Fubo, a sports-focused streamer, says revenue from initial engagements increased by 40%
When the first sports streamer Fubo closed its 2024-25 initial seasonrevenue from initial engagements increased by more than 40% compared to the previous year, which is an all-time high, according to the company.
The platform saw the highest growth among advertisers in the automotive, pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods categories.
According to Fubo, 40% of advertisers who made initial commitments this year are new to the company. Commitments have been split between direct IO and programmatic collateral to provide advertisers with the flexibility to confirm their commitments for the company’s sports, news and entertainment inventory.
“We were able to secure guaranteed spend while providing advertisers with flexibility, which has become increasingly important for brands in today’s market,” Dina Roman, vice president of sales and operations, told ADWEEK global Fubo advertisers. “Over the past two years, we have also invested in our advertising infrastructure, including our data, adtech and measurement capabilities.”
A gamified interactive Fubo ad recently debuted.Fubo
According to the company, growth was also partially driven by Fubo’s advertising innovation. This year, Fubo launched a suite of new CTV ad formats, including interactive ads, pause ads, enhanced banner ads, and two new high-impact, proprietary formats: The Marquee and The Triple Play, which feature clickable video content from the advertiser’s brand on Fubo. home screen alongside curated programming and relevant creative assets such as themed backgrounds, custom titles and logo rights.
“What we find particularly attractive is that this placement gives brands a full share of voice on our platform’s home screen,” Roman said. “The Triple Play debuted as part of Walmart’s back-to-school campaign and performed exceptionally well. We are excited by the level of interest it has received since its launch.
The company has also developed advanced measurement and data partnerships with several vendors, including TVision, EDO and iSpot.tv, to quantify advertising attention, incrementality, engagement and results across its CTV inventory.
Fubo is known for its live sports, offering more than 55,000 live sporting events, including most NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games, as well as most major football leagues, college sports and much more.
The platform is home to more than 400 live sports, news and entertainment networks and, according to Nielsen, is the only live TV streaming platform offering every Nielsen-rated sports channel.
In this spirit – and with buyers tell ADWEEK that live sports was one of the most sought-after properties in recent years – it’s clear that the platform was able to capitalize on sports demand for this year’s results.
“It’s a real meeting with a passionate audience. You have to watch in real time, otherwise you’ll be a strange person at the water cooler the next day,” Roman said. “It’s audience attention and engagement in its purest form. We partner with brands to immerse them in these culturally relevant milestones and events.
Additionally, the company noted that the increase in initial sales represents a continued shift in advertising budgets from linear to streaming. According to iSpot.tv, 62% of ad impressions served on Fubo reach additional households that are inaccessible on linear TV.
And while sports programming attracts viewers, the platform still has more to offer, Roman said.
“We often say: ‘Come for the sport, stay for the fun.’ Indeed, in addition to sports, the majority of our subscribers also watch news and entertainment programs,” Roman said. “This means advertisers can connect with highly sought-after sports fans across all the other content they watch during and after the season.”
