Media Companies Prioritize Sports Rights Over Scripted Series

Media companies are significantly investing in sports rights as viewership ratings rise and consumer spending grows. This trend is impacting the budget available for scripted series.

Lionel Messi’s celebration after scoring Argentina’s second goal against Algeria in the World Cup highlights the growing popularity of sports events. The image was captured on June 19, 2026, at 3:00 PM EDT by Michael Steele from Getty Images.

As the NFL prepares to negotiate lucrative new media rights deals, football may soon dominate television programming, reducing space for other types of content.