Study: 73% of advertisers plan live sports streaming investment
September 17, 2026



Live sports remains one of advertising’s most valuable environments for reaching passionate fans at scale. As sports viewing shifts across screens, advertisers are increasingly following those fans to streaming TV.

Research from Premion and Advertiser Perceptions finds that 73 per cent of advertisers plan to allocate budget to live sports streaming/CTV advertising over the next 6–12 months, driven by engaged fans and major live events. Agency demand is even stronger, with 79 per cent planning to invest, compared with 65 per cent of marketers.


At the same time, the survey reveals what could unlock even greater investment: better measurement, stronger proof of ROI and simpler ways to navigate an increasingly fragmented sports marketplace.

“Live sports continues to deliver something incredibly valuable for advertisers: passionate audiences showing up in real time,” said Blake Hebert, Head of Publisher Operations, Premion. “As more sports viewing moves to streaming, advertisers want to capture that engagement with greater precision, accountability and local relevance. The opportunity now is to make live sports easier to access, measure and prove across an increasingly fragmented landscape.”

Engaged Sports Fans Are the Biggest Draw

Six in 10 advertisers (61 per cent) say reaching highly engaged sports fans during live events is a top reason for investing in live sports streaming, making it the leading investment driver. More than half (52 per cent) also point to capitalising on live sporting events that draw large audiences.

The appeal goes beyond engagement and scale. Some 41 per cent cite aligning their brands with premium live sports content, while 40 per cent are looking to extend the reach and impact of linear TV campaigns and 37 per cent want to connect with streaming-first or cord-cutting sports fans. The findings reinforce streaming’s growing role in extending linear reach and connecting advertisers with shifting sports audiences.

Local Audience Delivery Tops Measurement Priorities

Over half (57 per cent) of advertisers rank audience delivery and geographic reporting down to the local market among their most important measurement capabilities, higher than any other capability tested. That local focus signals that advertisers want to know not only that they reached sports fans, but that they reached the right audiences in the markets that matter.

Accountability also ranks high with 52 per cent prioritising attribution following exposure to live sports advertising, while 49 per cent prioritise transparent reporting across publishers and inventory sources. Another 49 per cent prioritise measuring incremental reach beyond linear TV. The expectation is clear: prove audience delivery, quantify streaming’s incremental reach and connect exposure to outcomes.

Streaming Is Extending the Impact of Linear Sports Buys

Four in 10 advertisers (40 per cent) are investing in live sports streaming to extend the reach and impact of linear TV campaigns, while nearly half (49 per cent) prioritise measuring incremental reach beyond linear TV.

The findings underscore how streaming and linear are increasingly working hand in hand. As sports audiences spread across screens, streaming helps advertisers extend linear reach while adding greater targeting and measurement.

Cost and ROI Are the Biggest Barriers to Greater Investment

Cost is the top obstacle to greater live sports streaming investment, cited by 44 per cent of advertisers, with difficulty measuring campaign performance and ROI close behind at 41 per cent.

Other hurdles reflect the complexity of today’s sports marketplace. Over a third (35 per cent) cite a lack of transparency into campaign delivery and reporting, while 34 per cent point to the complexity of buying across multiple publishers and platforms. Another 34 per cent cite limited access to premium live sports inventory.

Notably, just 23 per cent cite difficulty reaching sports audiences at sufficient scale, the lowest-ranked challenge. The gap is telling: reaching sports fans isn’t the primary obstacle. Cost, proving performance and navigating a fragmented marketplace are the bigger hurdles to greater investment.

“Our research shows advertisers already recognise the value of live sports streaming. The next step is removing the friction that can hold back greater investment, from buying complexity to transparency and ROI. Solving those challenges will help advertisers get more from live sports,” concluded Hebert.