We’re witnessing an evolution in brand advertising strategies in sports broadcasting. Traditional linear TV networks continue to offer unparalleled reach, capturing the communal excitement of live sporting events, while streaming platforms are carving out significant niches, engaging audiences with personalized content by leveraging digital targeting. This duality presents brands with a broad spectrum of opportunities to connect with fans. As the landscape continues to diversify, brands need to navigate a complex array of choices and strategize to capture the attention of viewers across both established and emerging media channels.

In this report, we explore the most advertised brands and industries, the most utilized types of ad placements, open opportunities across brand categories, and much more.

Some highlights include:

• Verizon, GEICO, and State Farm are the brands with the highest number of ad placements
• Auto, Finance, and Quick Serve Restaurants (QSR) are the brand categories with the highest number of ad placements
• Traditional TV spots during the game are still the most common ad placements across networks
• Leading placement outside of TV spots is in-game ads / logo pop ups on screen
• Opportunity on select networks for expanding brand categories
• Transportation, Consumer Electronics, Tech, and Telecom lead in embracing streaming networks
• Auto has a controlling stake in most sports leagues

With an in-depth analysis of branded advertisement placements across 87 national sports broadcasts (and including both linear TV and streaming), we’re thrilled to unveil our Brand Advertising in Sports Broadcasts 2023–24 Report. Authored by SponsorUnited’s Marketing Research and Analytics team, the report encompasses more than 2,000 brands, 26 networks and streaming services, and nearly 15,000 ad placements from March 13, 2023 through March 13, 2024.