Between traditional media channels, CTV, and digital audio, sports enthusiasts are more engaged than ever. Just last week, viewership of the Big Game breached an average of 126 million viewers, breaking last year’s record, which was itself a record. But for advertisers, the big story isn’t just viewership numbers; it’s how viewership changed. Streaming viewership share increased by over 18% in just one year, with Tubi alone accounting for 13.6 million viewers.
These major year-over-year shifts indicate the broader trends in live sports media: a shift from traditional media channels to streaming. It’s not just live sports that are changing, though. Podcasts have doubled in share of sports audio listenership since 2018 with no signs of slowing down, with Millenials and GenZ being up to 3x more likely to listen to podcasts than AM, FM, or satellite radio. This listenership is proving to be quite valuable, with 63% of sports audio listeners gathering more information about a brand and over 50% purchasing a product or service after hearing an ad on a sports audio program.
What Makes Digital Audio and CTV Unique Channels for Sports Advertising?
As sports fans shift toward CTV and digital audio, advertisers have a unique opportunity to reach highly targeted audiences with tailored ads while they are most engaged. These channels combine the benefits of traditional sports media advertising (positive environment, reach) with the benefits of digital advertising (greater control over location, precision audiences for CTV). Let’s dive deeper into the biggest benefits of sports CTV and audio advertising.
Highly Targeted
In the past, sports advertising offered many impressions and impressive reach but wasn’t targeted, offering only location and time-based targeting. Sports advertising can now be approached programmatically. Like in years past, today’s sports advertising can be targeted along location and time of day, but through digital audio and CTV, advertisers can reach audiences on their preferred streaming channel, streaming radio station, music streaming platform, or podcast. On some ad platforms, CTV viewership of non-live sports content can even be targeted along specific segments, like Frequent Sport Event Attendees, Sports & Activewear Shoppers, and Sporting Goods Shoppers. Live CTV sports and sports audio may offer fewer targeting options, but these channels make up for limited targeting with higher visibility and premium placement.
Engaged Audience
You know fans are paying attention when the game is on. This active engagement from fans provides an ideal environment for your ads. People actively engaged with their favorite content have higher rates of ad recall and a greater likelihood of developing brand affinity, and ads served through sports CTV and digital audio typically demonstrate strong view-through and listen-through rates.
Cross-Device Campaigns
One of the most valuable aspects of advertising through digital audio and CTV sports media is the opportunity for cross-device promotions. Sports fans consume related content across mobile, desktop, CTV, and audio. A fan might watch the game on a Saturday using their preferred CTV channel, turn to a podcast for their favorite commentator’s opinion the following day, and then read an article breaking down the upcoming matchup.
Through an omnichannel campaign, you can put your brand directly in the center of a fan’s entertainment ecosystem, reaching them across multiple channels. Using an ad platform that allows for omnichannel campaigns, you can ensure your brand appears alongside the teams and sports that fans enjoy, maximizing your ad performance.
Gary’s QuickSteak Proves the Power of Omnichannel
Gary’s QuickSteak leveraged GroundTruth CTV+, a bundle that combines CTV and mobile ads, and layered in audio ads to amplify their message. The results?
- 30% Sales Lift
- 22.9k Attributable Grocery Store Visits
- 0.33% Store Visitation Rate
Choosing the Right Platform
Whether it’s the thrill of the live game, match, or race, commentary immediately after, or third-party podcasts and blogs, here is what you need to engage sports fans effectively across channels:
- Confidence that your brand is front and center to capitalize on the engagement of sports fans.
- Access to performance metrics to gauge business success, like in-store visits to your businesses.
- The ability to run omnichannel campaigns across CTV, audio, and any other relevant channel.
Launching Your Campaigns with GroundTruth
Interested in launching cross-device campaigns on Sports content? We’ll show you how to build a campaign that will drive real business results, including increased foot traffic, higher sales, incremental sales, and more. Reach out today!
