The news: Magnite launched a Live Scheduler tool on Tuesday, an industry-first asset that enables media owners to seamlessly plan, execute, and evaluate ad campaigns around live events.
- Media owners can enter details about upcoming live events, including name, date and time, sport/league, broadcaster, and expected concurrency to transform live events into consistent ad opportunities that can be activated programmatically.
- Buyers and demand-side platforms (DSPs), including Amazon DSP, now have clearer visibility into upcoming live event inventory, making it easier to understand available ad opportunities and plan campaigns accordingly to reach engaged audiences when attention is highest.
Why it matters: Live Scheduler addresses a major challenge: Live events are often unpredictable and fragmented, making it difficult to maximize campaign outcomes. But live TV remains a critical investment for several reasons:
- Live TV commands a significant portion of time spent with TV, with nearly one-third of US adult TV viewers watching 1 to 3 hours of live TV daily, per YouGov. The format draws attentive audiences in a fragmented media landscape, with major events like live sports drawing consistent viewership.
- Ads during live events, particularly sports, are highly effective compared with other programming. Linear ads during live sports events like the NFL season are 19% more effective than the TV average, while NFL streaming ads are 66% more effective than cable or broadcast, per EDO.
- US viewers across age groups generally find ad breaks during live TV more tolerable than ads during on-demand content. This makes live events a more favorable environment for advertisers because ads are less likely to feel intrusive and unwelcome.
What it means for advertisers: Live Scheduler turns chaotic, real-time tentpole events into a predictable, scalable, and programmatic marketplace—giving advertisers the opportunity to capitalize on major cultural moments without as much unpredictability. And with key live sports events in Q4, the timing of Live Scheduler is especially valuable for advertisers looking to reach highly engaged audiences.