Nielsen's Gracenote updates On Sports to provide content beyond live games

Gracenote, Nielsen’s content data unit, has updated its On Sports product to help television providers connect viewers with a wider range of sports-related programming beyond live games.

The updated service is said to cover more than 160 sports leagues and competitions across over 50 countries and links live games with related content such as documentaries, highlights, analysis shows, and recaps. The changes are aimed at helping platforms organise sports programming into unified hubs.

The service also includes expanded game, team, and athlete imagery to support more detailed and visually consistent user interfaces across streaming platforms, consumer electronics devices, and pay TV services.

According to Nielsen data, interest in non-live sports content has increased in recent years. Streaming viewership of sports documentaries in the United States reached 16.9 million minutes in 2024, up nearly 260% from 4.7 million minutes in 2021, as per the 2025 Nielsen Top of Sports report. Pre- and post-game programming, including highlights and analysis, has also become a key point of engagement for sports audiences.

Gracenote said the On Sports system links live games to related scripted and documentary programming as well as shoulder content, such as shows that air before or after games or provide delayed recaps.

Speaking about the development, Tyler Bell, senior vice president of product at Gracenote, said, “From casual viewers to passionate fans, consumers are engaging with sports content in every way possible. Platforms have big opportunities to become go-to sports hubs for these valuable users, and Gracenote is uniquely positioned to help them realize these ambitions.”

The On Sports product delivers sports schedules and league and team data through a single application programming interface, which Gracenote said is intended to simplify integration for platforms.