Sports streaming is starting to feel even more difficult to navigate than cable, 20 years after the first live-streamed regular-season pro sports game, Axios' Sara Fischer and I write.
Why it matters: Streaming was supposed to make it easier for fans to follow the leagues and teams they love.
The backdrop: MLB.TV kicked things off 20 years ago today as the first professional league to live-stream a regular-season game.
MLB's main differentiator was betting big on technology, creating a small division called BAMTech that powered one of the most sophisticated streaming experiences in sports. That technology now powers ESPN+.
MLB is now considering complementing its service with one that would allow fans to watch local games even without having cable.
Data: S&P Global Market Intelligence; Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios
State of play: Dozens of entities with the financial incentive to invest in streaming have yielded a crowded landscape.
Leagues, like the NFL with its newly-launched NFL+,invest in their own services as a way to gather more money and data from fans. Niche sports like gymnastics and poker have their own services, too.
Networks have recently spent big to keep up in the streaming wars: NBCU's Peacock bought the exclusive U.S. rights to the WWE's uber-popular streamer for over $1 billion in 2021.
Big Tech companies like Apple, Amazon and YouTube are spending big to bid on live sports rights as a way to draw more fans to their streaming services. The NFL's lucrative Sunday Ticket package is expected to go to a tech company this fall.
Yes, but: Streaming still doesn't have as large or reliable of a distribution as linear TV. CBS All Access' app crashing during last year's Super Bowl showed that the technology still isn't perfect.
The big picture: The streaming explosion offers new opportunities for leagues, fans and commercial partners to grow with things like micro-betting that require real-time streaming speed.
But at some point, the landscape must become less expensive and easier to navigate for consumers.
What to watch: Amazon's exclusive Thursday Night Football deal debuted last night with the 49ers-Texans preseason game and will follow with 15 more in the regular season.
To hedge, it brokered a deal with DirecTV to air those games in over 300,000 sports bars, restaurants, hotels and other venues outside of homes.
Ferrari (334): Given Charles Leclerc's (178) numerous troubles this season, still being in second feels like a miracle. If he and Carlos Sainz (156) clean things up, maybe they can challenge Red Bull.
Mercedes (304): Seven-time champ Lewis Hamilton (146) and George Russell (158) have combined for seven podiums in their past five races after just four in their first eight. It may be too little too late, but they've got lots of momentum heading into Belgium.
Looking ahead: Here's what the schedule looks like the rest of the way:
Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Oscar Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images
đŸ Novak's out: Hours before the U.S. Open draw was released, Novak Djokovic withdrew himself due to his unvaccinated status barring his entry from the country. The tournament begins Monday.
đŸ More Novak: The Professional Tennis Players Association, co-launched in 2020 by Djokovic and Canada's Vasek Pospisil, raised $26 million on Thursday to launch an entity that will help pro men's and women's players monetize their stardom, reports Sportico.
đ WNBAROY: Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard, the No. 1 pick, was named WNBA Rookie of the Year on Thursday. She averaged 16.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals.
âœïž Transfer record: English Premier League clubs have broken their record for the most money spent during a summer transfer window ($1.77 billion) with a week still remaining.
đ Content warning: Bills rookie Matt Araiza, the so-called "Punt God," is among those accused in a civil suit filed Thursday of gang-raping a 17-year-old girl last year when he was a junior at San Diego State.
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The Champions League trophy on display in Istanbul during Thursday's draw. Photo: Lukas Schulze - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
On the heels of qualifiers, and three months after Real Madrid won their record-extending 14th title, the Champions League group stage has been set after Thursday's draw.
State of play: 32 teams representing 15 countries begin their first of six group stage matchdays on Sept. 6, with everything leading towards the final in Istanbul next spring.
Group A: Ajax (Netherlands), Liverpool (England), Napoli (Italy), Rangers (Scotland)
BELGRADE, Serbia â A couple MVPs faced off Thursday in a FIBA World Cup qualifier. Nikola JokiÄ's (29-8-6) Serbia beat Giannis Antetokounmpo's (40-8-5) Greece, 100-94, with Novak Djokovic in attendance.
ATLANTA â Rory McIlroy and Cameron Smith, a staunch PGA Tour defender and reportedly one of LIV's newest golfers, played together Thursday at the Tour Championship. They got on rather nicely.
PHILADELPHIA â There is absolutely nothing like a baseball sky.
6. đș Watchlist: It's back
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Though most teams kick off next weekend, Saturday's 11-game FBS slate provides a tantalizing appetizer to remind us of one thing: college football is back.
âŸïž LLWS:Taiwan vs. Curaçao (Sat. 12:30pm, ABC); Hawaii vs. Tennessee (Sat. 3:30pm, ABC) ... Int'l and U.S. championships; winners meet in Sunday's LLWS World Championship (3pm, ABC).
đ NFL:14 games (Fri.âSun. CBS/NFL/NFL+) ... Final weekend of preseason.
đ WNBA playoffs:Storm at Aces (Sun. 4pm, ESPN); Sun at Sky (Sun. 8pm, ESPN2) ... Game 1 in best-of-five semifinals.
Photo: Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Mookie Betts, Team USA's latest commitment for next year's World Baseball Classic, has 55 WAR since his rookie year in 2014 â second only to Mike Trout's 60.2.
Question: Who fills out the top five behind them?
Hint: All infielders.
Answer at the bottom.
8. âŸïž Triple Crown watch: Goldy's on fire
Photo: Quinn Harris/Getty Images
NL MVP favorite Paul Goldschmidt hit two more home runs on Thursday to go along with a run-scoring single and 5 RBI.
Why it matters: Goldy is knocking on the door of becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012, and the first in the NL since 1937.
HR: 33, two shy of NL lead (Kyle Schwarber, 35)
RBI: 105, leads NL (Pete Alonso, 104)
AVG: .339, leads NL (Freddie Freeman, .326)
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