The New York Liberty’s victory in the 2024 WNBA Championship has seen a surge in the advertising market, with major media companies and sports rights having a positive impact. According to media executives, the end of the election uncertainty has brought a sense of stability to the market, and this year is expected to be a more predictable one.
Despite the shift in consumer behavior, with many opting out of traditional TV bundles and instead opting for streaming services, traditional TV is still an important factor in discussions with advertisers, particularly when it comes to sports. Mark Marshall, chairman of global advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal, believes that normalization is key, and with the election settled, companies feel a sense of uncertainty has lifted.
Dan Porter, CEO of sports media company Overtime, agrees, stating that the fourth quarter is usually challenging due to the crowded airwaves and digital landscape, but this year’s climate is different. “My expectation is that we’re going to see a lot of stability in ad revenue,” he said.
The global advertising industry is expected to surpass $1 trillion in total revenue this year, with a 7.7% growth in 2025 to reach $1.1 trillion. The report by GroupM also predicts TV ad revenue to grow by nearly 2% in 2025, while digital ad revenue is expected to grow by 10% to $813.3 billion.
Sports and live events have continued to be a key area of interest, with commercials during live sports generating 24% more engagement than other programming. The ongoing growth in the popularity of women’s sports, driven by the WNBA, has also presented more opportunities for advertisers. However, women’s sports still only make up 3% of total sports ad spend, leaving room for growth in the coming year.
Linear TV is still considered an effective form of advertising, with an estimated 6x more ad impressions generated than streaming. Kate Scott-Dawkins, GroupM’s global president of business intelligence, believes that there is still significant opportunity in linear TV, particularly in international markets that are seeing growth.
Amy Leifer, chief ad sales officer at DirecTV Advertising, predicts continued growth in programmatic ad spending and the need for a comprehensive approach to TV advertising that unifies linear and streaming. Mark Marshall and Josh Mattison of NBCUniversal and Disney, respectively, agree that the focus has shifted from “linear versus” streaming to “linear AND streaming,” with both being important factors in the advertising market.
