Articles and White Papers

Putting Brands in Play: Advertising on Sports Television

Cable television advertising is a central component of a successful marketing campaign. Cable helps drive sales and build brands by targeting specific segments with customized product messaging and special offers. For cable television advertisers, no programming option is more effective at reaching
large and diverse audiences than sports - and the opportunity is growing.

America's passion for sports has never been greater. However, in an economic climate where event ticket sales and attendance are suffering, sports television is winning big. Big ratings mean big business for television networks, and cable providers - and advertisers -are among the chief beneficiaries of the success. A recent week in September saw sports take the top three ratings spots among all basic cable networks, and six of the top 10.1 Discover how advertising on sports television is enabling companies of all sizes and market segments to reach, engage and grow their customer base.

Cable Takes Command

Sports television is no longer dominated by broadcast networks. Today's cable providers offer more viewers, more sports, on more networks  and cable now lays claim to the majority of sports Gross Ratings Points (GRPs). U.S. consumers are tuning into cable television sports in record numbers. In
2009 alone, cable produced several most-watched favorites:

•  Most-watched cable telecast of all-time
• Most-watched cable basketball telecast ever
• Most-watched cable golf telecast ever
• Most-watched cable college football telecast ever

Cable TV leads the way with a vast selection of sports viewing alternatives. Cable is home to some of the most popular premium events, like NFL Monday Night Football, the Major League Baseball playoffs, NBA basketball, NASCAR Sprint Cup races, Bowl Championship Series games, the
Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament, and so much more. In addition, cable telecasts a full menu of widely viewed niche sports, including golf, tennis, cycling, fishing, hunting, skiing, bull riding, and extreme sports.

That programming variety - available on cable 365 days a year - leads to unparalleled opportunity for marketers seeking to establish or strengthen a competitive advantage.

Winning Advertising - The Benefits of Sports Television

The American fascination with sports means big audiences and bottom-line results for marketers.  A number of key factors have influenced the unprecedented growth in sports television, including technological advances that enhance the viewing experience, the launch of more sports networks and programming, and the increase in the participation in fantasy sports.

Technological Advances. In addition to economic influences, new technologies have increased the appeal of in-home viewing of sporting events.  High-definition television (HDTV), innovative on-field cameras, real-time statistical analysis, and complementary online tools are all helping to enhance the TV experience.

Programming Options.  Cable television provides a diverse range of affordable sports programming options for marketers.  If a game or sport is being played, viewers can generally tune in on cable TV. Reach large audiences, complemented by targeted sports like golf, tennis, auto racing.

Consistent Ratings.  While the seasons may change, the results don't.  Live sports and support programming offer effective reach and frequency within highly valued demographics.  That means marketers reach their audience all year long.

Local Audiences.  Cable sports programming enables local marketers to reach local audiences with meaningful advertising and promotional offers.  Based on the passion that audiences frequently display for their teams, local ratings often far outperform the national ratings.³

Demographic Targeting.  The growing popularity of sports television allows marketers to target an increasingly wide demographic.  While 87% of men over the age of 18 have watched at least one televised sporting event in the last year, a surprising 74% of women have done likewise.⁴

Positive Environment. Statistics indicate that sports are watched in groups of families and friends - creating a positive viewing atmosphere.  In addition, viewers per viewing household generally are higher with sports programming.  Because of this, sports are more likely to be watched "live" than any other type of programming.⁵

By offering a greater quality and quantity of sports programming options, cable television is a smart choice for advertisers.  Cox Media offers a full range of affordable local advertising opportunities across all major college, professional and niche sports.  For more information about high-impact advertising on sports television, please contact your local Cox Media representative on coxmedia.com.

¹ Disney-ABC Television Group analysis of Nielsen Media Research.

² Nielsen Media Research, "2008: A Banner Year in Sports."

³ Cox Media analysis of Nielsen People Meter Sample and Nielsen Arianna Local DMA Ratings.

⁴  Nielsen Media Research data courtesy of ESPN Affiliate Ad Sales.

⁵ Ibid.