Advertisers Target Live Sports Streaming, But Smarter Strategies Needed

Live sports streaming continues to draw what few other media offerings can: large, highly engaged audiences who tune in together, in real time. With audiences showing up week after week, it’s no surprise that advertisers are eager to follow. According to research from Premion and Advertiser Perceptions, 73% of surveyed advertisers plan to allocate budget to live sports streaming and connected TV in the coming months.

The surge in attention is clear, but the report highlights a gap: advertisers still need more effective ways to reach these audiences as traditional TV ad models don’t always translate to CTV. The challenge isn’t audience scale—it’s smarter targeting and meaningful engagement as streaming platforms continue to fragment.

With budget shifting toward live sports, advertisers are left facing the complexity of a crowded CTV landscape where old playbooks won’t cut it.