NBA lands historic media deals: New agreements with Disney, NBC, and Amazon promise expanded coverage and increased accessibility for fans.

New NBA broadcasting deals with NBC and Amazon: These partnerships, pending approval, are set to enhance live sports accessibility and boost advertising revenue.

The year is nearly halfway over. As we prepare for H2, our analysts have been hard at work debating some very specific—and potentially unlikely—predictions that could play out in the coming months. Everything from retail media standardization to drone delivery to AI partnerships is at play over the rest of 2024. Here are some of our analysts' hottest takes.

In part one of this two-part podcast episode, we discuss some more predictions for 2024 that are too specific to be 100% certain about but could still come true, including: what will actually end up happening with Paramount, what Nordstrom will do next to get back on track, and where folks will be watching the NBA over the next 10 years. Tune in to the discussion with our vice presidents of content Suzy Davidkhanian and Paul Verna and analyst Max Willens.

As sports wagering grows its digital footprint, ad spending by the gambling industry levels off.

Streaming has been a home run for sports-based advertising Through sports rights, new and niche content, and creative ad formats, every major streamer is attempting to grab a share of sports connected TV (CTV) ad spend.

Sports streaming momentum keeps building: Roku and NBA team up on FAST channel as Peacock and Prime Video win more exclusive streaming deals.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how social networks could improve society, the NBA's plan to remake its TV deals, US consumers' feelings on shoppable ads, how many folks are "serial churners," how disruptive Sweetgreen's salad-making robot might be, a scientific breakthrough from a 14-year-old, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, forecasting analyst Zach Goldner, and director of forecasting Oscar Orozco.

On today's episode, we discuss when people are most likely to boycott a brand, whether folks will shop elsewhere if they are charged for returns, where the NBA will live next season, if an ad-supported tier for Amazon Prime Video will work, how much vacation time people take in the US versus other countries, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood and analysts Ross Benes and Paul Verna.

Ad-supported video gains viewership, time spent on digital video surpasses TV, and streaming services pivot from audience growth to profitability.

Nearly half of the US will watch live sports this year, and nearly a quarter will watch via digital, per our forecast. Live sports streaming isn’t going anywhere, but as the playing field gets more crowded, behaviors among platforms, advertisers, and consumers are shifting.

Automakers reel in ad spending as the economy tightens: TV spend saw a major dip in June but has opportunities to recover.

Virtual product placements are about to become big business: Both Amazon and NBCUniversal touted new ad units during the NewFronts.

On today's episode, we discuss Spotify's Q2 performance, what to make of its ad revenue growth, and how its podcast investments are getting on. We then talk about where Amazon wants to take Alexa, social audio's monetization issue, and the significance of the NBA and iHeartMedia podcast partnership. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer senior forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Peter Vahle.

NewFronts recap: Exclusive content on ad-supported platforms, shoppable shows, and creator-driven video content on social media were three major trends we saw at the NewFronts this past week.

Livestreaming has become a prominent feature across the social media and digital video landscapes. Here’s how marketers are taking advantage of opportunities within the space.

Esports viewership has not caught up to the media hype – but there could be upcoming growth opportunities.

Two of the NCAA Division I Power Five conferences (Big Ten and Pac-12) announced that they would postpone all fall college sports as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

Despite the return of some sporting events like NBA exhibition games and the MLB, marketers are delaying their planned ad spend.

Esports received heightened media attention during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. While the publicity helped bring awareness to the growing industry, the pandemic will not have a significant impact on annual esports viewership or advertising revenues in the US.