How is the growth in women’s sports audiences changing the way broadcasters and streamers approach advertising around these events?
In the case of women’s football, the last Euros felt like a real breakthrough moment in terms of fan engagement and TV audiences. I expect we’ll see a similar level of engagement this time around, which is great news for broadcasters and advertisers alike.
We stitched 6 billion ads during the men’s Euro 2024 tournament, and given the general growth in traffic we’re seeing, we’re expecting at least the same level for the women’s tournament this year. That is testament to the growth of the women’s game and also to the general sharp growth we’re seeing in ad-supported streaming.
To maximise value, broadcasters need to be just as switched on to issues like addressability, measurement, and scale as they are for men’s events.
What are some best practices for managing dynamic ad loads and ensuring reliable ad delivery during high-traffic moments?
A key priority when monetising major live events is to ensure the dynamic ad insertion system efficiently supports the wider adtech ecosystem. Adtech systems really benefit when they are given more time to conduct live auctions and make the correct decisions to maximise the value of each ad spot. But sports are highly dynamic and unpredictable. In order to realise the full value of the advertising opportunities, dynamic ad insertion solutions need to also offer advanced prefetch capabilities to ensure the highest possible ad-fill rate during peak traffic.
How has viewing on mobile or connected devices changed in the last few years and what should broadcasters consider to maintain a seamless and engaging ad experience during live streams?
If we take an example from the men’s Euro 2024 tournament, you can see the streaming patterns that we expect to see during the women’s Euro 2025 tournament this summer. During the Spain v Germany quarter-final, the majority of traffic was CTV. A last-minute goal from Germany caused a 33 per cent increase in traffic, most of which came from mobile. That came just minutes before an ad break, so the ability to scale delivery and advertising quickly across multiple devices is really important.
How can broadcasters and ad platforms adapt their targeting strategies to reflect these shifting demographics?
A big thing about ad targeting is actually measurement, which doesn’t get talked about enough. We know about how relevant ads add value, but measurement is the metric that sees broadcasters get paid. If real-time, one-to-one insights are not available across as much of the audience as possible, then advertisers are less likely to spend on CTV, and that’s the bottom line.
How can flexibility and localisation in ad delivery be effectively leveraged during pan-European tournaments like the Women’s Euros?
During the Olympics last year, we saw an extra 30 per cent traffic boost in countries that had a competitor in events. During the Women’s Euro 2025 tournament, I’m sure we’ll see localised surges in traffic based on who’s playing and the state of play, especially when we get to the high stakes knockout stages. Dynamic ad insertion tech must be able to cope with unexpected demand coming from all over. Such strong flexibility and performance at scale will enable local broadcasters to maximise the revenue opportunities of extra ad demand.
What should broadcasters and ad tech partners prioritise if they want to ensure that women’s sports continue to grow as a commercially viable and advertiser-friendly proposition?
For broadcasters to continue to invest in additional sports rights, such as the Women’s Euros and the World Cup, they need to ensure they’re maximising their return on investment. This means investing in addressable advertising solutions that will convince advertisers to spend more and ultimately create more ad revenues for the broadcaster.
They need to maximise available inventory. For example, resolving historic ad breaks for viewers entering rewind mode presents a golden opportunity—we estimate that as much as 12 per cent of live streaming viewers enter live rewind. Simplifying ad insertion for unscheduled breaks allows broadcasters to create extra inventory, and using orchestrator tools allows them to maximise the DAI potential across multiple pop-up event channels.
The main principles behind successful ad-based streaming remain the same in every case: provide a great viewer experience, scale well, allow accurate measurement of the results, and protect the wider adtech ecosystem from the unpredictable spikes associated with major live events, while giving it the time it needs to perform.
