On Dazn

“This is an enormous $16 billion, 4,000-person company,” Allen said of DAZN. “Nobody has to worry about the Main Street punch. Dazn has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in South Korea.

Key facts

• “This is an enormous $16 billion, 4,000-person company,” Allen said of DAZN. “Nobody has to worry about the Main Street punch.
• With DAZN in heavy pursuit of NBA and NHL teams -- and looking to solve the perception of being an outsider in the U.S. -- the London-based streaming service has acquired OTT platform ViewLift in a merger that could bolster its position with teams and leagues.
• With DAZN in heavy pursuit of NBA and NHL franchises -- and looking to reverse the perception of being an outsider in the U.S. -- the London-based streaming service has acquired OTT platform ViewLift in a merger that could bolster its position with teams and leagues.
• In the meantime, both DAZN and ViewLift will continue their pitches to the 20 teams (13 NBA, seven NHL) that just exited Main Street Sports Group and are looking for 2026-27 local broadcast solutions.
• According to ViewLift co-founder and CEO Rick Allen, those 20 available teams will likely have three options to weigh from DAZN-ViewLift.

What we know

Going deeper, With DAZN in heavy pursuit of NBA and NHL teams -- and looking to solve the perception of being an outsider in the U.S. -- the London-based streaming service has acquired OTT platform ViewLift in a merger that could bolster its position with teams and leagues.

On the substance, With DAZN in heavy pursuit of NBA and NHL franchises -- and looking to reverse the perception of being an outsider in the U.S. -- the London-based streaming service has acquired OTT platform ViewLift in a merger that could bolster its position with teams and leagues.

Beyond the headlines, In the meantime, both DAZN and ViewLift will continue their pitches to the 20 teams (13 NBA, seven NHL) that just exited Main Street Sports Group and are looking for 2026-27 local broadcast solutions.

More precisely, According to ViewLift co-founder and CEO Rick Allen, those 20 available teams will likely have three options to weigh from DAZN-ViewLift.

It is worth noting that a second option for the 20 teams is heading to DAZN’s streaming subscription model.

By the numbers

At this stage, In recent pitch meetings, sources said DAZN has offered minimum guarantees between $8M and $15M with the idea it would simulcast 10 to 15 games on a local OTA channel or 10 to 15 games in front of their paywall -- to gain traction in local NBA and NHL markets.

On a related note, the third -- and more big picture option once the deal closes -- is for DAZN to perhaps take ViewLift’s current 15 teams to its streaming service and recruit as many of those 20 ex-Main Street teams as it can.

Going deeper, DAZN earlier toyed with investing in or purchasing Main Street Sports Group, although sources said Main Street’s multi-million-dollar debt became the obstacle.

On the substance, a source familiar with the deal said DAZN will pay roughly $100 million in cash and company equity.

What they're saying

“We think there’s a digital-first approach where DAZN can provide a regional streaming platform for these teams and the leagues,” DAZN CEO of growth markets Pete Oliver told Sportico in March. “We’re very serious about building out the business here.”

“We fight above our weight class,” said Allen, unsure if ViewLift will re-brand its name. “We are not the biggest company in America by a long shot.

“Each team is different … and we have the capability now to allow a lot of optionality,” Allen said. “We’re committed to listening really hard to the client’s needs and trying to tailor a solution that makes sense for all parties, and I think we’ve got substantially increased capacity to do that now.”

The wider context

On a related note, DAZN and ViewLift have pitched teams, leagues evaluating new regional distribution models after Main Street Sports Group's FanDuel Networks closure.

Going deeper, DAZN has acquired streaming tech developer ViewLift as the global sports media platform courts teams across the U.S. sorting out their digital distribution futures.

On the substance, Late last year, DAZN considered buying Main Street Sports Group, operator of the FanDuel Sports Networks and the regional broadcaster for 20 NBA and NHL teams this season.

Beyond the headlines, DAZN’s strategy is built around acquiring rights and growing its monthly subscription plan—currently starting at $21/month—though it is open to offering games for free, like it did with last summer’s Club World Cup, as well as working with linear channels to expand distribution.

More precisely, DAZN had previously been more focused on international markets, but the London-based company has turned its attention to the U.S. of late, with 150 employees based in New York and “real ambitions” to become a major player for American fans, according to Oliver.

The bottom line

• A second option for the 20 teams is heading to DAZN’s streaming subscription model.
• The third -- and more big picture option once the deal closes -- is for DAZN to perhaps take ViewLift’s current 15 teams to its streaming service and recruit as many of those 20 ex-Main Street teams as it can.
• A source familiar with the deal said DAZN will pay roughly $100 million in cash and company equity.