As sports programming continues to expand across television channels and streaming platforms, fans are increasingly struggling to find the live events they want to watch. A new global study from Gracenote, Nielsen’s content intelligence business, found that 85% of sports fans want their TV home screens to display upcoming games and competitions involving their favourite teams and leagues, together with information on where those events can be watched.
The findings come from Gracenote’s 2026 Global Sports Fan Report, Home Screen Advantage, which highlights the growing discovery challenge created by fragmentation across broadcasters, streaming services and digital platforms.
According to the research, 26% of respondents say they are always or often unable to identify which channel or service is carrying a specific sporting event. The problem is even more pronounced among younger audiences, with 36% of respondents aged 18-34 frequently unable to determine where to watch the sports content they want.
Fans struggle to find where games are being shown
Internet search is not always solving the problem either. More than two-thirds of respondents use online search to find sports coverage, while 32% of US respondents say search results always or often fail to provide accurate information about locally televised games.
The findings also point to a commercial opportunity for media providers. Some 68% of respondents subscribe to at least one service because of its sports offering, while half say they would be likely to add another service to access their preferred sports programming.
With sports rights increasingly distributed across multiple platforms, the ability to help fans discover and access content could become an increasingly important differentiator for broadcasters and streaming services.
Strong demand for a centralised sports hub
As part of the research, respondents were given access to a custom web demonstration powered by Gracenote On Sports. The interface brought together real-time linear and streaming schedules, viewing options across channels and apps, dynamic statistics and direct links to content available on different platforms.
The response was strongly positive. Some 91% of respondents said centralising sports information, including where to watch specific games, would make it easier to find the events they want.
Meanwhile, 67% expressed interest in personalised schedules and statistics based on the teams and leagues they follow. More than 45% said a centralised sports schedule would save them at least five minutes when searching for a game or event.
Sports engagement extends beyond live games
The research also shows that sports consumption goes well beyond live competition. Some 77% of respondents watch sports-related programming in addition to live events, while 38% prefer highlights to watching full games.
For media platforms, this creates opportunities to keep fans engaged before, during and after live events through highlights, analysis, documentaries, statistics and other related content.
Gracenote On Sports provides sports data, video metadata, schedules, viewing links and imagery for more than 75 sports and 340 leagues across more than 50 countries through a single API.
Trent Wheeler, Gracenote’s head of product innovation, said the growing number of apps and services has made it increasingly difficult for fans to find live games and other sports programming.
Bringing schedules, where-to-watch information, highlights and other content into a single experience, he argued, can simplify sports discovery while helping platforms differentiate their offerings.
The findings underline a broader shift in sports media: the competition is no longer only about securing valuable rights, but also about making those rights easier for fans to discover and access.
As sports rights become increasingly fragmented across linear television and streaming platforms, answering the simple question of “Where can I watch the game?” could become a significant competitive advantage.