Kelly and Sean break down how advertising is evolving across major sports—from the Olympics to the NFL and NBA—and why streaming continues to reshape how brands reach audiences.

In this episode, Kelly and Sean take a closer look at how advertising is shifting across the sports landscape in early 2026, using recent data and real-world examples to unpack what’s changing and why.

They begin with a lighter moment on sports viewing habits before moving into a structured breakdown of major events and leagues, including the Olympics, NFL, NBA, and NHL. From there, the conversation focuses on one consistent theme: streaming is expanding quickly, while traditional TV remains steady but slower-growing.

The Olympics serve as a strong example, with streaming now accounting for a significantly larger share of ad revenue compared to prior years. At the same time, linear TV still plays a meaningful role, showing that audience behavior is evolving rather than fully shifting.

Kelly and Sean also discuss how advertisers are adapting their buying strategies. One standout approach is multi-sport programmatic buying, where brands target audiences across a range of sports content instead of focusing on a single league. This method offers flexibility and efficiency while still capturing engaged viewers.

The episode closes with a look at which industries are increasing investment in sports—such as tech and pharma—and which are showing more caution, along with a brief outlook on what upcoming global events may mean for the market.

Key Topics Covered

• How sports remains one of the strongest areas for live viewing
• Growth in streaming vs traditional TV across major events
• Olympics advertising trends and shifting viewer behavior
• NFL, NBA, and NHL ad performance insights
• The rise of multi-sport programmatic buying
• Why streaming bundles are becoming more common
• Category trends: tech, pharma, retail, and auto
• What to expect heading into the World Cup

Want deeper insights into sports and advertising trends? Reach out at press@guideline.ai

to learn more.

If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

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