With the NFL season now underway, football, and live sports in general, are going to be top of mind for many U.S. fans. Sports remain a top viewed genre for audiences across the globe, which is likely one reason why 70% of publishers consider live sports their most premium inventory. As much of viewing has shifted to streaming, so has the availability of live sports. While the availability of sports content on streaming has increased fragmentation, which might take some getting used to by viewers, it has also opened up additional inventory opportunities for buyers and sellers.
As the way that fans access content continues to evolve, the viewer experience must be enhanced, not harmed, by this shift in viewing.
Fans Hold the Value for Publishers
The emotional connection between a sports fan and their favorite team should not be discounted. Most fans will watch until the end of the game, even if the team they are rooting for is losing.1 Sports also have the ability to attract new subscribers to streaming platforms and avid fans* are 31% more likely to subscribe to a streaming service to watch a specific game or sporting event.1 Churn is a growing concern for many publishers and the emotional attachment fans have to sports can possibly help with retention beyond the free trial period. In fact, for fans who didn’t cancel a streaming trial, almost half kept the service because it was dedicated to a sport that they love.1
Viewing Experience Matters to Fans
Fans have many apps and platforms to choose from when watching sports, and a big factor in how they choose is the ease of access to their favorite games. For avid fans, coverage quality and game availability are particularly important.
Traditional TV currently has the edge for fans in coverage quality, creating an opportunity for improvement among streaming providers. Fans also want technology that enhances their game day viewing experience such as real-time stats and analysis and customizable camera angles, since the ability to see all aspects of the game is the selling point for watching on TV versus in-person at a live sporting event.
Opportunities to Optimize Sports Advertising
While almost half of fans have a positive perception of advertising during games, ad frequency, repetition, and timing are the top reasons fans find ads disruptive.1 Disruptive ads, or those ads that completely interrupted the game, are also the top reason for dissatisfaction with the current experience of watching sports on TV, across both traditional or streaming, among fans.1
When looking to improve the ad experience via sports content, publishers and advertisers should consider:
Approach Frequency Capping Differently for Live
As inventory continues to expand on streaming, sellers should be mindful of the quantity and quality of ad experiences. FreeWheel research found that two to three ads in a program can help brands minimize ad fatigue while aiding brand recognition and optimizing their spend. There may be more latitude in sports content, especially longer games, as most viewers feel ads should be in line with content length.2
Minimize Repetition
Diversifying creative will also help keep viewers engaged, with a focus on ad messaging that complements the sport to appeal to fan preferences.1
Ensure Ads Are Relevant to the Audience
Relevance is an important aspect of the premium perception among viewers and fans are currently split on the relatability of sports advertising today.1 But for sports fans, relevance matters: 57% of sports viewers prefer when ads are related to, or complement the sports they are viewing.1 As more live sports become available to transact on programmatically, advertisers should lean into the powerful audience targeting available to them to help ensure ads are customized to the viewer.
Consider Timing
Nearly 1 in 4 fans feel the ads are at the worst possible time1 and research has found that brands suffer when ad breaks are intrusive. Positioning ad breaks naturally with game stoppage and league media breaks will reduce the disruptiveness in the minds of fans and increase the perceived quality of sports content.
Look to Programmatic to Help Enhance the Viewer Experience
The availability of sports content on streaming will allow advertisers to activate their campaigns programmatically for increased efficiency. But that isn’t all. Through programmatic, publishers, and in turn advertisers, can also ensure that the viewer experience is positive especially regarding ad relevancy and ad frequency. There is still so much opportunity for programmatic advertising on live sports to be unlocked.
The Power of a Positive Viewer Experience for Sports Fans
The popularity of sports among U.S. audiences remains strong and advertising during game coverage will allow brands to reach engaged viewers. Although content may be fragmented across platforms and screens, it’s imperative that the industry works to improve ad experiences for sports fans, and viewers of all content, across all video ad environments.
*Avid fans are respondents who spend 5+ hours with sports content per week, watch live sports coverage and consider themselves super fans of at least one sport or league that they typically follow.
Sources:
- Comcast Advertising Survey. N=1000. April 2024. Qualifying Criteria: Watched sports content (game, highlights, talk show, etc.) in the P6M.
- Comcast Advertising, Happydemics Survey, 2021. N=2162.
