Sports Industry Outlook 2025

What’s next in sports: from private equity involvement to innovative fan experiences, PwC unpacks the hottest trends

Dive into the playbooks and articles below for the latest in trends and predictions about the sports industry for the coming year. From private equity's influence on franchise values to AI innovations enhancing fan experiences to younger audiences redefining live sports, 2025 is going to be an exciting year.

Out of bounds: College sports is becoming a professional powerhouse
College sports are transforming as name, image and likeness (NIL) deals turn athletes into brands and redefining opportunities. With billion-dollar media contracts and uneven state regulations, the line between amateur and professional sports has never been blurrier.

Read the playbook

How private equity is rewriting the financial playbook for sports franchises 
With NFL franchise values soaring and recent rule changes allowing private equity to hold stakes, investors are exploring opportunities beyond the field, from smart venues to mixed-use developments. Learn how these shifts are driving innovation, diversifying revenue and redefining profitability metrics in the sports industry.

Read the playbook

How some sports leagues score big despite media fragmentation
Major sports leagues like the NFL and MLB are revolutionizing fan engagement by diversifying their media rights across multiple platforms and unconventional time slots. Learn how this strategy is not only increasing viewership but also transforming the way fans consume their favorite sports content.

Read the playbook

Sports sponsorship market poised for $160 billion surge by 2030
The sports sponsorship market has grown tremendously over the past few years, and we expect this growth will continue as advertisers and media companies use sports to build their brands. Based on our internal PwC analysis and bottom-up projections at an industry growth rate of 8.7%, we expect the sports sponsorship market to reach $115 billion in 2025. And at that current growth rate, we project the sponsorship market will top $160 billion by 2030. With 80%+ of observed sponsorship value coming from the top four professional leagues, the high end of the market is highly saturated but there is plenty of room for growth elsewhere.

While optimistic, these projections may be conservative. Sports leagues are expanding globally, media platforms are enhancing sponsorship reach and consumer engagement with sports is intensifying. Additionally, the rising profile of non-traditional sports, an increasing number of events, and a younger audience willing to pay for unique experiences are bolstering market growth. Lastly, advertisers are increasingly able to bypass agencies to partner and engage directly with teams, which can potentially drive an increase in sponsorships. We predict that hyper-personalized digital advertising coupled with real-time fan data will only supercharge these trends—empowering sponsors to tailor their messages to further deepen targeted engagement.

How AI is reshaping the future of sports, on and off the field
As we explored in last year’s Outlook, AI continues to revolutionize the fan experience. This year’s Olympics and US Open are just some examples of sporting events that offered AI-generated commentary and video highlight packages. Paris Olympics fans could access “Your Daily Olympic Recap on Peacock”. NBC’s AI-generated clone of Al Michaels leveraged 5,000 hours of Olympic coverage to deliver personalized daily streaming recaps of the games that could be packaged in 7 million different ways. This is just the start of next generation sports content and media delivery. AI-generated content can offer fresh, cost-effective ways to engage with sports, enabling non-major sports and smaller teams to deliver unique fan experiences without additional headcount.

In addition to transforming how we consume sports at home, AI is enhancing in-stadium fan experiences. We also saw this during the Paris games: sports operations teams used AI-powered omnichannel contact centers to help deliver smooth, personalized, and effective self-service experiences for guests, athletes and fans worldwide. Several Major League Baseball (MLB) teams have rolled out programs that use facial recognition data processed by AI to enable no-scan, hands-free ballpark entrance. AI has the power to fundamentally change how teams engage with their fans — and open opportunities to better monetize this engagement through personalization and targeted campaigns.

By enabling better product development and helping solve some of the biggest on-field issues in sports today, AI is adding value for fans and the industry. AI is already improving referee accuracy in baseball, soccer and tennis, and the NFL is currently exploring the use of similar technology. Teams are even creating digital twins of their players to measure player performance and predict potential injuries. The player profiles created using these tools help players find areas for improvement within their game, provide real-time feedback on injury recovery and identify potential injury risks that can be used to modify training regimens and keep the players that the fans are paying to watch on the field. And PwC and Microsoft are collaborating to implement advanced technologies, including AI, cloud computing and mixed reality to improve player performance, team strategies and fan engagement by leveraging data analytics and immersive experiences.

AI’s influence in sports is poised to impact everything from team strategies to business operations. We could soon see AI-driven coaching assistants making real-time game decisions, predictive models shaping sports betting and AI-generated content seamlessly integrated into live broadcasts. As teams and leagues embrace AI, the next decade will blur the line between the physical and virtual, creating new fan experiences and enabling smarter decisions.

Engaging younger sports fans: How today’s trends can inform tomorrow’s investments
As sports executives look to capture younger audiences, a pivotal shift is unfolding. The demand for unique, interactive experiences has never been higher among fans aged 18 to 34, with their engagement patterns reshaped by technology and evolving preferences. PwC’s latest survey reveals that these fans value shorter, more dynamic games and are eager for immersive moments—whether attending live events or interacting via social media and mobile betting platforms. This generation is 1.4 times more likely to attend live sports and less price-sensitive than older generations, the future of sports hinges on how well the industry adapts to these preferences. 

As the industry adapts to these shifting dynamics, we predict that those who prioritize creating unique, tech-driven experiences for younger fans will be well-positioned to drive long-term growth and dominate the future of sports entertainment.

Dive into the survey

From collectibles to connections: Personalized, memorable experiences are winning over new fans
Today’s sports fans demand more than just generic merchandise and sports experiences; they’re looking for unique experiences and premium collectibles. The concept of limited editions and exclusivity enhances the appeal of autographed balls, exclusive jerseys and other rare keepsake items –– and this trend is gaining the most traction with younger sports fans. In fact, according to our recent research, younger fans are 21% more inclined to buy souvenirs, serving as tangible mementos of their experience.

Beyond memorabilia, unique experiences are driving deeper fan engagement. Teams and leagues are leveraging data analytics to deliver tailored content and offers, such as personalized video messages from players and bespoke game-day experiences. These game-day experiences are critical for younger fans, who attend live sports more often—they’re 1.4 times more likely than older fans to attend a sports event at least once a month, and they’re willing to spend more money.

When it comes to tickets alone, they’re willing to fork over $70 more on average than older fans. VIP packages, including meet-and-greets, locker room tours, on-field access, and even fantasy football drafts in NFL stadiums, are increasingly popular, as are virtual stadium tours and interactive fan zones. The rise of blockchain technology and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) is revolutionizing the authentication and ownership of digital memorabilia, opening new revenue streams for teams and athletes. Fanatics is also spearheading events like Fanatics Fest, which offer live interactions with athletes and opportunities to purchase merchandise and customized memorabilia in real-time.

We expect sports organizations to increase investments in premium physical fan spaces to create unique and memorable experiences, partner with memorabilia companies (and sponsors) for more original giveaways, and leverage technology to deliver hyper-personalized fan experiences driven by advanced analytics and AI. Embracing these trends will help organizations create deeper connections with fans, drive new revenue streams and maintain a competitive edge.

The next era of US sports stadiums
The US sports industry is experiencing a stadium boom, driven by aging facilities and fans’ growing expectations for high-tech, immersive experiences. With an average age of 27 years, many iconic stadiums are nearing the end of their lifespan. PwC estimates that 12% of major US venues — around 13 stadiums — are reaching this milestone age and will likely require substantial renovations or complete rebuilds in the coming decade, sparking significant opportunities for modernization.

Today’s fans, particularly younger audiences, want more than just a game—they expect interactive, digitally connected environments. Stadiums like SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas are setting the standard with 5G capabilities, augmented reality and seamless in-app services for food ordering and live stats. These venues are also transforming into year-round hubs that drive economic activity beyond sports events, with concerts, retail and more in the venue or surrounding “mixed use” area.

For stakeholders, the focus is shifting from traditional upgrades to digital and sustainable innovations. Investing in cloud technology, data-driven fan engagement and energy-efficient designs can help venues meet today’s standards while establishing a competitive edge. We predict that by 2035, “smart stadiums” that integrate digital and eco-friendly innovations will dominate US sports. Venues that prioritize these features will reshape the fan experience, while those that don't risk being left behind.

Engaging fans in a data-driven, privacy-first era
Ticket sales, contests, social media, website cookies, mobile and connected TV apps, in-stadium sensors, and sponsors. All of these generate data sports organizations can use to build more robust and interconnected views of their fans’ preferences and drive hyper-personalized experiences that can help increase fan engagement.

However, with great power comes great responsibility. Today’s fans are more privacy-conscious than ever before. With a myriad of new privacy laws and data breaches cropping up across the United States and abroad, cybersecurity, privacy and consent are becoming keys to the game for fan engagement strategies across sports.

As sports organizations shift data processing to the cloud and collaborate with various vendors to use fan data in more innovative ways (e.g., using AI), they must prioritize robust protection through methods like encryption, hashing and differential privacy techniques. Additionally, they must be transparent with fans about how their data will be collected, used, and shared (via timely and user-friendly privacy notices), obtain permission from fans (via consent and preference management tools) when necessary, and follow through on fans’ privacy choices. They’d be in good company with this strategy, as 48% of business executives surveyed for PwC’s 2025 Global Digital Trust Insights say data protection/trust is a top investment priority.

The majority of executives, 57%, are positioning trust as a competitive advantage. This move can pay off, as respondents in our Voice of the Consumer Survey say protection of their personal data is the leading factor that influences their trust, and 83% consider it a top priority. We predict that over the next three years, sports organizations will invest heavily in privacy-first fan experiences, data governance, and consent and preference management capabilities that will enable them to unlock more value from fan data and increase fan marketability and engagement on a global scale.

College conferences eye betting revenue to support athlete payments
Colleges and conferences are increasingly considering sports betting as a funding solution for athlete payments, following recent developments in name, image and likeness (NIL) agreements and the move by major conferences to allow direct compensation to student-athletes. Schools and conferences may monetize betting through licensing agreements, data partnerships with companies like SportRadar and sponsorship deals with betting providers like FanDuel and DraftKings.

Betting also promises to boost fan engagement, particularly among younger fans who are more likely to bet on games. Engagement from betting could increase media asset values and attract more lucrative sponsorship deals, providing new revenue streams.

However, several challenges stand in the way. NCAA leadership has proposed restrictions on college betting, particularly “prop bets,” which could limit potential revenues. Additionally, state laws prohibit betting on in-state college teams in some areas, narrowing the market scope. Ethical concerns also exist, given that many college students are below the legal betting age, and there is a risk of lower-paid athletes being susceptible to match-fixing.

Despite these challenges, the financial potential is substantial. The NBA and NFL both inked billion-dollar deals with data companies leverage betting — the NBA with SportRadar and the NFL with Genius Sports. And in 2023, the NFL expanded its Genius Sports partnership to offer a ‘Watch & Bet’ feature, merging live viewing with betting.

By following responsible advertising practices, advocating for favorable legislation, and restricting betting endorsements by athletes, colleges and conferences can navigate regulatory hurdles while safeguarding the integrity of college sports.

We predict that within the next five years, betting revenues will not only become a primary funding source for paying college athletes but also transform the entire college sports landscape, pushing colleges to build new digital experiences around betting. Expect to see groundbreaking deals between conferences and betting companies by 2025.

Connect with our team

Get your free custom presentation
(for qualifying organizations)

Request now!

Follow us