The Platformisation of Sports Broadcasting: The Case of DAZN and the Belgian Pro League

Using Belgium’s top-tier domestic football competition, the Pro League, as a case study, this article analyses the impact of platformisation on the structure of the sports broadcasting value chain and identifies a parallel process of streamification and broadcastification. Based on semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, the article illustrates that sports media rights can be seen as the latest front in the streaming wars. It highlights how the growth of online distribution provides the potential for both sports rights owners and new entrant streaming services to bypass legacy pay-tv operators and connect with audiences directly. Despite the potential success of streaming, however, our results also suggest that live sport continues to rely heavily on distribution via established pay-tv operators. Utilising institutional isomorphism as a theoretical framework, the article provides evidence to support the argument that predictions of the imminent death of broadcasting and the hegemony of sports streaming are largely misguided.