Is Cable TV Being Benched for Good? The Rise of Streaming in Live Sports
Sept. 18, 2025, Published 2:15 a.m. ET
For years, cable television held a monopoly on live sports games. But insiders say the balance of power is shifting. Sports fans are increasingly abandoning traditional cable bundles in favor of new streaming platforms, raising the question: is cable TV being benched for good?
Cord-Cutting Hits the Playing Field
Industry sources tell Radar that the trend of cord-cutting is “accelerating in sports faster than expected.” Younger fans, particularly Gen Z, are less likely to commit to high monthly cable bills. Instead, they want flexible access—live sports streaming, multi-device viewing, and on-demand replays that cable struggles to deliver.
“Viewers aren’t just watching on the living room TV anymore,” one analyst explained. “They want to follow a football match on their phone, switch to basketball highlights on their tablet, and rewatch the last inning on a laptop—all without being tied to a cable contract.”
Inside the New Frustrations
But with this shift come new headaches. Exclusive streaming deals mean one service may hold rights to football, while another has basketball, and yet another locks down international tournaments. Fans report frustration with “subscription fatigue” as they juggle multiple apps and rising costs.
There are also concerns about stability. “Latency during live games is the number-one complaint,” said a source close to a leading streaming provider. “When a playoff moment is delayed by ten seconds compared to cable, fans notice—and they don’t forget.”
The Money Behind the Move
Economics are driving everything. Broadcasting rights for major leagues are skyrocketing, and digital platforms see sports as the golden ticket to global growth. Traditional cable providers, weighed down by infrastructure costs, are struggling to keep up.
Some insiders predict that within five years, over-the-top (OTT) platforms could dominate prime-time sports, leaving cable with only regional or secondary coverage. Others caution that the hybrid model—part cable, part streaming—will remain the norm until viewers push hard enough for change.
What Fans Stand to Gain—or Lose
The cultural impact is undeniable. Game nights are moving from living rooms to mobile devices. Watch parties now happen across group chats, with fans streaming the same match from different corners of the world.
While that creates a more interactive, global experience, some say it lacks the simplicity of cable’s one-stop setup. As one insider put it, “Sports broadcasting is in the middle of its biggest shake-up since the satellite dish. The question isn’t whether streaming will win—it’s whether fans will accept the growing costs and complications that come with it.”
The Bottom Line
Cable’s dominance is fading, and the future of watching sports is clearly moving toward digital-first platforms. But with convenience comes complexity. For fans, the real challenge may be deciding how much they’re willing to sacrifice for flexibility.
https://radaronline.com/p/future-watching-sports-moving-off-cable-onto-new-platforms/
