The world of sports broadcasting has seen a significant surge in viewership, with the English Premier League (EPL) and Italy's Serie A leading the charge. This article delves into the details of this growth, its implications for broadcasters like Sky Sports, and how other leagues like Scotland’s top-flight Premiership (SPFL) and English Women’s Super League (WSL) are also reaping benefits.
Sky Sports, a pay-TV giant in the UK, reported that its coverage of the 2025-26 EPL season saw an impressive 25% increase in viewership year-on-year. This was largely due to Arsenal securing their first title in over two decades. The suspenseful season kept fans glued to their screens until the penultimate gameweek when Arsenal finally clinched victory.
In contrast to the previous season which concluded well ahead of schedule, this campaign's uncertainty ensured high viewership throughout. On the final day alone, Sky broadcast all ten games simultaneously attracting an average of three million in-home viewers - not counting those watching from outside homes.
This surge helped offset a disappointing 10% drop during the 2024-25 campaign compared to its predecessor.
Future broadcast rights split between Sky and TNT
The strong performance is good news for both Sky and TNT as they prepare to share live rights between them from 2025-26 through to 2028-29. The resurgence of Arsenal as Premier League champions after many years has undoubtedly contributed significantly towards this uplifted viewership trend.
The positive trend wasn't confined only to men's football; it extended across other leagues within Sky Sports' rights ecosystem too. The top-tier English Women’s Super League enjoyed a 16% YoY viewership increase, marking the successful start of a new five-year deal.
Scotland’s top-flight Premiership also performed well, with an intriguing season and a final-day title decider contributing to a 22% YoY viewership growth.
Serie A records 13% YoY increase
The trend of increased viewership was not limited to the UK. Italy’s Serie A reported a 13% YoY increase in viewership, averaging at 7.2 million viewers per broadcast weekend across primary rightsholders Sky Italia and DAZN.
Michele Ciccarese, Serie A commercial and marketing director, said:
“It's an impressive figure, with a consistency that is repeated every week. For companies, it means having a stable and continuous territory in which to invest.
“The 13% increase in audience means 38 days of continuity for a brand. There is no other territory in Italy capable of offering a similar frequency."
This surge has seemingly led to an increase in Serie A's commercial revenues from sponsorship, which rose to €90 million ($104.7 million) this year - up significantly from nearly €25 million six years ago. This suggests that the value of Italian soccer inventory is on the rise.
The recent double-digit growth in EPL and Serie A's viewerships is indicative of football's enduring popularity among sports fans worldwide. The success stories from WSL and SPFL further underscore this point. As broadcasters prepare for future seasons, they can look forward to capitalizing on these positive trends while continuing to deliver high-quality coverage that keeps fans engaged.
