The Next Generation of Sports Fans Isn’t Where You Think They Are
Everyone wants to reach sports fans. As Upfronts closed throughout the summer, nearly every network pointed to its ability to deliver a live sports audience as a draw for advertisers. NBCU attributed its record sales volume to increased interest in sports, while Disney boasted about $4 billion in sports commitments.
Live sports remain one of the biggest draws in TV advertising as both TV and the sports fan evolve. We’ve reached a point where the next generation of sports fans may not even align with the image of the traditional cord cutter or streaming viewer when it comes to engaging with their teams. In fact, they may not even watch the games in full.
These passionate fans are engaging with the content and conversation that happens around sports, and this shifting dynamic means advertisers need new strategies for reaching this audience.
The new fan paradigm
Advertisers are forgiven for feeling whiplash. Many were already adapting their strategies to a live sports landscape that now includes pure-play streamers like Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV+. However, most of the adaptation from advertisers has focused on changes in the sports broadcast, without taking into account the shifting nature of the sports fan.
Today’s fans are just as invested in the content surrounding sports as in the live action itself. They’re leaning into creator-driven analysis, fan reactions, athlete-owned podcasts, and the endless cycle of highlights and commentary. Digital platforms have exploded the 24/7 sports news cycle into an always-on, multi-format experience.
That means advertisers can no longer assume that an in-game TV spot captures the full breadth of fandom. Instead, they need to chase a thriving audience that’s engaged seven days a week.
This is where YouTube has emerged as the epicenter. With 90% of Millennial sports fans watching content on the platform, YouTube is the clear destination for the next generation of fans. And they’re not just watching on their phones—last year, sports fans streamed 400 million hours of podcasts on YouTube via connected TVs.
What’s striking is the breadth of content. It’s no longer just highlights or replays. YouTube is home to everything from LeBron James’s Mind the Game to fantasy draft debates, sports betting insights, and fan-led reactions. For advertisers, that means nearly limitless adjacencies to tap into—far more than yesterday’s pre- or post-game shows.
For example, consider the NFL, where most of the game action takes place on Sundays. Viewers may tune in live over the weekend, but Monday is when the conversation ignites, driven by highlight breakdowns, fan reactions, and creator commentary.
An internal analysis revealed that NFL content published on Mondays accounts for 20% of all NFL-related views for the entire year. The engagement in this “morning after” environment can rival or even surpass live game content, providing brands with an additional opportunity to connect when fans are most actively debating and sharing.
From broad reach to deeper resonance
The real unlock for advertisers is to think more granularly. This isn’t about reaching a monolithic group of “sports fans.” It’s about engaging fantasy players, women’s sports audiences, betting enthusiasts, or even fans looking for recipes and entertaining ideas around a big game. Each of these segments lives on YouTube, and each represents a passionate community that advertisers can target with precision.
Live sports may still capture headlines, but the next generation of fans is proving that engagement doesn’t end when the game clock hits zero. The conversation continues, and that’s where the real opportunity for advertisers lies.
[Editor's note: This is a contributed article from VuePlanner. Streaming Media accepts vendor bylines based solely on their value to our readers.]
Related Articles
With cultural impact and unmatched reach, live sports are redefining how marketers build brands and measure outcomes on CTV.
10 Oct 2025
As a new generation of highlights-first fans moves into the sports fandom mainstream, sports broadcasters need the agility and tech-savviness to produce and monetize personalized, short-form sports content at scale that meets the experiential demands of millennial and Gen Z fans. Fortunately Gen AI is a game-changer for sports highlights and personalization, as Play Anywhere's Pete Scott and Ring Digital's Brian Ring discuss in this clip from Streaming Media Connect 2025.
03 Mar 2025
If 2024 was the year of live-streaming sports, Dave Dembowski of Operative writes that 2025 is the year of live-streaming ad innovation. With massive audiences that continue to steal from traditional TV, advertisers are looking for new opportunities to reach massive live audiences digitally. Media companies are working hard to offer the TV advertising experience of the future. That future will include new forms of targeting, interactivity, creative ad formats, and much more.
18 Feb 2025