Naver, SOOP Secure Paralympic Streaming Rights as Broadcasters Retreat

Naver's Chzzk and SOOP (067160) will livestream the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics, marking another victory for streaming platforms in the sports broadcasting rights market as the industry's center of gravity shifts from legacy media to digital platforms.

According to industry sources on Tuesday, Chzzk and SOOP recently secured Paralympic broadcasting rights and will begin livestreaming from the early morning of March 7. Chzzk, which became the first internet platform to operate an on-site broadcasting booth at the Olympics, has now added the Paralympics to its portfolio.

The streaming platforms moved to acquire the rights after JTBC, the exclusive rights holder for the Winter Olympics, abandoned its Paralympic broadcasting rights due to poor viewership ratings for the Winter Games.

Proven audience metrics are driving platforms' push into sports broadcasting. During the recent Winter Olympics, Chzzk shattered multiple viewership records, demonstrating the platform's reach. Daily active users hit an all-time high on February 15 during the Korea-Japan curling match, while peak concurrent viewers reached record levels during the women's 1000m short track final. Olympic-related clips across Naver accumulated approximately 300 million plays, creating a virtuous cycle of user-generated content.

Internet broadcasting platforms are reshaping the sports broadcasting landscape through their integration with esports, which commands passionate fan communities. Naver and SOOP's five-year broadcasting contracts with LCK (League of Legends Champions Korea) are reportedly valued at 100 billion won and 50 billion won respectively—on par with major traditional sports league deals. During the roughly two-month LCK season through March 1, Chzzk's peak concurrent viewers surged 62% year-over-year to 420,000, validating the investment.

"The process of securing these Paralympic rights clearly illustrates the seismic shift in the media market," an industry official said. "While traditional broadcasters hesitate over profitability concerns, internet broadcasting platforms leveraging interactive communication and fandom culture are becoming the key hubs for expanding both sports and esports audiences."