2026 will be a massive year in sports, and the race is on for advertisers to reach sports viewers.
There’s no shortage of sports programming options, with everything from major global tentpole events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2026 Winter Olympics to nonstop NFL action, college football and basketball, NBA/WNBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, Formula 1, the PGA, horse racing and even NCAA Wrestling.
However, too many options can create problems. Finding the game or event you want to watch has practically become its own sport. Navigating the fragmentation in the sports marketplace across linear and digital has become a challenge for even the most seasoned media buyers.
As the traditional network upfronts wrap and the fall sports season starts, advertisers must up their game and find creative ways to engage fans. Working directly with the ever-changing lineup of rights holders may guarantee access to premium inventory, but it’s not the only way to capitalize on sports opportunities.
MVPDs/vMVPDs as MVPs
Upfront buys and sponsorships unlock deals and exclusivity, but scatter allows you to be flexible and opportunistic. MVPDs and vMVPDs can be the real MVPs of sports advertising by offering one-stop shops for the right pockets of sports inventory across both linear TV and streaming, with guaranteed in-game inventory or “always on” packaging for a steady pulse of sports content year-round.
Add data-driven targeting with first-party audience insights to reach league and sports fans wherever they’re watching TV, and you have a winning strategy.
An uneven programmatic playing field
When you look at straight digital ad insertion (DAI), not every platform – or sport – is the same. As the tide continues to turn from linear to streaming, the NFL and major networks still limit programmatic enablement of their high-profile sports inventory. This is due to concerns that private marketplace activations may crash the livestream.
Again, vMVPDs can help make an end run. Early players like DirecTV led the way in developing server-side ad insertion (SSAI), building the technological infrastructure necessary to ensure smoother playback and consistency across CTV.
Bet on women’s sports
Brands can stand out in women’s sports when clutter is rampant in the marketplace. In 2024, women’s sports viewership increased 131% year over year, driving a 56% increase in ad effectiveness compared to the previous year, according to EDO.
Ads during women’s sports delivered 40% more impact than the average primetime ad. It’s not just the Caitlin Clark effect, either. Interest in women’s sports has grown significantly in recent years, reaching 50% of the general population globally in 2024, up from 45% in 2022, according to Nielsen.
Think outside the stadium
Your brand may not have the budget to sponsor the Masters Tournament, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be a part of the conversation. As live TV viewing shifts beyond the traditional household, reaching sports audiences can now include the journey as well as the destination with new premium out-of-home video options.
For example, why not surround the Masters by running your campaign on planes en route to Georgia and on TVs in hotels, bars and restaurants across the Augusta area? Thinking outside the stadium – or off the course, as the case may be – can be a great way to differentiate and stay close in context to the big game.
Press pause
It may seem counterintuitive, but sports viewers are more likely to press pause to ensure that they don’t miss key moments when compared to those watching entertainment programming, according to the latest research from Magna Media Trials and DirecTV Advertising.
Across all types of content, people said they pause to stay engaged, with 92% of those surveyed pausing for longer than 30 seconds and almost half (42%) of sports viewers reporting that they stay in the room. During these pauses, brands can reach fans programmatically outside the traditional 30-second spots or sponsorships at a moment of maximum engagement.
Winning in sports advertising in 2026 will take more than just going big or going home. Brands and buyers can also win by finding the right players, knowing the nuances of the game and taking full advantage of every opportunity and innovation.
