

StreamTime Sports
SportsPro
A weekly podcast profiling the people, businesses and technologies driving the sports media revolution. The go-to place for sports industry professionals seeking ideas, insights and inspiration in these times of rapid transformation across streaming, OTT and digital.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 8, 2025 • 56min
AI in sports: From Warner Bros. Discovery to NBA #1 pick Greg Oden’s AI investments
From generative content creation and multilingual commentary to athlete performance analysis, AI remains the hottest topic in the sports industry. In this episode of StreamTime Sports, co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone bring you highlights from two of the most insightful conversations from SportsPro AI Summit, featuring former #1 NBA draft pick Greg Oden, alongside industry heavyweights Peter Hutton, David Gibbs, and Louise Lawler. Key Points:What are the most impactful use cases of AI in sports media?Can AI generate emotional and engaging content for fans?How should sports organizations approach AI responsibly?How did Greg Oden transition from NBA star to AI investor?Why are athletes increasingly drawn to tech startups?How is AI reshaping athlete performance and development?

Oct 1, 2025 • 44min
Sports streaming 101: Launching and scaling a sports platform
Having built the Cowboy Channel to over 100,000 subscribers, former guest David Guinan now shares his plans to grow Table Tennis TV to similar heights. In this episode of StreamTime Sports, co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone explore the key stages, decisions, and challenges involved in launching and scaling a challenger sports streaming platform.Key Points:What are the critical decisions to make before launching a streaming platform?How should platforms handle subscriber milestones and the growing pains that come with scaling?How do new platforms balance what sits behind a paywall versus what is offered for free on social media?What are the most common mistakes made when launching a sports streaming platform?

Sep 25, 2025 • 47min
Netflix’s 41 million boxing breakthrough: What it means for live sports
Terence Crawford and Canelo Álvarez’s title fight helped Netflix draw a record-breaking 41 million viewers — a milestone that could reshape the future of live sports. In this episode of StreamTime Sports, co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone explore how Netflix is disrupting traditional pay-per-view models and challenging the status quo of sports broadcasting. The conversation also spans Ligue 1’s subscription experiment, Amazon’s surprising partnership with The Masters, and the WNBA’s impressive growth this season. Key Points:Is Netflix about to make pay-per-view obsolete?Will platforms like YouTube and Netflix become the new gatekeepers of live sports?Can Ligue 1’s new €15-per-month platform survive?Why did Amazon choose The Masters, and why did Augusta choose Amazon?How significant is the WNBA’s viewership growth, even with Caitlin Clark sidelined?

Sep 17, 2025 • 54min
2.7 billion watched FIFA's Club World Cup?
FIFA claimed 2.7 billion people tuned in to this summer’s Club World Cup, but what is the truth behind the numbers? In this episode of StreamTime Sports, co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone dig into the reality behind FIFA’s staggering stats, DAZN’s billion-dollar gamble, and YouTube’s live NFL broadcast. They also unpack which metrics matter most for streaming, what Apple’s next move in Formula One could mean, and why Pluto TV is betting big on handball. Key Points:Can FIFA’s claim of 2.7 billion Club World Cup viewers be trusted?Has DAZN’s $1 billion investment in the tournament paid off?What did we learn from YouTube’s live NFL broadcast of Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers?Which metrics matter most for live streaming compared to linear?Does it make sense for Apple to acquire Formula One’s U.S. rights?What makes Pluto TV’s handball deal a smart play?

Sep 10, 2025 • 49min
The NFL’s next play: From primetime to YouTube with MrBeast and IShowSpeed
With the new season underway, the NFL is leaving no screen untouched. Co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone break down the league’s bold broadcast strategy, from teaming up with YouTube creators like MrBeast and IShowSpeed, to expanding free-to-air access in the UK, and even NBC selling out every Super Bowl ad before kickoff.Key Points:Can the NFL prove through YouTube that its advertising model is the future of broadcasting?What impact will the NFL’s partnership with content creators MrBeast and IShowSpeed have?Should fans be concerned that NFL RedZone is introducing commercials?How significant is it that NBC sold all of its Super Bowl advertising before the season kicked off?Why has DAZN taken on a sublicensing deal with ESPN for college football?What do the WSL’s international broadcast moves mean for women’s soccer?Is UFC Fight Pass the reason ESPN was willing to let the MMA promoter move to Paramount?

Sep 3, 2025 • 49min
The keys to unlocking and protecting live sports revenues
UFC’s recent $7.7B deal with Paramount, along with Ligue 1’s partnership with Amazon, highlights how content protection is influencing today’s media rights agreements. In this episode of StreamTime Sports, co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone are joined by content security expert Olga Kornienko, COO and co-founder of EZDRM. Together, the trio explore how streaming has transformed the approach to content protection and the financial risks of not securing distribution. Key Points:How are media rights deals being shaped by the growth of piracy?Why is content security not just an issue for the NFL and Premier League, but for all sports?How has the acceleration of sports streaming changed the playbook for protecting content?What technologies and innovations — such as DRMs and double encryption — are making life “really annoying” for pirates?

Aug 28, 2025 • 31min
The new Bundesliga broadcast strategy
The top-flight German soccer league has taken a bold and innovative approach to its broadcast strategy in the UK market. Live coverage of this season’s action spans Sky Sports, Amazon, BBC, and YouTube, offering multiple ways to watch — from subscriptions to free-to-air and pay-per-view. In this episode of StreamTime Sports, co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone share their thoughts and hopes for how this strategy plays out. Key Points:What characteristics of the UK market led the Bundesliga to take a new approach to distributing its games out of market?Should we expect this approach to fundamentally impact domestic broadcast deals?Why did the Bundesliga select YouTube and content creators as broadcast partners?Which of the Bundesliga, LaLiga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 approaches will have the biggest impact in the race to become the leading foreign league in the UK?

Aug 20, 2025 • 58min
How is UFC doubling media rights revenue whilst killing off pay-per-view?
In this episode of StreamTime Sports, co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone break down how UFC's evolving media strategy could signal the end of traditional pay-per-view.They break down Paramount’s big-money move for UFC rights, why ESPN stepped aside, and what this shift means for niche sports, bundling, and the future of global broadcasting. They also look ahead to what’s next for Fubo and Hulu partnerships in the U.S., and whether piracy could shape the future of bundling in Europe.Key Points:What does ESPN’s sports-only bundle mean for UFC content?Could the UFC’s deal with Paramount mark the end of pay-per-view?How are sports media dynamics shifting in the U.S.?Will piracy influence how bundling evolves in Europe?What’s next for Fubo and Hulu partnerships in sports broadcasting?

Aug 15, 2025 • 47min
Sky Sports Premier League Preview: What to expect this season
Gary Hughes, Director of Football at Sky Sports, sits down with StreamTime Sports for an exclusive interview, revealing the expanded coverage and new features coming to Premier League fans this season. Co-hosts Chris Stone and Nick Meacham also take audiences behind the scenes of the Sky Sports Premier League Kick Off media day. Key Points:Why has Sky Sports significantly increased its Premier League coverage this season?What new features and content will fans get this year?When might the 3pm blackout rule finally end?How Sky Sports plans to deliver 1500 live football matches this season. Why is Sky Sports committing more resources to WSL and EFL coverage?

Aug 13, 2025 • 54min
Should you go all-in on YouTube? And can you really own your audience?
YouTube is the largest global video platform, but who should be using it and how? On this episode of StreamTime Sports co-hosts Nick Meacham and Chris Stone unpack the hype, hope, and truths about the platform, as well as discussing whether ‘owning’ your audience is even possible. Packed with case studies and industry stats this is your guide to the latest strategies on YouTube.Key Points:Is YouTube now a ‘big screen’ sports platform? And what does that mean for right holders?When should a sport make YouTube its primary channel?Is owning your audience possible?How are organizations like the PGA Tour and NBA winning on YouTube? Also, how are smaller clubs Udinese, Minnesota United, and Verona punching above their weight?Why entertainment shouldn’t be considered a threat to sports?