Once the gold standard for reaching mass audiences, linear TV has lost its stronghold, increasingly displaced by streaming video. For a time, live sports and news offered linear TV a last line of defense, serving as the content people still showed up for in real time. Now, even that edge is slipping. Live sports — TV’s most reliable ratings magnet — is being streamed more than ever. This shift not only disrupts how fans consume games but also reshapes the advertising landscape, introducing both challenges and opportunities for brands trying to reach an evolving audience.

Sports and Streaming: A Growing Alliance

Spending on sports rights by streaming platforms has grown by over 60% since 2022, a number that’s only expected to rise. From Apple TV’s exclusive deals for Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball’s Friday night games to Netflix’s upcoming streaming of WWE’s Monday Night Raw, every major platform is scrambling to lock down exclusive rights to key sports properties.

Much like they’ve done with entertainment content, these platforms are turning sports into another form of premium, subscription-only programming. For fans, this has created a fragmented landscape that often requires juggling multiple services to keep up with different teams and leagues. Attempts at re-bundling, like the much-discussed ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery collaboration “Venu,” have so far failed to take hold. Its cancellation in early 2025 signals that this fragmentation isn’t going away anytime soon.

Advertising in a Fragmented Sports Landscape

The breakup of mass audiences into streaming silos forces advertisers to rethink where and how they show up. Traditional ad buys on linear TV are no longer sufficient, especially as key demographics like Gen Z and women are increasingly found in streaming environments.

For advertisers, this shift brings several new considerations:

• Audience Targeting: Streaming allows for more precise targeting using first-party data and real-time analytics. This means ads can be delivered to more relevant viewers based on behavior, demographics and even device type.
• Creative Flexibility: While traditional :15 and :30 second evergreen spots are still commonly used (as seen in our work with Cleveland Clinic Foundation), streaming opens doors for unique in-game placements like squeeze-backs or screen ribbons that can appear without interrupting the game.
• Content Alignment: Streaming also offers more flexible content adjacency. It’s no longer unusual to see a Swiffer ad in a Super Bowl pregame show. The diversity of streaming audiences demands creative that speaks beyond traditional sports stereotypes.

What It Looks Like in Practice

At Adcom, we’ve worked with brands like Cleveland Clinic and Great Lakes Brewing Company to place advertising within live sports streaming — from Cavaliers games to March Madness and the Olympics. These campaigns often involve sponsorship packages that include a combination of in-game signage, digital placements, and streaming inventory. Sports CPMs tend to align with premium streaming rates, though exclusive rights can command a premium due to limited inventory and high demand. Success metrics include impressions and engagement, both online and offline. In some cases, community buzz or social sharing after the fact serves as a more valuable signal than traditional click-through rates.

The Big Picture: Advertising That Moves with the Viewer

Streaming’s appeal is clear: it’s on-demand, data-informed and device-agnostic. Viewers are more engaged and intentionally watching on devices that are within arm’s reach, rather than passively consuming from across a busy living room.

For advertisers, this means adapting strategies to prioritize relevance over reach and customization over mass exposure. Platforms continue to chase sports fans, with fans themselves chasing their favorite teams across platforms. The brands that succeed will be those who can follow them with thoughtful, nimble creative strategies.

Final Take

The age of streaming isn’t just about where people watch. It’s about how they engage. Sports have entered the streaming era with full force, urging advertisers to rethink everything from media mixes to creative approaches. The playbook is changing, and for those ready to adapt, the field is wide open.

Looking to navigate the evolving world of sports streaming? Contact our team to start exploring how we help clients stay ahead of the curve by leveraging new platforms, smarter targeting and fresh opportunities to connect with today’s viewers.