Perceptions of College Sports: Impact on Streaming TV, 2026

U.S. college sports fans watched 11.4 events on average in 2025, up notably from 9.5 in 2024. In 2026 Big Chalk expects average viewing to reach 12.4 events per fan – with the College Football Playoffs leading the way.

The availability of college sports programming plays a measurable role in consumers’ selection of their streaming TV services -- and its importance varies by fan type. What are the implications for brands and media entities? This report sheds some insight.