State of Streaming reposted this
I believe that the traditional linear ad break is living on borrowed time. Just think about how people actually watch live sports— when the game goes to commercial, people know that this is the time to get up, check their phones, grab a drink from the kitchen, use the bathroom or change the channel for the next two minutes until the game is back on. We're already starting to see a different approach. During the World Cup, branded hydration breaks and dynamic virtual signage kept advertisers on screen while the action continued. The game never really stopped, so neither did viewer attention during those ads. I think that's where live sports advertising is headed. Instead of interrupting the viewing experience, advertising will become more a part of it. This is a win for everyone: fans get a better viewing experience, advertisers get more attentive audiences, and leagues and broadcasters create more valuable inventory without sacrificing the product that people tuned in to watch.