Live sports have provided a much-needed last line of defence for pay-TV companies in the battle to retain subscribers. The pandemic has therefore arrived as a painful blow to those media owners, with a shortage of live sporting contests heightening fears of ‘cord-cutting’ as the global economy tips into recession.
Yet, even as professional sports slowly return to screens in the West, broadcasters increasingly face another threat: the possibility of rights owners going direct to fans with OTT video content services.
While 44% of US consumers would consider switching from cable TV to multiple streaming platforms, just one-tenth...