By Angelina Marmorato, AVP, Sales and Partnerships, North America, Lemma
Are you ready for some live sports? Well, that depends on which streaming platforms you have and whether you know which games are on which platforms.
Looking at the NFL, the NFL’s latest broadcast rights deal is still linear, but it also includes ESPN, Amazon, Peacock, and, for the first time, Netflix. If you are an American football completist, you need subscriptions to multiple streaming platforms and potentially sign up for DirecTV or YouTube TV to get access to every game. And that’s just the NFL.
Looking at American collegiate sports, with its multiple packages, massive realignments, and league-specific networks, makes the complexity of professional leagues seem like a simple dive right.
If consumers are confused, think about how advertisers are navigating this landscape. They are responsible for allocating spend efficiently to reach the largest target audience and capture their attention. While big-budget advertisers will undoubtedly focus on frequency runs on the big broadcasts, that’s not possible for all companies.
There’s also an argument that spending money on broadcast spots may not be the best investment. A PWC study found that only 18% of younger fans watch an entire game at home, and only 1% do nothing while watching (as opposed to using a second screen like their mobile phone for social media).
Fortunately, there’s a playbook for garnering the attention of this highly desired audience not just on game days but also throughout the week. Best of all, there’s such an abundance of opportunities in the extended sports universe that advertisers of all sizes will have multiple options in front of them. As long as brands produce the right creative that is relevant to fans of the overall sports and individual teams, they can activate fans for less spending than the big broadcast buy.
Here’s where you should look to allocate your money:
CTV (Tossing a lateral): Just like broadcast, but more measurable and customizable. The average Thursday Night Amazon game averaged 11.86 million viewers last year. It’s hard to compare to specific broadcast games as they differ regionally, but that’s a sizable audience for games that usually aren’t the most exciting. Plus, Amazon offers robust data that can help inform existing and future campaigns, making it a highly desirable platform. Throw in Netflix and Peacock, and you have some great opportunities.
Athlete Podcasts (Calling audibles): Want to reach an audience that is interested in both the nuances of NFL matchups and the comings and goings of the biggest pop star in the world? The Kelce brothers’ New Heights have you covered. How about the greatest quarterback of all time chatting with one of the best wide receivers of the 21st century and a reputable broadcaster? The popularity of these podcasts demonstrates that fans obsessively think about sports throughout the week. For the best scale, skip over host-read ads and source programmatic inventory that allows you to hit multiple sports shows at once.
Influencer networks and YouTube channels (Red zone offense): Like in other sports and industries, there are Sports influencers who get invited to film behind-the-scenes content and share their Sports experiences. Influencers like Annie Agar, former NFL punter Pat McAfeee, Madden streamers, and others offer an opportunity to reach the most passionate fans in moments of levity. Advertising here can also reach the not-insignificant audience that only experiences sports through highlights.
Local media (Second effort): Advertisers that want targeted advertising to a specific local audience can either sponsor local sports sections, partner with local sports blogs, or just run advertisements on either. They receive the benefit of reaching fans of a specific team while not targeting high-volume audiences that may not be the right fit for their products or services. If buying programmatically, create inclusion lists for local sports publishers or even better, reach out to publishers to set up direct marketplace deals.
Mobile sports app sponsorship (Flea flicker): Fans will want to check out-of-town scores or keep up on injury reports during the week. Sponsoring or advertising on the key sports apps are a great way to reach the sports-obsessed audience on the go. Targeting specific app bundle IDs on programmatic can help accomplish this. These apps often have video content to advertise around as well.
In-venue streaming (Screen pass): Finding the right locations for in-venue TV streaming is an incredibly underrated and high-value way to reach this audience. In-bar TVs before games in NFL cities provide a huge opportunity to capture audiences likely attending the upcoming game and already in the consumption mindset. Many fans even watch entire games at their local bar or restaurant with fellow fans. Advertising on the screens in these establishments gets you live sports fans for a better price than TVs in the living room.
Digital-out-of-Home (Two-minute drill): Beyond in-venue streaming, there’s also many digital out-of-home opportunities to reach sports fans, including digital signage at or near the event and on the commute to the stadium. This is a great opportunity to minimize spend to only the most opportune days and times.
Fantasy and gambling content (QB sneak): There is a whole universe of sports fans who also enjoy playing fantasy sports and/or taking part in legalized gambling. For the right sort of brand, this is a fertile opportunity to reach high-income, young audiences and provide messages that appeal to them.
As advertisers gear up for the start of a new season of the NBA, NHL, they should explore all of their options to find the right fit for their audiences and their products. The types of fans are expanding as are the ways to reach them. Mapping out a smart targeting strategy is the best way to maximize spend.
