The reports of Linear TV’s death may be exaggerated, but the rapid rise of streaming cannot be overstated. While audiences fragment as quickly as streamers emerge, the one constant no one can debate is the power of live sports for both networks and advertisers.
During the recent TV+Sports Summit on the Future of Live Sports, EDO President & CEO Kevin Krim put this power in greater context.
Consider some of the data he shared:
When the Lakers, and more specifically, LeBron James are on TV, viewers are 16% more likely to engage with the ads shown during those games.
Over the last six seasons of NBA Finals broadcasts, someone watching an ad was 2.2 times more likely to search for the brands being advertised when compared to ads being shown during an average primetime game.
If a brand had to buy the search engagement equivalent in 30-second ads on non-sports primetime broadcasts, they’d have to buy 26 regular 30-second ads to get the equivalent of one 30-second ad shown during the NBA Finals.
Someone who sees an ad during the Super Bowl is 5.5 times more likely to search for the brands being advertised. If a brand had to buy the equivalent in 30-second ads on non-sports primetime broadcasts, they’d have to buy 872 (yes, 872!) regular 30-second ads to get the equivalent of one 30-second ad shown during the Super Bowl.
Kevin went on to raise a variety of thought-provoking topics related to the future of live sports viewership, including:
How Convergent TV will create a live vs. not-live divide for advertisers to consider when applying macro- and micro-advertising approaches.
The role programmatic ads may play in the future.
Expectations for viewership and advertisers for the rapidly approaching Summer Olympics.
Why the changing TV landscape will result in an increase of in-game sponsorships and customized ads.
You can watch the full “Measuring Success” session above.
Have additional questions about how Convergent TV will impact your live sports advertising spend and strategies? Watch EDO President & CEO Kevin Krim’s recent interview with Cynopsis on how advertisers can smartly navigate Convergent TV: Why the ‘High Anxiety’ Around Convergent TV: Welcome to TV’s Watershed Moment.