the Paris Olympics, NFL season openers and playoffs, and college football matchups. In fact, last year alone, sports accounted for 96% of the most-watched non-political programs.¹ As fans look for more ways to access sports content, free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) is emerging as a dynamic destination for highlights, replays, and niche sports – bringing a game-changing opportunity for advertisers.

The Undeniable Power of Sports

Sports continues to deliver large, highly-engaged audiences and with 33% of FAST sports fans saying it accounts for about half of their total sports viewing,² the opportunity for advertisers is immense.

Viewers aren’t just watching; they’re paying attention. In fact, audiences are 10% more likely to watch ads in their entirety during live sports broadcasts,³ making these moments especially valuable for brands.

What’s more, 57% of ads during live sports are viewed by groups of two or more, amplifying both reach and impact through shared viewing experiences.³ And the results speak for themselves: one in three fans have purchased a product they saw during a game, demonstrating the direct influence sports advertising can have on consumer behavior.¹

FAST platforms further enhance this opportunity. According to recent research conducted by Xumo and Hub, over 50% of fans who already watch sports on FAST expect to watch more in the coming year, and 20% of non-viewers plan to start consuming sports via FAST in the next six months.² This growing interest signals a major opportunity for advertisers to capture incremental audiences and build early brand loyalty as FAST adoption accelerates.

Fans Are Actively Seeking Out Sports on FAST

Major sporting events have increasingly shifted to streaming platforms in recent years. In 2024 and so far in 2025, virtually every major live sporting event has been available, in some aspect, on a streaming platform, delivering record-breaking viewership for events like the Paris Olympics, NFL season openers and playoffs, college football matchups and more. These events helped normalize streaming as a destination for live sports and paved the way for more sports-focused FAST content and channels.

This surge in engagement underscores how streaming has become central to the sports experience – FAST included. In fact, engagement with sports channels on FAST increased 12% in the last six months alone compared to the prior period,² illustrating a clear trend: sports fans are not just tuning in – they’re staying longer and coming back more often.

Recent Xumo data shows that Xumo Play users watch an average of 6.2 types of sports versus 5.2 for non-Xumo viewers, highlighting the power of FAST to not only attract sports fans but also encourage deeper exploration across a wider variety of sports genres.⁴ This includes growing categories – from women’s leagues like the WNBA and women’s soccer to year-round favorites like tennis and pickleball.

The Future Is FAST

The future of sports viewing is already here, and FAST is a big part of the conversation, whether it’s reaching fans during the Super Bowl, tapping into niche sports audiences, or driving conversions through contextual ad placements. And with major sports leagues leaning further into FAST through dedicated channels to feature replays, highlights, and even live events there’s even more content for advertisers to get in on the action.

For advertisers, the opportunity is clear: meet fans where they are, deliver what they love, and do it in a way that’s free, flexible, and built for discovery. And for content providers, FAST offers a scalable way to extend reach, monetize live and library sports content, and build brand loyalty among highly engaged audiences – all without the barriers of subscription fatigue.

With incremental reach, group viewing, and proven purchase behavior, FAST isn’t just another distribution channel – it’s a performance engine for sports advertising.

To learn more about how to harness the power of sports on FAST for your brand, visit https://www.xumo.com/advertising.

Sources

1. Comcast Advertising 2024 Sports Replay.
2. Xumo Research, in partnership with Hub, 2025.
3. TVision Program Analysis Time Period Report, 2024.
4. Xumo Consumer Research, 2025.