Over the last five years, sports apps like ESPN, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and Yahoo Fantasy Football have gained millions of new users as more fans turn to their phones for live sports updates and fun features. Sports betting and mobile games have made them even more popular, helping the market grow by a remarkable 65%.
Market projections for the following years are just as optimistic, with revenue and downloads skyrocketing to record highs.
According to data presented by Betideas.com, sports apps are expected to hit three billion downloads and over $4-billion in revenue by 2027.
Sports apps have brought fans quick and easy access to live sports, scores, and updates. Some of the biggest players in the market include ESPN, Fox Sports, and NBC Sports, which provide official sports coverage, including live videos and news about leagues and teams.
However, companies like DAZN and NFL, delivering premium streaming experiences for major leagues and events, or DraftKings and FanDuel, which lead in fantasy sports and betting, have made these apps even more exciting and fun to use, causing the entire market to skyrocket.
According to a Statista Market Insights survey, the global sports apps market has grown by a remarkable 65% in the past five years, with its revenue rising from $1,9-billion in 2019 to $3,1-billion this year. The number of downloads practically tripled in this period, surging from 820-million to over 2,5-billion.
Although the annual growth rate slowed down compared to the peak in 2019 and 2021, the market projections for the following years are still quite optimistic.
Statista expects the sports apps market to continue growing by an annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 10%, resulting in a market volume of $4,18-billion by 2027. That is $1-billion or 31% more than this year. Statista data show sports fans will spend around $2,1-billion on in-app purchases by 2027, making half the total market revenue. Advertising will bring around 40% of revenue, or close to $1,8-billion.
The annual number of downloads will also skyrocket. In 2024, sports fans worldwide made 2,52-billion sports app downloads, roughly 200 million more than last year. By 2027, this figure will grow by a further 500-million and hit over three billion in total.
In global comparison, China and the US are home to the largest number of sports app users, and that won`t change in the future. The two countries generate practically two-thirds of total market revenue, outpacing other major players in the market by seven or eight times.
According to Statista, the Chinese sports apps market generated $1,27-billion in revenue this year. This figure is expected to jump by 27% and hit over $1,6-billion in the next three years. The US market will grow even more, with its revenue surging by 35% to $1,5-billion. Far below, Japan, Australia, and the UK follow with $205-million, $104-million, and $98-million in revenue by 2027, respectively.