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Amazon is committed to investing in content, with an emphasis on live sports such as the NFL鈥檚 Thursday Night Football on Prime Video and plans to stream MLB, NBA, and NHL games through a deal with Diamond Sports Group. This will be a critical part of its strategic shift to draw more advertisers. To view the full forecast, click here.

It offers ad-free listening for about 100 million songs and millions of podcast episodes with Amazon Music, access to a vast collection of programming and live sports on Prime Video, and unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos.

And sports-centric Fubo TV, the largest digital pay TV provider we have not yet broken out, faces a potentially existential threat from the live sports streaming behemoth coming soon from Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FOX. We plan to forecast Fubo TV viewership soon. Behind the Numbers.

Sports are primary programming. Hulu + Live TV regularly features athletes in its commercials, which underscores how crucial sports are for digital pay TV providers. In 2024, nearly one-tenth of the US population will watch live sports via a digital pay TV service, and around three-fourths of digital pay TV viewers will watch live sports on these services.

Without the major live sports event, Peacock lacks a 鈥渒iller app鈥� to attract new viewers. The next few months will reveal if Peacock鈥檚 promotion of original content during the Olympics will keep churn low.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the size of sports betting markets, what happens when regulation gets too tight, and the potential problems associated with marketing within the gambling universe. Tune in to the discussion with our Principal Analyst and host Bill Fisher, Principal Analyst Paul Briggs, Senior Director of Podcasts Marcus Johnson, and Vice President of Content Paul Verna.

Publicis simplifies women鈥檚 sports advertising: The initiative aggregates ad inventory and sponsorships across major leagues and networks.

Amazon sells ads for live sports that appear on Prime Video, and ad-supported Freevee content is also available within the Prime Video app. Grasping where new inventory is and isn鈥檛 being unlocked will be important for media planners. Some Prime Video viewing will remain ad-free.

Venu Sports has been shelved for now, but it鈥檚 potential launch could pose a significant threat to linear TV鈥檚 remaining crown jewel: live sports.

Not to be outdone, Walmart Connect inked a deal with NBCUniversal to support retail media-powered ads within live sports. This came after several successful connected TV and digital partnerships, including with Roku and TikTok, as well as data integration with its Walmart+ partner Paramount+.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what Fortnite developer Epic Games' win over Google means, whether McDonald's new restaurant brand will be a success, why women's sports worldwide are exploding right now, if video streaming bundles are inevitable, how AI rules can keep pace with AI development, who's planning to live underwater in a few years, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Ross Benes, Bill Fisher, and Carina Perkins.

On today's episode, we discuss whether the age of social media is ending, if fewer ads equal greater ROI, more streaming platforms testing the sports waters, how newsletters are making money, whether the Cyber Five have lost their luster, an explanation of Twitter's advertising exodus, how long humans can live for now (and in the future), and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of forecasting Oscar Orozco and analysts Blake Droesch and Dave Frankland.

Prior to TikTok Shop鈥檚 launch last September, live shopping platform Whatnot earned nearly 100% of social shopping gross merchandise value in 2023, according to a recent Earnest Analytics report. What鈥檚 Whatnot? Whatnot is a livestream marketplace platform, specializing in the sale of collectibles including sports cards, sneakers, comics, and vintage clothing.

In addition, Max, Peacock, and Paramount+ have doubled down on sports rights, while ESPN is pivoting from a cable network to a D2C streaming service. All this is driving a surge in CTV ad spending, especially since live sports content commands loyal viewership and high ad rates. What does this mean for marketers, media companies, and distributors? The TV ship has sailed.

Interactive creative tailored to a live event鈥檚 start time or lineup. As streaming of live events like sports and awards shows increases, advertisers鈥� CTV strategy may not be set up for live TV. And just like how the mood may change within a TV show, a live event鈥檚 mood will likely change from one point to another.

Consumers鈥攅specially Gen Z鈥攁re eager to spend on live events: Summer concert ticket sales are at record levels thanks to high-profile stadium tours and the strong appeal of live experiences.

More sports will come to streaming. Sports leagues will continue to license their content to digital platforms, in many cases exclusively. As that process plays out and legacy broadcast channels like ESPN move from the cable and satellite ecosystem to a D2C streaming model, sports fans will ditch their cable bundles for streaming services.

Peacock will lead all platforms (47.0% growth), thanks mainly to the 2024 Summer Olympics and other live sports offerings. Max will take second place, growing its time spent among the population by 12.0% this year. Read the full report, US Time Spent With Media H2 2024 Update.

Live programming鈥檚 appeal lies in its real-time nature, higher engagement, and communal viewing experience, making it ideal for advertisers. By using programmatic tools and multiscreen campaigns, brands can effectively reach diverse audiences across various live events like the Super Bowl and the Olympics.

IAB attributes this upswing to streaming platforms鈥� expanded sports offerings, renewed engagement with live events, and improved access to self-serve and programmatic advertising capabilities. Our own forecast indicates that digital video ad spend grew 24.8% in 2024 and will grow an additional 17.8% in 2025鈥攁nd that video ad spend will double between 2023 and 2028.

What it means: Live sports will continue to play an important role in the battle for CTV ad dollars. Sports rights will be important for streamers, as will the need to innovate on what sports viewing means, either through multiview options akin to NFL RedZone or through alternative broadcasts like Paramount鈥檚 Nickelodeon NFL games. This was originally featured in the 蘑菇AV Daily newsletter.