FOX Sports 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.

NHRA Moves to FloRacing in 2027

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and FloSports announced a five-year media partnership that will make FloRacing the streaming home for NHRA drag racing starting with the 2027 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. FloRacing will stream all 20 national events, including qualifying and eliminations, plus original programming. NHRA.tv will transition after the 2026 season. Additionally, FOX Sports will continue to carry NHRA in 2027, while The CW will join the television lineup for the final seven events. Specific 2027 pricing for NHRA coverage has not been announced; current FloRacing plans start at $12.99 per month (annual) or $39.99 month-to-month.

• NHRA and FloSports entered a five-year media partnership starting with the 2027 season.
• FloRacing will stream all 20 NHRA national events, including qualifying and eliminations.
• The service will transition from NHRA.tv to FloRacing after the 2026 season.

Freedom 250 Sports Events Produced Mixed TV/Streaming Results

The Freedom 250 events tied to America’s 250th birthday delivered widely varying audience outcomes. IndyCar’s inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. averaged 3.282 million viewers on FOX — its largest non-Indy 500 TV audience since 1995 and a 279% peak versus 2025 Sunday IndyCar broadcasts. UFC’s Freedom 250 at the White House was the biggest streaming success, reaching 17 million viewers across the U.S. and Latin America and averaging 8.2 million on Paramount+, which saw a 276% spike in downloads. ABC’s Patriot Games underperformed with a 1.214 million average on ABC and the ESPN app. The results highlight the differing reach of linear broadcast and streaming for major live events and the promotional lift such events can create for streaming services.

• IndyCar’s inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. averaged 3.282 million viewers on FOX.
• The IndyCar Freedom 250 peaked at 3.482 million viewers and represents the most-watched IndyCar race outside the Indianapolis 500 since 1995.
• UFC’s Freedom 250 (White House) reached 17 million viewers in the U.S. and Latin America and averaged 8.2 million on Paramount+.

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%.