Live sports 2025: What are the top 5 trends for sports broadcasting post-Paris Olympic Games?

By Shaun Lim

There is just something about watching live sports that keeps millions of viewers worldwide enthralled and captivated. Whether as a social bonding event that fuels a collective adrenaline rush, or savouring vicariously the triumphs and failures of our favorite athletes — the allure of live sports is undeniable. 

Led by headline events such as the Paris Olympic Games and the Euro 2024 football tournament, 2024 perhaps best encapsulated the enduring trend of live sports viewing. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), approximately 300 million people accessed the Paris Olympics Games content via the Olympic web and app; the IOC also claimed that over half of the world’s population engaged via broadcast or digital channels with the Paris Olympic Games.

This level of global interest, naturally, is creating lucrative lateral markets. According to the Global Sports Broadcasting Technology Market Report 2024 by The Business Research Company, the sports broadcasting technology market is expected to grow from US$71.27 billion in 2023 to US$101.04 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3%.

The Business Research Company attributes the growth in the forecast period to 5G technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR), personalised and interactive content, and integration of wearable technology.

Driven by technological advancements and changing viewer preferences, there is an inexorable move towards more personalised, interactive, and immersive sports viewing experiences. For sports broadcasters and their community of technology support partners, 2025 is likely to be a year of consolidation and continued innovation as they ponder how best to leverage technologies to create more immersive and increasingly personalised viewing experiences in the most cost-effective ways.

As a valued member of the aforementioned community of technology support partners, AJA Video Systems is a regular provider of products and solutions for sports broadcasters around the globe. With a finger firmly on the pulse of the sports broadcast industry, the company is in no doubt that this thriving industry will continue to enjoy unprecedented growth in 2025, propelled by a number of emerging trends and developments. 

APB+ caught up with Abe Abt, Sr. Product Consultant, AJA Video Systems, on what he sees as the top five trends that are likely to shape sports broadcasting in 2025 and beyond. 

Trend 1: Advanced colour and image processing in live sports

One of the coolest trends we are seeing in live sports is the use of advanced colour and image processing. Imagine watching a live cricket match or basketball game, and it looks as polished as a big-budget movie! This is where live production is heading. Broadcasters are using real-time colour correction and high dynamic range (HDR) tools to give viewers that post-production-level shine without the wait.

Even more impressive is how these tools handle the real-time challenges live event productions present. For example, the ability to manage different colour spaces and dynamic lighting conditions and adjust them on the fly is next level. It makes watching live sports feel so much more immersive and visually engaging.

This kind of technology was once reserved for big post-production houses, but now it is being brought straight into live sports broadcasts, and it is elevating the game — literally. With this shift, the line between live and post-produced content is getting blurrier by the day, and that is fantastic news for sports fans everywhere.

Trend 2: The rise of REMI

REMI, or Remote Integration Model, workflows are really shaking up sports broadcasts. It is absolutely mind-blowing to see how much efficiency broadcasters can squeeze out of their operations with this model. Instead of hauling massive trucks and teams to every event, broadcasters are using IP networks to transmit live video and audio to centralised production hubs. And it works like a charm.

What is even better is that this model does not skimp on quality. You get the same high-quality live production but with way less gear on-site and more remote staff, which means you can hire the best specialists for the job regardless of where they are located.

Broadcasters can cover more events without the on-site logistics headaches. Since the live feeds are sent back to a remote production centre, it is also so much easier to handle multiple events at once. You can practically have a basketball game in one venue and a football match in another but manage both from one central location. It’s a trend that is only going to keep growing, and it is incredible how much it is changing the game for live sports.

Trend 3: 4K and HDR adoption in live sports

Live sports broadcasts are getting a serious glow-up with 4K and HDR. Fans are no longer satisfied with basic HD; they want to feel like they are right there in the stadium — every blade of grass, every bead of sweat in crisp detail. But here is the catch: many sports productions are still working with a mix of standard dynamic range (SDR) and HDR sources, and managing them on-the-fly can get tricky.

What is exciting, though, is how technology is stepping up to the plate with solutions. Real-time HDR and colour conversion tools are now making it possible to blend SDR and HDR footage seamlessly. It is incredible to watch a production team pull off a stunning HDR broadcast while juggling mixed sources like it is nothing. And with the increasing availability of 4K-capable devices, we are only going to see this trend accelerate. Sports fans are in for a treat as these high-quality, immersive viewing experiences become the norm, and broadcasters find ways to make it all work smoothly.

Trend 4: IP Video and SMPTE 2110 in sports broadcasting

IP video, and more specifically, the adoption of SMPTE 2110, is changing everything in sports broadcasting. With SMPTE 2110, sports broadcasters can send uncompressed video, audio, and metadata over dedicated IP networks. 

IP technology is also becoming more affordable. 25Gb networks, once seen as a high-end luxury, are now within reach of broadcasters, making it possible to move around uncompressed 4K video with ease. It is amazing to see how quickly this tech is spreading and how sports facilities are futureproofing their workflows and facilities without breaking the bank. The way this trend is shaping up, we are going to see more and more IP-based sports production pipelines and broadcast facilities, and it is going to make covering live events smoother and more flexible than ever before.

Trend 5: Multi-channel streaming for live events

Not long ago, sports fans would just watch a game on TV, but now, they want to watch from their phones, tablets, social media sites, and every app imaginable — all at once. That is where multi-channel streaming comes in, and it is changing the way sports broadcasts are delivered and consumed.

Instead of just one main feed, broadcasters now juggle multiple streams for all sorts of platforms — whether it is YouTube, Facebook Live, or direct-to-consumer apps. And some sports broadcasters are even giving fans the opportunity to control their own viewing experiences with options to select which view of the golf course or which motorsports racer’s live cam feed they follow during the broadcast and toggle back and forth between those feeds and the main broadcast or live stream.  

This kind of streaming has become so simple and accessible, even for smaller venues and sports leagues, which means more niche sports are reaching bigger audiences than ever before.

High-quality streaming gear that used to be reserved for big-time broadcasters is now within reach of just about everyone, letting them push out multiple, secure streams with ease. Whether you are streaming a big match or a local event, the technology is there to make it all look fantastic and even monetise those streams.

We will expect this trend to continue growing as more fans clamour for on-the-go access to live sports. It will certainly open up new ways for fans to engage with their favourite teams and players.