Sports programming has expanded on free ad-supported streaming and goes beyond just new channel launches, as FAST in general becomes a distribution vehicle for a broader array of content.
The fact that sports content is making its way to free streaming isn’t entirely new (see our prior coverage here and here on earlier the growth of sports channels and more). But findings from fresh content data via Gracenote’s Q3 Data Hub show that sports has grown across multiple fronts on FAST, including additional channels within the sports category, more sports program titles, as well as growth in individual games and events.
And the increase in program titles, as well as matchups and events, outpaces that of the sports category channel growth.
Per Gracenote, 264 FAST channels were classified as sports in July 2026, up 13.8% year-over-year. Unique sports program titles (which can encompass many games or competitions, as well as non-event titles) grew 31.2% yoy. But the highest growth was seen in individual sports games and events (up 37.5% yoy), which helps give a fuller picture of the volume of sports on FAST. That means sports program-title growth was more than twice that of the sports-channel growth rate, while game and event-led growth was nearly three times the channel rate.
Sports programming also grew faster than FAST overall. Globally, FAST channel count increased 17.5% year over year to 2,172, compared with 18.6% gains in total video distribution and 19.4% in TV program titles.
In July, sports programming appeared on 20 FAST channels outside of the sports category, including on channel genres such as documentary, entertainment, lifestyle, news and commentary and reality.
As part of Gracenote’s analysis, the Nielsen-owned metadata provider took this as a signal of FAST evolving towards a pattern more akin to traditional network television – where sports programming represents both a destination with dedicated channels as well as tentpole content that can attract audiences but is just part of the lineup mix and lives alongside other types of content on channels that primarily serve other genres.
And it’s not just more sports coming to FAST, but premium and major league, as opposed to just international or more niche sports such as cricket and darts.
For example, in July, there were 77 MLB games, 8 WNBA games, 30 Formula 1 races and 22 World Cup soccer matches on FAST. However unlike in premium SVOD, these were not all exclusive to FAST and instead represent additive incremental distribution meant to drive more availability, exposure and viewership.
As fresh and live sports content lands on free ad-supported streaming, Gracenote’s latest data also pushes back on the sometimes-held notion that most of the programming on FAST represents older content and reruns. But indeed, the percentage of newer content, or that produced in 2020 or later appears to be rising.
Gracenote’s Data Hub has only been tracking FAST for a year, but at this time last year the percentage of content on FAST that was produced in 2020 or later was 47% and is now 51.7%. And a year ago, at the program title level, 51.6% of sports programming on FAST was produced within the past six years, compared to 72% currently as of Q3 2026.
News programing is also a strong contributor bringing fresher content to FAST, as nearly 88% was produced in 2020 or later. And the news genre saw channels expand in Q3, counting 211 as of July, representing a 52.9% increase versus the same time last year.
As FAST matures and expands in the kinds and amount of content offered, the breadth and type of programming – such as live sports - may become more key to differentiation versus straight channel count expansions.