Recapping Upfront Week: Streaming Is How We're Watching

Media executives at Upfront week recognized advertisers' need to maximize marketing budgets. While traditional TV still dominates U.S. ad spending, advertisers are increasingly embracing streaming.
Last week’s events, filled with parties and celebrity appearances, highlighted the TV industry’s current landscape.  Key takeaways:

Live Sports, Especially NFL, Dominate: Walt Disney Co. opened its upfront with former NFL quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning, followed by stars like Patrick Mahomes and Saquon Barkley, underscoring the NFL’s critical role. Disney, once considering spinning off ESPN, emphasized its NFL commitment.

 
Other platforms followed suit: 

• YouTube’s presentation featured NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announcing an exclusive livestream of the Chargers vs. Chiefs game in Brazil on Sept. 5.
• Netflix, with Goodell and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, promoted a documentary and two Christmas NFL games, building on last year’s record-breaking 65 million viewers for its NFL doubleheader.
• Amazon showcased Jason and Travis Kelce for their Wondery podcast, while Rob Gronkowski appeared at Fox and YouTube events.

NFL games accounted for 95 of the top 100 most-watched TV programs last year, with streaming viewership setting records. Live sports, particularly the NFL, are a lifeline for traditional TV, as younger audiences shift to streaming for scripted content. NBCUniversal highlighted its $2.5 billion NBA deal as part of this trend.

Preparing for a Streaming Future:  Warner Bros. Discovery announced its streaming service Max will revert to HBO Max, reversing a 2023 decision to drop HBO’s prestigious brand. The move acknowledges streaming’s dominance and the value of a trusted name.

 
Similarly, CNN and ESPN plan to launch direct-to-consumer streaming services later this year, retaining their iconic names without additives like “Plus” to appeal to younger, cable-free viewers familiar with their digital content. For these audiences, streaming is TV.

Advertisers Embrace Streaming" Despite traditional TV’s ad spending lead, Netflix and Amazon leveraged their growing ad-supported streaming subscriber bases, reflecting advertisers’ rising confidence in the medium.

The Los Angeles Times says the upfronts underscored a TV industry balancing its traditional roots with a streaming-driven future, anchored by live sports and iconic brands.