Leaders in Live Series: Top Five Takeaways for Advertisers

Amid the excitement of Australia’s sports season, Magnite unveiled a three-part video series titled Leaders in Live, featuring industry experts from Nine, Seven and KINESSO. The series takes a deep dive into the growing influence of live sports, the shift in audiences toward streaming platforms, and how cutting-edge technology is opening new doors for agencies and advertisers to connect with sports fans meaningfully.

Here are five key takeaways from the series to help agencies and advertisers maximise the potential of live sports streaming and elevate their media campaign performance.

1. Live sports opens up opportunities for diverse brands to advertise on ‘TV’

Brands with medium-sized budgets can now advertise during major live sports events, such as this year’s Nine’s coverage of the Paris Olympics and State of Origin, Optus Sport’s UEFA Euro, and Seven’s AFL Grand Finals—something previously out of reach. Instead of leaning on traditional TV advertising or brand sponsorships, advertisers can also buy spots programmatically, allowing them to connect with valuable audiences amid the rapid rise of sports streaming.

2. Audiences are evolving and women are in the driver’s seat

Traditionally male-dominated, sports now attract a more diverse audience, with women viewers rising across various sports. This shift creates new opportunities for advertisers to connect with a broader and diverse audience.

Sports is also becoming more accessible and inclusive, with platforms like 7plus offering free, live streaming for all, further fueling the rise of sports streaming and allowing fans to enjoy sports from anywhere.

3. Technology plays a crucial role in optimising the viewing and ad experience

Live sports streaming has built audiences to a scale that is attractive to brands. The right SSP and tools like Live Stream Acceleration (LSA) are vital for managing ads in live environments where audience volumes can be unpredictable and ad breaks may occur unexpectedly. It effectively handles bursts of ad requests and ensures timely ad delivery, all while maintaining a high-quality viewing experience.

4. Live sports delivers strong brand outcomes 

Live sports is rapidly scaling as audiences shift towards streaming. Brands can programmatically tap into this highly engaged audience, and bypass traditional sponsorships. With its tribal following, live sports remains a pinnacle of appointment type viewing, helping to build cultural relevance and brand personality. A broad screens approach, combined with programmatic trading, delivers lasting benefits and strengthens brand impact over time.

5. Leverage data and technology to unlock precise, scalable addressable advertising

Numerous data and tech partners are available to help agencies and advertisers effectively reach their audiences. For instance, Seven’s technology enables accurate audience planning on 7plus, providing a great opportunity for advertisers to tap into Seven’s upcoming live streaming coverage of the Summer of Cricket. Additionally, the 7REDiQ data visualisation tool offers access to rich insights from 13.7 million registered users, facilitating better campaign planning and connecting with target audiences.

To learn more, watch the Leaders in Live series

The Live Sports Streaming Experience

Nine and Magnite discuss the live streaming ad experience and the tech strategies to keep audiences engaged.

Redefining Live Sports Audiences

Seven explores live sports audiences and how to leverage streaming to reach diverse demographics.

Live Sports The Game Changer for Advertisers

KINESSO delves into the impact of live sports advertising and how programmatic trading enhances campaign performance.