MLB, WWE Network shift into high gear in SVOD rankings

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Hulu may be well-entrenched as the top three subscription video on demand services in the U.S., but the scrum for higher ranking amid the top-ten services is continuing, with MLB.TV and WWE Network holding the fourth and fifth spots, according to a new report from Parks Associates.

NFL Game Pass also made the top-ten list, coming in behind HBO Now and Crunchyroll at number eight. The Blaze and Sling TV rounded out the list in the number nine and ten spots, respectively.

Parks ranked the services based on subscriber volume, estimated from service provider information, consumer surveys and network traffic data.

"While Netflix holds a substantial lead, new and emerging OTT services are establishing their own place in the market," said Brett Sappington, director of research at Parks. Existing SVOD services are also jockeying for position. Hulu, for example, has made a concerted effort over the past several months to lock in exclusive content and offer additional services to its subscribers, like a discounted subscription to Showtime Anytime.

The OTT market is continuing to simmer, and viewer numbers are climbing accordingly. While the number of people cutting the cord appears to have leveled off, more viewers are streaming video, whether or not they have an existing pay-TV subscription. OTT penetration rates have reached 71 percent, a new Clearleap study said, approaching the same penetration rate as pay TV at 79 percent.

The study, which surveyed 1,111 U.S. consumers in a range of age and other demographics, found that the majority of streaming customers, 83.6 percent, subscribe to Netflix.

Past research by Parks found that 59 percent of U.S. broadband households have an SVOD service.

For more:
- see this Parks release
- see this Clearleap study

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