The Six Big Advertising Trends that Will Shape Live Streaming in 2026
This year we finally saw the tipping point that media companies needed to move from a linear-first business mentality to one that focuses on streaming. Millions of people are abandoning linear for streaming, with live sports causing the biggest shift of all. As audiences embrace streaming, advertisers follow.
With both audiences and advertisers demanding awesome streaming experiences, media companies are scrambling to make multiple changes at once. Shifting from linear to streaming is not one-for-one. Viewers have different FAST options as well as access from major subscription services and RSNs. Amid the landgrab is also the challenge of satisfying advertisers. Not only do they want access to audiences, they want all of the things that streaming can unlock including targeting, interactivity, creative placements and more.
Moving from the controlled chaos of 2025, media companies are forming their plans, investing in technology to unify their business across linear and streaming, and delivering innovations to engage both fans and advertisers.
Here are the six major trends that will define this new phase of streaming.
Streaming Leads Live Sports
Across all streaming live sports accounts for 30% of all content viewership. This year, the percent of people who streamed the Super Bowl reached double digits. That number is set to rise as more people cut the cord. With streaming taking a meaningful percentage of the audience from linear, media companies and franchises are starting to take streaming seriously. That means rethinking how they approach monetization, advertising formats, and fan engagement for the connected TV era – and live sports is the primary focus.
In just a few years, as many as half of all sports viewers will be on streaming, which means most people will be able to interact with ads, see targeted and personalized content and even streamed games with other things from shopping to gaming to sports betting to social media. All of these opportunities are driving the future of streaming and are what media companies and franchises are pinning their future growth on.
New Inventory Opportunities with AI and Virtual Ads
How AI, virtual advertising and data-driven overlays are localizing content and unlocking new ad inventory without disrupting the viewing experience. Live sports is the jewel in the crown for media companies moving to streaming, but there are many other growth opportunities that follow close behind. AI and virtual ads make it much easier for media companies to insert brands into the content including product placement and AI-generated signage to overlays and pause ads.
Many of these concepts are already available today through creative ad-tech companies, but it’s very early days. Media companies need to build out opportunities to monetize and scale so they move from one-off premium deals to programmatic deals that anyone can execute.
Extended Content Enhances Attention and Monetization
The rise of creator integrations, halftime shows, and immersive companion content means brands get many new opportunities to engage viewers on the big screen. On streaming, media companies can open up social media engagement so people can post content and interact with friends while they watch.
Many athletes and actors are influencers in their own right, providing opportunities for crossover content that brands can sponsor on multiple platforms. AT&T had an immersive sponsorship with the NBA All-Stars that supported the slam dunk contest as well as on-the-ground photo opps which drive views on social media.