ESPN vs SPORT1

Merriman: Lights Out Sports to Cut CDN Costs via 5G Broadcasting

In an interview, Shawne Merriman, former NFL player and founder of Lights Out Sports TV, discusses the high costs of content delivery networks (CDNs) for live sports streaming. He highlights the potential of 5G broadcast technology to reduce these costs by sending one signal to many viewers rather than millions of individual streams. Merriman also shares insights on revenue strategies, emphasizing direct ad sales over programmatic for monetization. He mentions upcoming high school football productions with exclusive rights and fan engagement initiatives. The interview covers the evolution from traditional broadcasting to streaming and the financial pressures facing major networks.

• Lights Out Sports TV is a new sports streaming platform founded by Shawne Merriman.
• Merriman says CDN costs are the primary challenge for live sports streaming.
• The company aims to use 5G broadcast chips to distribute single signals to many viewers, reducing costs.

Jake Paul Boxing Event May Leave Netflix for DAZN

Jake Paul is scheduled to headline a boxing event in Dubai on December 24, 2026, announced by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP). The opponent and streaming platform are yet to be confirmed. According to the New York Post, Netflix is not expected to carry the event, with DAZN pay-per-view reportedly the leading alternative. This follows Paul's previous fights on Netflix, including the Mike Tyson bout in November 2024 and the Anthony Joshua fight in December 2025. Speculation suggests Netflix may be reducing its focus on live sports after the departure of former Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria. The potential move to DAZN would mark a shift in MVP's distribution strategy, which also includes a multi-year agreement with ESPN for its women's boxing brand MVPW.

• Jake Paul will headline a boxing event in Dubai on December 24, 2026, announced by MVP.
• Netflix is not expected to carry the event, with DAZN pay-per-view reportedly the leading alternative.
• Paul's previous fights on Netflix included Mike Tyson (Nov 2024) and Anthony Joshua (Dec 2025).

Shoulder Content Shifts Football Ad Pricing Dynamics

The article explains the phenomenon of shoulder content in football (NFL) advertising: while the price of a 30-second spot in live games increased, the average price of CTV campaigns around football dropped 13% in the 2025-26 season. This is due to the rising share of shoulder content (pre-game, post-game, and ancillary programming) in ad campaigns. Rights holders like ESPN/Disney and DAZN use shoulder content to expand ad inventory beyond the fixed game clock. The piece includes two case studies: The Fan Zone on DAZN (licensed vs. owned content) and Super Bowl LXI's six feeds on Disney outlets. It also provides practical guidance for media buyers, sellers, and producers on how to handle live and shoulder inventory pricing and reporting separately.

• In the 2025-26 NFL season, the price of a 30-second ad in live games increased, while the average price of CTV football campaigns decreased by 13%.
• The decrease is attributed to a higher share of shoulder content (non-live programming) in campaigns, which has a lower CPM than live inventory.
• Broadcast partners recoup about half of their NFL rights fees through advertising, and rights fees are projected to increase by over 50% in the next cycle.

Sport1 announces third season of 'Bitte lächeln'

Sport1 has announced a third season of its clip show 'Bitte lächeln', which airs in the pre-evening slot. The broadcaster will produce 24 new episodes starting October 26, airing three times per week at 7 PM. To support the new season, Sport1 purchased new mobile video material from the US, featuring everyday moments and mishaps. The show will include new segments and specials, including one focused on Mallorca and a ranking show for the funniest clips. The studio design has also been refreshed. 'Bitte lächeln' has been performing well in ratings, reaching up to 150,000 viewers. On Wednesday, it attracted 130,000 viewers, surpassing the evening 'Fantalk' Champions League show. The show is hosted by Christian Oberfuchshuber.

• Sport1 announced a third season of the clip show 'Bitte lächeln'.
• 24 new episodes will air from October 26, three times a week at 7 PM.
• Sport1 acquired new mobile video material from the US for the season.

Free-TV: TNA Wrestling kommt zu SPORT1

SPORT1 announces that TNA Wrestling will be broadcast in free-TV, starting October 13, 2026.

Sport1 Reports Higher Gross TV Ad Revenue in August

German sports broadcaster Sport1 saw a significant increase in gross TV advertising revenue in August 2026, according to Nielsen data. The channel reported gross ad revenue of €15.4 million, up 22.1% year-over-year, marking its largest percentage increase in a long time. This continues a positive trend for Sport1 after months of decline, attributed to its recent content transformation. The overall German TV advertising market, however, declined by 4.9% in August, with major sales houses like Ad Alliance, Seven.One Media, and El Cartel Brothers all reporting decreases. Despite the TV market's weakness, the total German advertising market grew slightly by 0.9%, driven by strong online (+14.7%) and cinema (+54.7%) growth.

• Sport1's gross TV ad revenue in August 2026 reached €15.4 million, up 22.1% year-over-year.
• The German TV advertising market declined by 4.9% in August 2026 compared to the previous year.
• Ad Alliance reported a 6.0% decrease in gross revenue in August, while Seven.One Media saw a smaller decline of 4.4%.