Sports OTT Landscape in Brazil

Executive Summary

Although TV continues to be the primary way in which consumers watch sporting games and events in Brazil, cheaper data plans, improved internet speeds and the proliferation of smartphones have allowed sports fans to tune in digitally—anytime, anywhere.

Brazil’s recent economic recession has made many consumers question whether or not they should continue paying for a TV subscription. As Brazilians wrestle with this issue, a growing culture of digital video viewing continues to take hold.

• Who are the major players competing to deliver sports content? Traditional providers such as NET and SKY Brasil continue to maintain their control over Brazil’s pay TV services. Grupo Globo runs the sports over-the-top (OTT) service Premiere Play, and competes against Fox Sports and UOL Esporte, a division of Grupo Folha. Meanwhile, Facebook and Twitter are trying to create strategic partnerships to live stream select games.
• Are Brazilian consumers adopting digital streaming for sports? While pay TV remains the primary outlet, consumer behavior around the 2018 FIFA World Cup showed a shift toward digital. Data from a June 2018 Ipsos report revealed that 22% of internet users in Brazil planned to watch the FIFA World Cup digitally. Compared with the last time this study was conducted, four years earlier, the results showed a 14 percentage-point increase in the number of potential digital viewers.
• Are Brazil’s consumers interested in esports? As interest in esports continues to seep into Brazil’s fervent sports culture, esports viewership is on the rise. According to Newzoo, a projected 18.3 million internet users ages 10 to 65 watched esports by the end of 2018. Of this grouping, 7.6 million consider themselves to be “esports enthusiasts,” making Brazil home to the third-largest group of enthusiasts worldwide.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report surveys the sports streaming industries in Brazil. We catalog streaming services, analyze market trends and data, and provide takeaways for marketers.

KEY STAT: In 2018, 58% of internet users in Brazil watched sports content digitally, up from 53% in 2017. The growth came from desktops and mobile phones, with tablets being down slightly.

This is part of a collection of 11 reports. To access each report, read the global overview "Sports OTT Landscape 2019."