DAZN Acquires ViewLift for $100M in Push to Become U.S. Sports Streaming Power

Key facts

• DAZN agreed to acquire ViewLift for roughly $100 million in cash and equity, with the deal expected to close by the end of June 2026.
• ViewLift currently serves 15 major U.S. pro sports teams and five Regional Sports Networks, including the Nuggets, Avalanche, Wizards, Capitals, and Red Sox.
• Main Street Sports Group, operator of FanDuel Sports Networks, is expected to cease operations, freeing 20 NBA and NHL teams to seek new local broadcast solutions for the 2026-27 season.
• DAZN has offered minimum guarantees between $8 million and $15 million per team in recent pitch meetings, proposing simulcasts of 10 to 15 games on local OTA channels or behind a paywall.
• ViewLift has been profitable for seven consecutive years and was founded in 2008 by Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics.
• DAZN streams more than 140,000 live events annually in over 200 markets and holds international rights to NFL Game Pass and NHL.TV.
• The combined entity will offer a B2B2C and SaaS model, allowing teams to maintain their own direct-to-consumer products while leveraging DAZN's global infrastructure.

A $100 Million Bet on the Future of Regional Sports

DAZN Group has reached an agreement to merge with ViewLift, the streaming technology provider, in a deal valued at roughly $100 million that signals the London-based company's determination to become a dominant player in the U.S. sports media landscape. The transaction, expected to close by the end of June, comes as 20 NBA and NHL franchises scramble to secure new local broadcast arrangements following the impending shutdown of Main Street Sports Group's FanDuel Sports Networks. Industry sources confirmed the purchase price includes both cash and company equity, with ViewLift set to operate as an independent business unit under DAZN ownership. ViewLift CEO Rick Allen, who co-founded the company in 2008, said his firm's leadership, staff, platform, clients, and shareholders will all transition to DAZN. The deal has been in the works for months, with DAZN having previously considered acquiring Main Street outright late last year before opting instead to pursue ViewLift.

The Race to Replace Main Street Sports Group

The collapse of Main Street Sports Group, which operated the FanDuel Sports Networks as the regional broadcaster for 13 NBA and seven NHL teams this season, has created a vacuum in the local sports distribution market. Those 20 teams are now evaluating their options for the 2026-27 season, with many hoping to finalize deals before the May advertising upfronts or shortly thereafter. DAZN and ViewLift have already begun pitching these teams, offering three distinct models. The first, dubbed "ViewLift Classic," allows teams to join ViewLift's existing platform without a minimum guarantee, powering and monetizing their direct-to-consumer apps. Current clients using this model include the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche on Altitude+, the Washington Wizards and Capitals on Monumental+, and the Boston Red Sox on NESN 360.

DAZN's Three-Tiered Pitch to Teams

The second option directs teams to DAZN's streaming subscription model, which currently starts at $21 per month. In recent pitch meetings, DAZN has offered minimum guarantees ranging from $8 million to $15 million per team, with plans to simulcast 10 to 15 games on a local over-the-air channel or place a similar number behind a paywall to build local market traction. The third and most ambitious option, contingent on the deal's closure, involves migrating ViewLift's existing 15 teams onto DAZN's platform while recruiting as many of the 20 ex-Main Street teams as possible. This would create an aggregated hub, similar to what the NBA is developing for its teams as early as next season or by 2027-28. "If a team is ready to make that selection, do it, close it up, don't wait, let's go do it," Allen said. "If either of those solutions aren't sufficient to make you jump and take the deal, let's talk about what it is that you need to see."

ViewLift's Track Record and DAZN's U.S. Ambitions

ViewLift, which has been profitable for seven straight years, provides end-to-end OTT and direct-to-consumer streaming solutions to NBA, NHL, and MLB teams, as well as partners including the NHL, LIV Golf, Versant, and Fox Sports Latin America. Its sports clients include 15 major U.S. pro teams and five Regional Sports Networks, alongside entertainment and news properties. DAZN, meanwhile, has been pivoting aggressively toward the U.S. market. The company already streams more than 140,000 live events annually across over 200 countries and holds international rights to NFL Game Pass and NHL.TV. It employs 150 people in New York and announced a rights deal with boxing promoter Top Rank in March. "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.

A Crowded Field of Competitors

DAZN and ViewLift are not alone in pursuing the newly available teams. Amazon, ESPN, Fubo, Victory+, and YouTube TV are also part of team and league streaming discussions, with decisions potentially coming in the next few weeks. Leagues may sell a bundle of local rights to a national distributor, or franchises could make their own deals based on market priorities, with agreements that could be long-term or leave room for future moves. The NBA is already in talks with Amazon and YouTube about creating a centralized streaming platform, and Allen confirmed that DAZN-ViewLift is having "that same conversation with both leagues." By pulling off an aggregated hub, the combined entity would clearly demonstrate its capacity to house future national streaming RSNs, positioning itself as a long-term solution for the disrupted regional sports market.

What the Merger Means for Fans and the Industry

Upon completion, the combination will enable DAZN to extend its platform into a flexible B2B2C and SaaS model, supporting leagues and clubs that wish to maintain their own direct-to-consumer products while benefiting from DAZN's global reach and infrastructure. Shay Segev, DAZN Group CEO, described ViewLift as "a profitable sports technology business led by an experienced management team with deep relationships across the U.S. sports ecosystem." For fans, the merger could mean more options to watch local teams directly, potentially at lower costs than traditional cable bundles. Allen emphasized the company's commitment to listening to client needs: "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 deal is expected to close by the end of June, with Citigroup advising DAZN and Rockefeller Capital Management advising ViewLift.

The bottom line

• DAZN's $100 million acquisition of ViewLift positions it to capture 20 NBA and NHL teams seeking new local distribution after Main Street Sports Group's collapse.
• The combined entity offers three models: ViewLift Classic, DAZN's subscription service with minimum guarantees, and a future aggregated hub for multiple teams.
• ViewLift brings 15 existing pro sports clients and five RSNs, along with seven years of profitability and deep U.S. relationships.
• DAZN is competing with Amazon, ESPN, Fubo, Victory+, and YouTube TV for the rights to stream local games, with decisions expected before the May upfronts.
• The merger enables DAZN to offer a B2B2C and SaaS model, allowing teams to keep their own DTC products while leveraging DAZN's global platform.
• The NBA and NHL are evaluating centralized streaming platforms, and DAZN-ViewLift is in active discussions with both leagues about potential partnerships.