The future of sports is direct-to-consumer. Discover why fan ownership, not broadcast rights, is driving the next era of digital sports engagement.
The Battle for Fan Relevance Has Already Begun
Let's be blunt: if you're still counting on traditional TV to grow your fanbase, you're already behind.
Live sports are relocating. And fans are setting the terms.
The modern fan isn't glued to a living room screen. They're on Discord, Instagram and five tabs deep into YouTube highlights before kickoff even begins.
Just 28% of Gen Z watch live sports on traditional TV.
The rest?
They're elsewhere - second-screening, streaming or skipping the broadcast entirely.
Major leagues have taken the hint.
MLB is reclaiming local rights and expanding D2C availability
MLS inked a $2.5B deal with Apple to own the entire fan journey
UFC and others are building hybrid ecosystems to reach superfans directly
They're not experimenting. They're re-architecting. Because here's the real headline:
You're no longer just competing for rights. You're competing for relevance.
And relevance now lives in platforms that deliver personalised, digital-first experiences, where fans don't just consume the game, they co-create the moment.
Laminar gives you the platform to own your audience, scale experiences globally and monetise directly, without any tech lift.
Fans Don't Just Want Access, They Want a Relationship
Today's fan doesn't think in channels. They think in ecosystems.
Here's what "watching a game" means in 2025:
Multi-angle replays and real-time stats overlays
Altcasts hosted by creators, athletes or influencers
Gamification layers, i.e. trivia, predictions, live betting integrations
In-stream purchases, i.e. "Mikko Rantanen scores!" → "Buy the jersey now"
Co-viewing, i.e. watch parties, synced streams, live fan chats
These aren't novelties. They're table stakes.
83% of Gen Z second-screen during matches. If your stream is passive, they're tuning out.
F1TV leaned into customisation, letting fans pick feeds, camera angles and telemetry. They grew 20% YoY in the U.S.
Apple's MLS 360 created a whiparound show designed to feel like RedZone for soccer - fast, fluid and addictive.
The WNBA, often underestimated in media circles, saw record League Pass engagement after doubling down on fan-first digital content built around player access and community voice.
Why? Because passive viewership is a dead end.
Engagement = retention. Retention = revenue.
Laminar gives you the toolkit to build more than a stream. You're launching a fan ecosystem, one that feels alive, responsive and made for today's audience.
Monetisation Is No Longer Linear, And That's a Good Thing
The old model was simple: sell rights, take the cheque, split the revenue.
Simple, but limiting. Because now, monetisation doesn't follow one track. It's a web of options that compound over time.
| Model | Purpose |
|---|---|
| AVOD | Reach casual fans with free, ad-supported access |
| SVOD | Convert loyalists into recurring revenue |
| TVOD | Monetise high-value moments (e.g. finals, docuseries, PPVs) |
| Fan Commerce | Sell tickets, merch, memberships inside the stream |
| Digital Assets | Launch tokens, NFTs, or collectibles that deepen connection |
The global licensed sports merchandise market size is projected to reach $49B by 2030.
With D2C, you don't have to pick one. You just need a platform that can support all of them. Natively, dynamically and without engineering acrobatics.
Laminar supports every model out of the box. No plugins. No workarounds. Just monetisation that moves at the speed of fandom.
Data Is the Most Valuable Asset You're Not Collecting
When you rely on third-party broadcasters or aggregators, you give away your most valuable currency: first-party audience insights.
Ask yourself:
Who are your most valuable fans?
What content drives them to buy, share or subscribe?
How do you prove ROI to sponsors without data to back it?
You probably can't. Not without your own platform.
FC Bayern's "Golden Fan Record" aggregates fan data across 50+ systems. It includes more than 250 fan attributes, allowing the club to recognise individual preferences & purchasing behaviour to drive personalisation, optimise offers and supercharge commercial partnerships.
That's the future. And it's already in play.
With Laminar, data capture and activation are built in and not bolted on. From viewer heatmaps to behavioural segmentation, it's all part of the stack.
Still Not Convinced? Let's Talk About What's Really Holding You Back
You might be thinking: "This all sounds great, but do we really have the time, budget or a team to pull it off?"
Totally fair. Let's break it down:
| Concern | Reality with Laminar |
|---|---|
| "We don't have a tech team." | Laminar is fully supported, no-code with a drag-and-drop builder. Launch in 6–12 weeks. |
| "Will fans pay for another app?" | Freemium, bundling and hybrid pricing all supported. Start with reach, grow loyalty. |
| "Won't this conflict with TV deals?" | Many leagues run parallel content: youth games, behind-the-scenes, BTS, altcasts. |
| "We operate globally. How do we manage that?" | Laminar handles 135 currencies, 10+ gateways, global tax and privacy compliance. |
And yes, platform fatigue is real. But fans aren't tired of great platforms.
They're tired of fragmented, hard-to-use ones.
If your experience is faster, richer and more rewarding, they'll switch.
Laminar delivers across 30+ device categories, integrates with discovery platforms and makes your content easier to find and enjoy - wherever your fans are.
If Fans Are the Engine, Sponsors Are the Fuel
The sponsorship model has changed. Beyond just eyeballs, sponsors are looking for outcomes.
Modern sponsors want measurable value:
Segmented access to superfans
Triggered campaigns tied to live moments
Click-to-buy overlays during peak emotion
Lead capture and first-party engagement data
Traditional media can't deliver that. Aggregators won't share it.
Your own platform? That's where the magic happens.
Laminar gives you the tools to transform sponsorship from exposure to engagement with real attribution and campaign-level insights.
When sponsors see performance, they scale up. When they can target, they keep coming back.
This Isn't Just for the Majors, It's for the Builders
Let's squash a myth: you don't need to be the NFL to build your own platform.
In fact, if you're a mid-tier league, a women's federation or a niche sport on the rise, D2C isn't just an opportunity, it's the great equaliser.
This is already working for:
Emerging women's leagues with global aspirations
Mid-tier national teams reaching diasporas abroad
Esports orgs like Riot building always-on fan loops
Tournament owners turning one-off events into platforms
Laminar scales with your ambition, not your headcount. No CapEx. No heavy lifting. Just velocity.
Your Fans Are Ready. Are You?
The old playbook is over. Broadcast rights alone won't future-proof your league.
Your fans are already digital. Already global. Already active.
They're not waiting for another broadcast deal.
They're waiting for your platform, made for them, built by you, backed by Laminar.
Or you can build and own your future.
The future of sports fandom is dynamic, direct and deeply digital. You already have the audience. Now take control of the experience and the revenue. The future of sports isn't broadcast. It's owned.