Sports fans are watching more content across more platforms, but IBM's latest research suggests the expanding digital ecosystem is creating an unexpected problem: complexity. A survey of more than 20,000 sports fans across 12 countries found rising expectations for digital sports experiences, growing use of AI and sports apps, and strong demand for reliable information and more consolidated viewing experiences.

The modern sports fan has more ways to watch, follow and interact with a game than ever before. The problem is that those choices can also make the experience harder to manage.

That tension is highlighted in IBM's latest Sports Intelligence Report, based on responses from more than 20,000 sports fans across 12 countries. The research found that 46% of surveyed fans believe their expectations for digital sports experiences are higher than they were one to two years ago.

Those expectations are developing alongside a fragmented viewing market.

Thirty percent of respondents said a subscription streaming service is the option they are most likely to use for watching live sports, compared with 29% who selected linear broadcast. Among fans who prefer digital platforms, convenience was the leading reason, cited by 43%, while 27% pointed to access to exclusive content.

The numbers illustrate a fundamental change in sports media. Streaming is no longer simply an alternative to television. For a growing portion of audiences, it is becoming part of the default sports-viewing experience.

Yet consumers are not necessarily asking for more platforms. Many want fewer places to look.

Nearly four in 10 surveyed fans—39%—said they are frustrated by managing multiple subscriptions to watch the sporting events they care about. The issue is particularly pronounced among Gen Z, where 46% reported frustration.

That creates a difficult proposition for sports organizations and media companies. More distribution channels can increase reach, but fragmented rights, subscriptions and applications can make the customer experience more complicated.

IBM's research suggests that consolidation could become a competitive advantage.

Nearly three-quarters of surveyed fans, 72%, said they use sports apps. Among those users, 40% identified having information in one place as the leading reason they use sports applications, while 35% use them for real-time updates when they cannot watch or listen to an event.

The demand is not limited to scores and schedules.

Thirty percent of sports app users said they use live statistics and analytics more than they did one to two years ago, making it the fastest-growing app feature measured in the study.

Sports applications are also becoming transactional environments. In the previous year, 33% of surveyed app users bought tickets through a sports app, while 30% ordered food or beverages at a live event and 29% purchased merchandise.

That suggests the sports app is evolving from an information utility into a broader digital commerce platform.

AI is another major part of that transition, although the research points to an important condition: fans care more about accuracy than speed.

AI usage among surveyed respondents increased from 52% to 69% year over year. At the same time, 59% said they trust AI-generated sports content, down from 63% the previous year.

The decline in overall trust is notable because adoption is moving in the opposite direction.

Familiarity appears to matter. Among respondents who already use AI, 74% trust AI-generated sports content, compared with only 27% among those who do not use AI.

But accuracy remains the critical factor. Forty-four percent of respondents said highly accurate sports information is more important to them than speed, which was prioritized by 23%. Accuracy was also the leading driver of trust in AI-powered sports insights, cited by 45%.

For sports organizations deploying AI, the implication is clear. Faster answers are not necessarily better answers if fans cannot trust them.

This is particularly relevant as sports platforms increasingly use AI to generate statistics, personalize recommendations, summarize games and answer fan questions. A mistaken score, player statistic or injury update can undermine credibility quickly.

The research also points to an evolving role for sports creators.

Nearly half of surveyed fans, 49%, said they follow sports creators. That figure rises to approximately six in 10 among Gen Z and Millennial respondents.

Their influence extends beyond sport. Seventy percent of surveyed followers said creators influence their opinions or awareness in areas including fashion, music or technology, while 22% said creators influence multiple aspects of their lifestyle.

That creates an increasingly valuable bridge between sports media and broader consumer culture.

For sports organizations and marketers, creator partnerships can therefore provide more than game promotion. They can connect sports properties with lifestyle interests and younger audiences that may not engage with conventional broadcast advertising.

The challenge is turning all of these digital touchpoints into a coherent experience.

Seventy-five percent of surveyed fans believe their viewing habits will change over the next two to three years. More than one-third, 36%, expect to watch more live broadcast or streaming events.

That suggests demand for digital sports content is not slowing. But the platforms that win may be those capable of reducing friction rather than adding another destination.

Market Landscape

The sports media market is moving toward a hybrid model in which linear television, streaming services, sports apps, social platforms and creator ecosystems coexist.

Major technology companies such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft are investing heavily in cloud, streaming, AI and data infrastructure, while sports leagues and broadcasters increasingly build direct-to-consumer digital products.

The resulting ecosystem gives fans unprecedented choice but also introduces subscription fatigue and fragmented experiences.

IBM's research suggests that the next competitive advantage may therefore be integration.

A centralized sports application could potentially combine live viewing, scores, statistics, commerce, personalized recommendations, tickets and exclusive content. However, the survey also shows a significant gap between interest and willingness to pay: 47% of respondents said they would likely use a centralized sports app, but only 29% would pay for one.

Premium live viewing and having all content in one place were the strongest potential subscription drivers, each cited by 61%.

Strategic Outlook

Sports organizations face a balancing act between monetizing fragmented digital audiences and simplifying the customer experience.

The data suggests fans will continue adopting streaming, AI, apps and creator-led content, but they want these technologies to work together.

For enterprise marketers, that means customer experience may become as important as content volume. AI-powered personalization, real-time analytics and commerce features can create value, but only when they are accurate and easy to access.

The broader lesson extends beyond sports. As digital ecosystems become more complex, businesses may increasingly compete on their ability to remove friction from customer journeys.

Top Insights

• IBM's research shows sports fans increasingly expect connected digital experiences, while fragmented subscriptions and platforms are creating frustration across younger audiences.
• AI adoption among surveyed fans rose to 69%, but accuracy remains more important than speed when audiences evaluate AI-generated sports information.
• Sports apps are evolving into commerce hubs, with surveyed users buying tickets, food, beverages and merchandise alongside consuming scores and analytics.
• Nearly half of surveyed fans follow sports creators, showing how creator influence is expanding from sports coverage into fashion, technology, music and lifestyle.
• Centralized sports apps have strong appeal, but the gap between usage interest and willingness to pay highlights challenges around digital sports monetization.

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