Ten US streaming services phased out in one quarter as the market consolidates, Parks Associates says

The number of standalone streaming services in the United States is still shrinking. Research firm Parks Associates says 10 standalone services were phased out in the second quarter of 2026, according to TV Tech, which reported the figures from Parks' Streaming Video Tracker on September 23, 2026.

The tracker now counts 336 standalone US services, down from 366 in 2022. Over the same quarter, Parks added two new services to its tracking: OG Network and TrueTVplus.

What closed, and where the content went

Several of the closures were consolidations rather than outright shutdowns, with programming moving to a bigger platform or another format. Examples reported by TV Tech:

Parks analyst Michael Goodman told TV Tech that moving content from standalone apps to larger platforms and FAST channels "shows how quickly distribution strategies are changing."

How standalone streaming services are counted

Parks Associates' figure counts standalone services: products a consumer can subscribe to or use on their own, rather than channels that exist only inside a bigger platform. A service that moves into a hub inside Paramount+, or that becomes a channel on a free ad-supported platform, may still exist in some form. It just no longer counts as an independent product.

This matters when reading the headline number. Ten services leaving the standalone count doesn't necessarily mean ten bodies of content disappeared. In several of the cases above, the programming moved somewhere else. What has shrunk is the number of separate apps and subscriptions viewers have to manage.

The long view: from 366 to 336

Parks reported that the tracker counted 366 standalone US services in 2022, compared with 336 now. Two things are happening at once:

• Services keep launching. Parks added two new services in the same quarter that ten were phased out. Niche services aimed at particular communities, sports or genres are still being created.
• More services are closing or merging than launching. The net effect has been a steady decline in the number of separate products.

For comparison, the early 2020s were marked by large launches, as major media companies built their own direct-to-consumer services. The current period looks more like a correction: fewer, bigger platforms, with smaller brands living inside them.

Sports services were especially affected

Several of the closures and moves involved sport, including FIFA+, RidePass, FanDuel Sports Network, OHL Live and Barça One. Sports content is valuable but expensive to deliver as a standalone service. Live production, rights fees and the need to handle big audience spikes all add cost, while many fans only subscribe during their season.

Moving sports content into a bigger service, a league or club's own app, or a free channel can reduce those costs and reach more viewers. The trade-off for fans is that the content may be split across more places, or may come with ads it didn't have before.

Why this is happening

The numbers fit a pattern that has been building for several years:

• Standalone subscriptions are hard to sustain. Smaller services must spend on content, technology and marketing while competing for a slot in households that already pay for several larger services.
• Bigger platforms offer reach. A branded hub inside a large service, as with BET content on Paramount+, can reach more viewers than a separate app.
• Free ad-supported TV is an exit route. Turning a subscription service into a FAST channel, as RidePass did, swaps subscription revenue for advertising and wider distribution.
• Sports rights keep moving. Several of the changes involve sports, where rights deals and distribution partners change often. We look at that in our analysis of sports streaming fragmentation.

Signals to watch in the next tracker

If the trend continues, the next updates are likely to show:

1. More "hubs" inside bigger services, like the BET Hub in Paramount+
2. More conversions to FAST, as subscription services become ad-supported channels
3. More sports consolidation, as rights deals expire and are renegotiated
4. A slower but continuing flow of niche launches, especially for specific communities and genres

Readers who want the underlying data can follow Parks Associates directly. Much of its detailed research is published for industry clients, while headline findings are often shared with trade press such as TV Tech.

What it means for subscribers

If a service you pay for is consolidated, check three things:

1. Whether your content is moving, and to which platform.
2. Whether billing transfers automatically or whether you need to cancel and subscribe somewhere else.
3. Whether any purchases or downloads remain available after the change.

Consolidation can also push prices up as the remaining platforms gain bargaining power. See our analysis of why streaming prices keep rising and our explainer on streaming bundles.

How Parks Associates tracks services

Parks Associates is a market research firm focused on consumer technology, including streaming video, connected homes and devices. Its Streaming Video Tracker monitors US over-the-top video services: which exist, how they're priced and packaged, and when they launch, change or close. Industry analysts and trade publications regularly cite its counts as a measure of how crowded, or consolidated, the market has become.

Figures like these depend on definitions: what counts as a separate service, when a service is considered phased out, and how niche services are found. Different research firms may produce different totals. The direction of travel, fewer standalone services over time, is the most useful part of the finding.

What viewers can learn from the closures

The closures in this update share a few lessons:

• Niche services can disappear quickly. Specialist services, especially in sport, depend on rights deals and partner strategies that can change at short notice.
• Annual plans carry more risk with small services. If a service closes or merges mid-year, refunds depend on the company's terms. Monthly billing gives more flexibility with smaller or newer services.
• Content often survives, but moves. In most of the cases reported here, programming moved to another platform rather than vanishing. Following the brand or team on social media is often the quickest way to learn where content has gone.
• Purchases and downloads may not follow. When a service shuts down, digital purchases or downloaded titles may become unavailable, depending on the terms.

What the trend means for the wider industry

For content owners, consolidation can mean fewer distribution partners and less negotiating power. For larger platforms, it means more content to integrate and promote. Free ad-supported platforms gain more channels as subscription services convert. See FAST channels explained.

For smaller and niche creators, the picture is mixed. Launching a standalone app is expensive and risky. Distributing through larger platforms or FAST channels can reach more viewers at lower cost, but it means giving up direct control over pricing and the customer relationship. The services Parks added this quarter show that new standalone launches still happen. The overall numbers suggest that fewer of them survive on their own.

Questions readers ask

Does this mean streaming is in decline?

No. The finding is about the number of separate services, not the amount of viewing. Viewing is concentrating on fewer, larger platforms and on free ad-supported channels.

Will more of my services close?

Smaller and niche services, particularly in sport, carry more risk. Large general-entertainment platforms are more likely to absorb others than to close. Watching for announcements and preferring monthly billing with smaller services limits your exposure.

Where can I find out where a show or team moved?

The brand's own website and social accounts usually announce moves. Search tools that list where titles are available can also help. One of them, JustWatch, is now launching its own service.

Do these figures apply outside the US?

The tracker counts US services. Many of the same forces apply elsewhere, but local markets differ in size, rights and regulation.

Related reading

• Why streaming prices keep rising
• Streaming bundles: when they save money
• Why watching sports now takes so many subscriptions

Key points

• Parks Associates counted 10 US standalone streaming services phased out in Q2 2026, according to TV Tech.
• The tracker now lists 336 services, down from 366 in 2022.
• Several closures were consolidations: BET+ into Paramount+, FIFA+ to DAZN, RidePass to a FAST channel.
• Sports services were especially affected.
• Content often moves rather than disappears, but purchases and billing may not follow.

The bottom line

The streaming market isn't shrinking in the sense of people watching less. It is reorganizing. Content is moving from many small apps to fewer, larger platforms and to free, ad-supported channels. For viewers, that can mean fewer separate subscriptions to manage. It can also mean less choice in how content is packaged and priced. Keeping an eye on where your favourite content moves, and what it then costs, is the practical takeaway.

Sources and further reading

• TV Tech: Standalone streaming services continue to decline in the U.S. (September 23, 2026)
• Parks Associates (official website)