Disney Advertising Expands NFL Reach with New Sales Management

With Disney Advertising now managing sales for NFL Network, NFL Fantasy, and RedZone, we’re unifying how marketers show up across the entire football experience. One ecosystem. More precision. Greater impact across every moment that matters. As we approach Upfront season, we’re continuing to build a more connected, performance-driven future for sports advertising.

Big News: FCC chair warns NFL that increase in streaming could “collapse” antitrust exemption. "The NFL’s ongoing pivot from broadcast TV to streaming could have potentially significant ramifications, according to FCC chair Brendan Carr." "It’s been ripening, frankly, from the moment the NFL did its first cable-only deal in the 1980s. The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 arguably contemplates an antitrust exemption for over-the-air telecasts only. Cable, satellite, and/or streamer possibly don’t fall within the scope of the exemption that lets the NFL sell rights to games in an all-teams-or-no-teams grouping." "The timing of the comments becomes relevant to the current dynamics of the league’s TV packages. The NFL is negotiating with CBS to extend deals that can be scrapped after the 2029 season, at a significant increase over the $2.1 billion per year CBS already agreed to pay. If, as expected, the NFL moves from CBS to other networks, the unspoken “or else” could be moving entire packages to streaming." (link for more) There are a number of conflicts in the world of professional sports streaming, including: Fragmented viewing options Sports fans need to subscribe to multiple streaming services to watch their favorite teams, which make expensive and difficult to support their teams. Illegal streaming Many people watch sports illegally through pirated streams. A recent survey found that 35% of NFL fans regularly watch games on pirate streams. - Blackout policies - Out-of-market games: Fans may need to use a VPN to watch out-of-market games. - Cord-cutting: The world is moving away from cable TV, and the reach of cable and satellite is declining. - Sports media evolution: Sports fans are concerned that their sports are more confusing to find, especially live sports. "Its No Longer My Prediction from Years Past...Now The Facts" Pro Leagues Will Leave Broadcast Behind for a "Teams" Subscription Model by 2028-29. FreeCast will be ready. FreeCast: NASDAQ Symbol: CAST - **corp.freecast.com** - #FreeCast #NextGenStreaming #NoMoreAppDiving #EndtheStreamingChaos #Streaming #TV #NFL #NBA #MLB #Sports https://lnkd.in/eUkBD-P4

Big News: FCC chair warns NFL that increase in streaming could “collapse” antitrust exemption. "The NFL’s ongoing pivot from broadcast TV to streaming could have potentially significant ramifications, according to FCC chair Brendan Carr." "It’s been ripening, frankly, from the moment the NFL did its first cable-only deal in the 1980s. The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 arguably contemplates an antitrust exemption for over-the-air telecasts only. Cable, satellite, and/or streamer possibly don’t fall within the scope of the exemption that lets the NFL sell rights to games in an all-teams-or-no-teams grouping." "The timing of the comments becomes relevant to the current dynamics of the league’s TV packages. The NFL is negotiating with CBS to extend deals that can be scrapped after the 2029 season, at a significant increase over the $2.1 billion per year CBS already agreed to pay. If, as expected, the NFL moves from CBS to other networks, the unspoken “or else” could be moving entire packages to streaming." (link for more) There are a number of conflicts in the world of professional sports streaming, including: Fragmented viewing options Sports fans need to subscribe to multiple streaming services to watch their favorite teams, which make expensive and difficult to support their teams. Illegal streaming Many people watch sports illegally through pirated streams. A recent survey found that 35% of NFL fans regularly watch games on pirate streams. - Blackout policies - Out-of-market games: Fans may need to use a VPN to watch out-of-market games. - Cord-cutting: The world is moving away from cable TV, and the reach of cable and satellite is declining. - Sports media evolution: Sports fans are concerned that their sports are more confusing to find, especially live sports. "Its No Longer My Prediction from Years Past...Now The Facts" Pro Leagues Will Lesve Broadcast Behind for a "Teams" Subscription Model by 2028-29. FreeCast will be ready. FreeCast: NASDAQ Symbol: CAST - **corp.freecast.com** - #FreeCast #NextGenStreaming #NoMoreAppDiving #EndtheStreamingChaos #Streaming #TV #NFL #NBA #MLB #Sports https://lnkd.in/eUkBD-P4

A great conversation at Convergent TV World last week. Thanks again to this group for the thoughtful discussion! Cablefax's John Saavedra summed it up best: as technology evolves and viewership habits change, so will the ways leagues, teams and media companies distribute and monetize content. Personalization and AI will be the primary drivers as live sports continue to move forward in an increasingly digital ecosystem. Read John's full recap of the panel here: https://lnkd.in/dRjz6K6R #ConvergentTVWorld #CTV

Live sports remain one of the most reliable environments in advertising. Recent industry media research shows Major League Baseball viewership continuing to grow across national broadcasts, reinforcing why live sports remain a premium environment for sustained audience reach. FOX is averaging over 2 million viewers per game, ESPN viewership has increased more than 20%, and TBS continues to see strong growth. At the same time, MLB streaming consumption has expanded significantly as more fans watch games through connected TV platforms and live streaming environments. For advertisers, this combination of traditional television scale and growing streaming engagement creates a powerful opportunity for consistent brand exposure throughout the season. Unlike many forms of digital media, live sports deliver real-time viewing and high audience attention, making them one of the most effective environments for brand visibility. At Television Ad Group — America’s Media Buyers, we help companies navigate national television, cable networks, regional sports channels, and streaming platforms to secure strategic placements and efficient media buying opportunities. If your company is exploring sports advertising, national television campaigns, or low-cost (remnant) advertising opportunities, our team provides experienced guidance and disciplined media buying execution. #TelevisionAdvertising #SportsAdvertising #MediaBuying #LiveSports #ConnectedTV #AdvertisingStrategy

The MLB season is officially underway. Fans were treated to an Opening Day broadcast on Netflix - immediately followed by Netflix raising their subscription prices the next day. The average sports viewing experience now starts with "what channel is the game on, and do I even subscribe to that?" Netflix. Apple TV. Amazon Prime. ESPN+. Hulu. The fragmentation is only going to get worse, and soon the full cost to follow your favorite team won't be far off from a season ticket package. What about ad-supported plans? If you're a marketer or business owner, spending money to advertise on platforms that make most of their money convincing people to pay more to skip your ad is fundamentally broken for brand building. Every commercial followed by a reminder that you can make it stop for $5 more a month does far more harm than good for your brand awareness. You're not building brand loyalty. You're funding someone else's upsell. P.S. - Huge congratulations to all of our partners on the Phillies Radio Network this season. These businesses leaned into an opportunity to not only reach fans, but give them a consistent, reliable way to enjoy every single game without paying a dime. The Eagles Radio Network is accepting partners for this upcoming NFL season. DM me to get involved. #sportsmarketing #philadelphiaphillies #philadelphiaeagles #radio #advertising

Stop overpaying for NFL spots. How to get network authority on a regional budget. Most brands think national advertising is too expensive. They’re wrong. At SportsMedia.tv, we secure Implied Sponsorship on ESPN, NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox without the national price tag. Target the specific US markets that drive your ROI with the prestige of a network broadcast. Whether it’s CTV, OOHsports.com, or in-stadium Sportrons, we deliver digital TV-style ads exactly where fans watch. With 5,000+ demographic data points, you hit your exact audience: not just a generic crowd. As we approach America’s 250th birthday, we celebrate the spirit of competition and domestic excellence. We stand for the flag and the businesses that build this country. Every campaign we run supports American growth. Stop being timid. Start being strategic. Honor our values by winning in the right arena. How are you leveraging sports authority to grow your brand this season? (Check the first comment for the link to our regional inventory) #SportsMarketing #NFL #MediaBuying #USA250 #SportsMedia #OOH #CTV CONFIRMED, SOP IMPLEMENTED, 5 HOOK ENGINE ACTIVE, POSTS SCHEDULED 2 HOURS APART.

Hot take: Disney Advertising knows how to find their way back home, and they do it by bringing you back to a version of yourself you didn’t realise you missed.

X is offering financial incentives of up to $200,000 to entice advertisers back to its platform, according to a leaked presentation from October 2025; HubSpot introduced 15 significant updates in February 2026, enhancing AI capabilities and improving campaign attribution; Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery are set to dominate the streaming landscape by controlling 40% of acquired TV viewing, according to Forbes; and Disney and ESPN have achieved a significant milestone in ad sales for the NCAA Women's Tournament, with 30-second spots reaching a record $1.5m – up and at ‘em with the first Marketing Slice of the week… https://lnkd.in/eGXRycYf #marketers #martech #CMO #advertising

Netflix recently announced that it will livestream its first Formula 1 race in partnership with Apple. This partnership speaks to what’s working about its sports strategy, prioritizing siloed event programming — but it also raises questions about pursuing larger sports rights after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger fell through.