The news: The NBA held steady at 4,668 brand sponsors between 2023 and 2024, but total sponsorship revenues rose 8% to $1.62 billion, thanks to jersey patch deals, venue launches like the Intuit Dome, and record-breaking player endorsements. The Golden State Warriors alone brought in over $200 million, and rookie Jared McCain set a league record with 30 personal brand deals. Our take: The NBA is deepening its value to advertisers, not just expanding reach. With media rights deals and Amazon integration elevating its commercial footprint, the league is fast becoming one of the most lucrative platforms for modern marketers.
Pinterest teams with the Liberty to reach Gen Z fans: The focus is lifestyle expression, trend discovery, and community engagement.
Indy 500 hits viewership record in its first time airing on Fox: The event highlights the ongoing battle for media companies to secure sports rights.
The auto industry joins shift to performance-driven channels: Marketers are pulling away from traditional media like TV as tariff pressures mount.
YouTube’s hiring of ESPN veteran Justin Connolly triggers a Disney lawsuit: The clash underscores rising tensions over live sports streaming supremacy.
NBCU looks to secure MLB rights after ESPN backs out: The deal would position NBCU as a one-stop shop for sports, enhancing its value for advertisers.
YouTube strikes deal to broadcast first game of the NFL season: The move responds to fans embracing digital for sports and presents an opportunity for advertisers.
ESPN’s new platform marks a bold digital pivot: Meanwhile, Fox is launching Fox One to stay competitive in the streaming era.
Disney’s streaming bundle is driving subscriber gains and lower churn: But fiscal caution and ad headwinds may limit future momentum.
TikTok extends its partnership with MLS: The move is part of a broader trend of brands investing in sports.
Women's sports viewership continues its upward trajectory with the NCAA women's basketball championship game drawing over 8 million viewers and peaking at 9.8 million, per ESPN ratings. While that figure is down over 2024’s 18.5 million, it represents a longer trend of sustained growth in women’s sports viewership. This phenomenon can no longer be attributed to one single star athlete—Caitlin Clark—but to an overall increase in women’s sports popularity.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how March Madness viewership stacked up this year, if women’s college basketball was able to sustain the bump from the ‘Caitlin Clark effect’, and how viewers of women’s sports are both different and the same. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Analyst Paola Flores-Marquez, Vice President of Content Paul Verna, and Vice President of Inclusive Insights Charlene Polite Corley. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Sports remains a profitable ad opportunity: Two-thirds of Americans are sports fans and over half have made a purchase based on audio ads.
Sports discussions see growth on Threads: The shift indicates that the platform could be closer to outpacing X than initially thought.
Inside the Meta and UFC partnership: The deal—both strategic and political—makes Meta UFC’s “official fan technology partner.”
This year, high viewership demonstrates the enduring popularity of the events, name image likeness (NIL) rights are allowing athletes to take part in brand deals, and the women’s league continues to make a bigger splash than in years past.
Android Auto chases connected car gaming, while Apple CarPlay bets on sports content and simplified interfaces. Both present new advertising opportunities.
European streaming platform DAZN will spend more on sports rights than any other service worldwide, per February 2025 data from Ampere Analysis.
NIL fuels March Madness ad boom: College athletes are reshaping brand strategy as ad inventory sells out and real-time deals surge.
Peloton owns half of all at-home fitness market sales, according to a February Earnest Analytics survey.