To wrap up 2022 with a bang, the NFL announced a multi-year agreement with Google last month, granting YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels exclusive distribution rights for the NFL Sunday Ticket to consumers in the U.S., starting with the 2023-2024 season. By comparing NFL’s broadcast deals, we can begin to predict which brands will likely buy into this blockbuster partnership.

The league currently partners with three streaming platforms: Paramount Plus, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video. With 14 brands buying digital assets across all three, we can expect some of these brands and categories to also invest in its YouTube deal.

Brands that currently advertise across all three of NFL’s three streaming partners:

• FanDuel

• State Farm

• Little Caesars Pizza

• Airbnb

• VISA

• Apple

• Google Pixel

• Burger King

• NerdWallet

• Chipotle

• Toyota

• DirecTV

• Dove

• GEICO

Most active brand categories:

• Financial

• Quick Serve Restaurants

• Auto

• Media

• Insurance

• Consumer Products

• Retail

• Technology

• Consumer Electronics

• Healthcare

The Prediction:

A deal with YouTubeTV gives brands a unique opportunity to reach a younger audience of NFL fans. According to a December 2022 survey by Morning Consult, YouTube is the #1 source of sports news for Gen Zers at 31%, vs. 21% of all U.S. adults. We expect current NFL broadcast partners that already target a younger audience to follow suit on YouTubeTV. In this first season of Amazon Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” streaming partnership, viewership in the prized 18-to-34 demographic was up 11% over TNF the previous season.

Will brands that target younger audiences and currently spend on Fortnite, Roblox, Decentraland, and other emerging platforms also invest in the NFL’s YouTube deal? Time will tell. Meanwhile, last month the NFL continued its own metaverse exploration with the launch of NFL Zone, a dynamic interactive fan experience built in Fortnite Creative.

Brands targeting younger audiences on emerging platforms:

• Oral B

• Xbox

• Doritos

• Axe

• Fall Guys

• Marvel Entertainment

• Nerf

• Chipotle

• Warner Bros

Congratulations to the Chicago Cubs who defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the second edition of MLB's Field of Dreams Game presented by Geico.

Most frequent brands seen on Fox Broadcast:

• GEICO

• T-Mobile

• Chevrolet

• Mattress Firm

• Jersey Mike's Subs

• Hyundai Motor America

Most frequent assets leveraged:

• Recorded Commercial

• Virtual Signage Projected in Lower Bowl

• Live Read Commercial

• 1st Base / 3rd Baseline Billboards

• Broadcast Ad / Logo Pop Up

* Venue assets under MLB property. Broadcast assets under MLB on FOX property

Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cups takes place tonight, as both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche look to take home the cup. The Finals feature different broadcasts for US and Canadian based fans, with ABC hosting the US coverage and SportsNet hosting Canadian coverage. Looking back at the first game of the series, what differences and similarities did we find between the brands and assets sponsoring the most important matchup of the NHL season?

SportsNet’s broadcast featured 46 unique brands. The top three most frequent brands and their assets during the Canadian coverage were:

• DraftKings (Gaming)

• Logo in Broadcast Studio

• Live Read Commercial

• Sponsored Segment

• Split Screen Commercial

• Recorded Commercial (3)

​​On Canadian broadcasts, the gaming category ranked 3rd. Didn’t crack the top 10 for US broadcasts. Reasoning would logically be legalization of single-game gambling in Canada this past August before the season started.

• Scotiabank (Banking)

• Period Naming Rights (Presenting Sponsor)

• Live Read Commercial

• Logo Pop Up

• Recorded Commercial (3)

• SkipTheDishes (On-Demand Delivery)

• Sponsored Segment

• Live Read Commercial

• Recorded Commercial (2)

ABC’s broadcast featured 61 unique brands. The three most prominent brands from the US coverage were as follows:

• Lexus (Luxury Car Manufacturer)

• Intermission Report Naming Rights (Presenting Sponsor)

• Logo in Studio

• Live Read Commercial

• Recorded Commercial (4)

• GEICO (Insurance

• Presenting Sponsor of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals

• Live Read Commercial

• Logo Pop up

• Recorded Commercial (3)

• Verizon (Telecommunications)

• Pregame Naming Rights (Presenting Sponsor)

• Logo in Studio

• Recorded Commercial (3)

For the first time, Apple TV+ covered MLB Friday night baseball and their brand integrations throughout the broadcasts were seamless. The doubleheader broadcast was presented by Cue Health and ZipRecruiter and Apple products were uniquely featured throughout the broadcast.

Apple TV+’s first iteration of their MLB broadcast featured the New York Mets vs. the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros vs. the Los Angeles Angels, covered by Stephen Nelson (play-by-play), Hunter Pence (analyst), Katie Nolan (analyst), and Heidi Watney (reporter).

Sub-brands and concepts from Apple were integrated during the competition aiming to enhance the viewers experience. Each player’s “Walk Up Song” was presented by Apple Music with the Apple Music Logo and song details featured on screen next to the batter. How long until Apple integrates a QR code for viewers to automatically download or purchase music directly from the TV during Friday night games?

Apple’s Siri was utilized to activate both entertainment and event related content, providing fans with fun trivia questions and calculated probability stats during the games. Reporter Heidi Watney conducted interviews while wearing a pair of Apple Airpods Max. For added exposure for the brand, Watney was interrupted during her live interview with Jeremy Peña’s parents by Peña’s first ever career home run.

Amazon is also making headway in the professional sports broadcast game in 2022, after Prime Video was announced as the exclusive home of NFL Thursday Night Football. Prime Video’s first NFL broadcast was in 2017, with non-exclusive streaming rights to ten regular season games. The new Thursday coverage will feature legendary sports broadcaster Al Michaels, who covered his record 11th SuperBowl this past year. The National Football League currently partners with Amazon by leveraging Amazon Web Services (AWS) to provide new stats that create better experiences for fans, players and teams.

Apple TV+’s studio’s Pre-Game Show was presented by BetMGM and Post-Game Show by SoFI. The Friday night coverage will continue through the season, including tonight for Jackie Robinson Day. Broadcasts for Apple TV+ coverage are available in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Rams for winning Super Bowl LVI and Cooper Kupp on receiving the MVP award.

Anheuser-Busch showcased their brands in featured segments during the broadcast on NBC, while Crypto brands, being new to the Super Bowl scene, saw advertisements from Coinbase, FTX, eToro&Crypto.com who have combined over 115 new sponsorship deals since the beginning of 2021.

The 2022 NHL All-Star Skills Competition presented by DraftKings Inc. featured brands sponsoring the events.

Discover Financial Services, Honda, EA SPORTS, Dunkin'​ and Verizon were among the brands who had a presence during the competition.