Sports brands are diversifying their advertising media mix quickly, and new Sensor Tower research shows the scale.
| Channel | Change |
|---|---|
| YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook (Q2) | +25% YoY |
| Mobile app spend | +116% |
| Digital overall (50+ markets, 18 channels) | USD 3.3B, +26% YoY |
| Linear TV (Q3 2025–Q2 2026) | Over USD 500M, +2.3% YoY |
| Ad impressions | +11.2% YoY |
The half-billion-plus on linear TV came from advertisers spanning gaming, entertainment and wagering.
One contrast stands out: spend rose 26% while impressions rose only 11.2%. Sensor Tower reads that as investment moving toward higher-cost inventory.
Month-over-month digital spend increases during the tournament:
A marker of how large sports betting and prediction market brands are becoming in this landscape.
Share of all ad impressions from sportsbook advertisers, H2 2025 through H1 2026:
| Property | Sportsbook share |
|---|---|
| NBA | 26% |
| MLB season | 15% |
| Super Bowl | 13% |
The NBA is highest. March Madness shows a more balanced mix, with food and dining taking 16% of ad impressions.
Media mix diversification is now the default in sports marketing. Linear TV is not dead (+2.3%), but the growth is going to digital and mobile apps.
Cost per impression is rising. A 26% spend increase against 11.2% impression growth means the same budget buys less. Event-season budgets should be built around inventory quality, not volume.
Competitive density varies by property. Where one category holds 26% of impressions, as with the NBA, differentiation costs more for brands in that category. More balanced properties leave room to enter.
To USD 3.3 billion across 50+ markets and 18 channels, up 26% year over year, with social channels up 25% and mobile app spend up 116%.
Spend rose 26% while impressions rose 11.2%, which Sensor Tower reads as investment shifting toward higher-cost inventory.
The NBA at 26% of all ad impressions, versus 13% for the Super Bowl and 15% during the MLB season.
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