NBCUniversal's Strong Lineup of Advertising Partners for the Upcoming NBA Season
NBCUniversal is gearing up for the upcoming NBA season with a strong lineup of advertising partners. The company has exceeded its advertising expectations and nearly sold out its ad inventory, with close to 170 partners on board. Over 20% of advertisers are new to NBCU, and nearly 10% are new to the NBA. More than 70% of clients are investing across NBCU’s platforms, with over 30% of NBA investment going towards digital.
Mark Mashall, NBCU’s ads chief, expressed his excitement for the return of the NBA to NBC and its launch on Peacock. The company has already sold out its marquee spots to categories like auto, finance, QSR, entertainment, and retail. American Express is the official halftime sponsor, DraftKings is the betting partner, and other brands like Kia, McDonald’s, State Farm, and Wingstop are also sponsoring various NBA shows.
NBCU will present 100 NBA regular-season games, up to 40 playoff games, and the NBA All-Star Weekend/Game each year. The company is also offering its game inventory programmatically, providing more opportunities for advertisers to reach their target audience. Amazon, a new media partner for the NBA, has announced partnerships with FanDuel and Amazon Web Services for AI initiatives.