Your Playbook for Sports Advertising in the Streaming Era

Live sports have always been premium real estate for advertisers: big audiences, big emotions, and big price tags. What’s changed in recent years isn’t the value of sports content—it’s how people are watching. With the continued shift to streaming platforms, the way marketers approach sports advertising is evolving fast. The question is no longer if sports content should be part of your media strategy, but how to make it measurable and effective in a new digital landscape.

The Sports Ad Myth: It’s All About the Big Game

When most marketers think of sports advertising, they picture the big, flashy moments—Super Bowl spots, March Madness, the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, or primetime showdowns. These placements are high-profile, high-cost, and often considered the pinnacle of brand visibility.

But in a recent team conversation, our VP of Analytics, Jacob, Dalton put it into perspective:

“Big bowl game ads are like a billboard in Times Square; cool, but mostly just a flex. In other words, sports advertising is extremely expensive and carries a huge premium, so it’s no shock it was front-and-center for the 2025 up-fronts. In fact, I can’t remember the last time it wasn’t.”

For many brands, that kind of spend isn’t realistic or worth it. These spots are hard to measure and typically locked behind steep costs and rigid network commitments.

Look Beyond the Big Game

The truth is, some of the most valuable sports advertising happens outside of the main event. Pre- and post-game shows, highlight reels, talk shows, and related content draw loyal, engaged audiences. Often, with far more flexibility and better pricing.

This is where streaming has changed the game. It’s made sports advertising more accessible, measurable, and targeted, without committing to costly broadcast bundles.

Streaming Is Reshaping the Playing Field

Advertisers no longer have to go through the traditional gatekeepers—NBC, CBS, FOX, ABC, or even direct deals with streaming giants like Amazon—to show up in premium sports environments. CTV and FAST platforms have opened the door to more flexible, data-driven buys that meet sports fans where they already are.

• Amazon recently secured a multiyear deal to stream NBA games starting in 2025.
• NBCUniversal is working to bring NBA games back after a 20-year absence.
• Samsung TV Plus continues to grow its free, ad-supported sports lineup.

And audiences are following. A Deloitte survey found that nearly 80% of U.S. sports fans stream live sports, with Gen Z leading the charge. As streaming platforms invest more in live coverage, talk shows, and on-demand recaps, advertisers have new ways to show up in relevant moments, without the traditional barriers to entry.

Making It Work in the Real World

Of course, all of this sounds promising in theory, but incorporating streaming sports into your broader media mix can feel daunting in practice. Between platform fragmentation, inventory availability, measurement gaps, and channel coordination, even savvy advertisers can find it overwhelming to figure out where to start. That’s where the right partners (and a clear plan) come in.

Your Quick-Start Playbook for Streaming Sports Success

At Digilant, we help brands tap into the power of live sports without the high costs or complexity of traditional TV buys. Here’s how to turn streaming sports into a scalable, high-impact part of your media strategy:

1. Expand Your Definition of “Sports Inventory”

It’s not just about the big game. Pre- and post-game analysis, highlight reels, sports news, and shoulder programming all offer rich opportunities to engage viewers, often with more flexibility, lower cost, and stronger contextual alignment.

2. Target Smarter with Real-Time and Purchase Data

Use Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) to target fans based on what they are watching and purchase-based targeting to reach fans when it matters most. Whether someone is shopping for team gear, attending games, or watching competitors’ ads, we help you serve the right message at the right moment.

3. Activate Across Premium Platforms

Through our partnerships with platforms like Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, and Amazon, we unlock access to brand-safe, non-skippable inventory across 50+ premium sports channels, without the need for massive upfront commitments.

4. Engage Fans with Interactive Creative

Streaming opens the door for more than passive viewing. Use QR codes, live polls, gamified ads, and second-screen activations to drive real-time engagement during the game, and real-world results after it.

5. Tie It All Together with Omnichannel Strategy

Live sports can be a centerpiece in a larger campaign. We help integrate CTV with mobile, social, and retail media channels—using shared data and messaging to amplify impact and keep your strategy connected across platforms.

6. Measure, Optimize, and Prove Performance

We don’t just launch campaigns—we track and refine them. From incremental reach and brand lift to digital traffic and footfall, we deliver the insights you need to prove ROI and scale what works.

Let’s Build Your Winning Game Plan

Sports advertising isn’t just for the brands with Super Bowl budgets anymore. With the rise of streaming and the right media strategy, it’s possible to show up in premium sports environments, engage real fans in real time, and prove that your investment is driving results.

At Digilant, we help advertisers simplify the complexity, unlock exclusive access through partners like Samsung and Amazon, and build a smarter, more connected strategy that puts live sports to work for your brand.

Reach out to our team to get the conversation started. We’ll help you turn sports viewers into real-world results