Four Niche Sports to Try Out Using Live Streaming Sites

In a world where mainstream sports, such as football, cricket, and tennis, tend to hog the headlines and dominate the world of live streaming, it can be potentially rewarding to break the conventional norm and try something a little different. Lesser-known sports may lack the glamour of top-flight competitions, and the absence of traditional TV coverage tends to make it tricky to gain any traction.

However, those who dedicate themselves to researching and learning the rules are likely to enjoy a highly enriching experience. We’ve picked out four under-the-radar sports which undoubtedly deserve far more attention than they currently receive and pleasingly, live streaming makes them more accessible than ever before.

Pickleball

Pickleball is a fun sport which has enjoyed a rapid rise in popularity over the last few years. It combines several elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis and can be played on both indoor and outdoor courts. The sport’s easy-to-learn rules have helped to make it accessible to all ages and it has attracted several high-profile names including Andre Agassi, who announced that he will come out of retirement to compete in the mixed doubles at the US Open Pickleball Championships.

There are 25+ tournaments on the PPA Tour with the total number of events having skyrocketed across the last decade. At the end of 2024, it was announced that the PPA Asia and MLP Asia were set to launch this year, a significant milestone for this fast-growing sport.

Fans of the sport can stream over 4,500 matches on demand using the Pickleball TV app with over 1,500 hours of additional content including highlights, instructionals and interviews also included for a small fee.

Ju-Jitsu

Ju-Jitsu, specifically Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, has enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last few years and is now the second most popular martial art in the USA behind boxing.

It is thought that its inclusion in MMA has contributed heavily to its popularity, and participation has increased exponentially. Gracie Barra Gyms can be found all over the world with over 700 schools across six continents, providing professional academies for those who wish to learn and perfect the art of BJJ.

Fans of the sport can access numerous streams on YouTube, or sign up to one of the dedicated channels such as Triller TV or FloGrappling. The latter offers a varied streaming schedule which includes upcoming tournaments such as the ADCC Dallas Open alongside additional content such as press conferences. Subscribers can also go back and watch previous tournaments and competitions.

Greyhound Racing

With the first official race having been recorded back in 1776 in the UK, Greyhound Racing is a historic sport which enjoys pockets of popularity around the world. With its simple premise, this high-octane pastime is incredibly easy to follow with these specially bred dogs showcasing both speed and agility.

Although the sport has suffered a malaise in the USA, several tracks in the UK and Australia have increased their total of weekly meetings offering fans further opportunities to explore the sheer excitement of watching this sport in the flesh.

If you aren’t able to visit one of the 100+ worldwide tracks, you can easily stream multiple meetings through websites such as The Dogs and ATR. The majority of online bookmakers will allow you to watch every single contest once you have signed up for an account. You will not be charged for registering and you can easily fund your betting account if you wish to wager on any of the 150+ daily greyhound races. Furthermore, most betting sites also offer a generous welcome bonus which can be claimed by all new sign-ups, or alternatively, players will be able to take advantage of the numerous casino free spins offers which tend to be offered by their accompanying casino platforms.

Chess

Chess is one of the world's oldest games and it has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity amongst younger generations. Netflix’s 2020 drama The Queen’s Gambit has also given chess a high-profile platform and with memberships of chess clubs continuing to soar, it has resulted in a demand for online content and streaming services.

Short-form videos on social media platforms have created an appetite for chess-related content and according to the International Chess Federation, there are over 25 million involved in chess at a competitive level.

Alongside Twitch and YouTube, platforms such as Chess.com give viewers an opportunity to watch their favourite players in action and provide additional insight and exclusive content on a weekly basis.