Last month, the South Korean over-the-top (OTT) video streaming service Tving recorded 7.4 million monthly active users (MAU) in the domestic market, narrowing the gap with global leader Netflix, which has 10.96 million MAU, to 3.56 million. A year ago in June, the gap between the two services was 7 million (12.74 million for Netflix vs. 5.74 million for Tving), meaning it has halved over the past year. While Netflix’s user base reduction is partly due to its restrictions on account sharing, Tving is credited with securing loyal subscribers through its exclusive broadcast of the KBO League.
Globally, services like Apple TV+ and Peacock have also increased their user bases through sports broadcasting. Major OTT providers have seen stable growth in paid viewership by securing broadcast rights to sports leagues such as baseball and soccer. The long duration of these leagues has resulted in a growing number of loyal subscribers who continue their subscriptions without interruption.
According to Mobile Index, on June 11, another South Korean OTT service, Coupang Play, saw its daily active users (DAU) reach 1.49 million. Normally, the DAU is around 700,000 to 800,000, but it doubled on this day due to the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (South Korea vs. China), which Coupang Play exclusively broadcasted online in South Korea. This surge in users was driven by soccer fans tuning in for the match. Since 2022, Coupang Play has focused on sports, securing broadcasting rights for the K League and Bundesliga, and expanding exclusive series by inviting renowned European football clubs to play against K League teams or among themselves.
Similarly, Tving has benefited significantly from broadcasting the KBO League since March. Last month, Tving’s daily active users were 1.95 million. There is a difference of about 400,000 users between Mondays (when there are no baseball games) and other days, indicating that a substantial number of users are watching Tving specifically for baseball. Considering that many viewers prefer watching sports on TV rather than through mobile apps, the actual number of users is likely higher. Due to the almost daily games of the KBO League, Tving’s total viewing time last month (65.27 million hours) nearly caught up with Netflix’s (73.22 million hours). Tving has also seen a notable increase in male users, with a company representative noting a 45% increase in daily average male users from March to May compared to the previous three months, attributing this rise to baseball. Female users increased by 12% during the same period.
International OTT service providers are also significantly boosting their subscriber numbers through sports broadcasts. Apple TV+ began broadcasting MLS last year, with industry estimates suggesting that 2 million users subscribed to the MLS-specific package. This number reportedly doubled after Lionel Messi joined MLS in July last year. Peacock, which exclusively broadcasted the NFL Wild Card game in January, attracted 3 million new subscribers, with 71% remaining as paid subscribers a month later. Paramount+ saw an estimated 3.4 million sign-ups during the Super Bowl broadcast in February this year.
