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.
Advertisers are discovering new value in niche women’s sports: NCAA volleyball, gymnastics, and lacrosse offer passionate audiences, low ad clutter, and high engagement, per EDO.
This week, in-person events bring consumers closer to brands, agencies face creative challenges, and TikTok’s troubles highlight Pinterest’s potential.
Women’s sports advertising is thriving: TV viewership is up 140%, ad spend has doubled, and in-game ads drive 40% more engagement than primetime TV.
Dick’s Sporting Goods had its best holiday quarter on record: While Q4 comparable sales soared past expectations, the retailer is tempering its outlook due to geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty.
Netflix sells out WWE Raw sponsorships: Ad inventory is booked for months, proving brands see value in wrestling.
This week, marketers look beyond Google Search to YouTube, ChatGPT, and Amazon, while dealing with an influx of consumer data. Meanwhile, women’s sports are on the rise as advertisers invest more in leagues, teams, and athletes.
NWSL secures key women-led sponsorships: E.l.f. Cosmetics and Unwell partner with the soccer league, marking a shift in how beauty and lifestyle brands invest in sports.
Modelo’s college basketball ad spend grows 48%: The investment highlights the lucrative opportunity of advertising during live sporting events.
Hulu’s technical breakdown at the Oscars sparks backlash: Subscribers missed key moments as the stream crashed early, exposing the platform’s struggles with high-profile live events.