As excitement builds for the Big Game, a number of questions have captured our collective attention. Will the San Francisco 49ers win their first championship since 1994, blocking the Kansas City Chiefs' dream of back-to-back victories? Will Taylor Swift make it to the game despite performing in Tokyo the night before?
Marketers have questions of their own — namely, how can I make the most of the Big Game and stand out amongst my audience?
The answer: TV streaming. Let’s dive in.
While traditional linear TV has long been the go-to medium for watching the Big Game, a growing number of viewers now prefer to stream it. In 2023, streaming reach for the Big Game increased 18% year-over-year, while hours streamed increased by 10%.¹ In contrast, linear TV viewership experienced a 5.8% decline.²
The change in viewing habits is evident among Roku households. Twelve percent of those who watched the 2022 game on linear TV chose to stream it in 2023, according to Roku automated content recognition (ACR) data.³ Streamers on Roku were younger and more affluent than traditional linear TV viewers. Our ACR data also reveals that Roku streamers were 5% more likely to be aged 25 to 54 and 11% less likely to be 65 or over. They were 8% more likely to have a household income of $100K+ and 12% less likely to have a household income below $25K.
Post-game, 26% of ACR households switched to streaming content on Roku, highlighting a significant after-game engagement opportunity.⁴
With more people than ever streaming the Big Game—and sports content overall — savvy marketers are capitalizing. Advertising on popular sports shows like the Rich Eisen Show is a strategic move. Brands have signed on as sponsors for special episodes airing Wednesday through Saturday during the week of the game. Other brands are capitalizing on Roku’s unique features such as home screen takeovers, search ads, and sports hubs.
Here are some examples of Big Game brand activations in 2024:
To drive people to their stream of The Big Game, Paramount+ is running a multi-faceted marketing campaign with Roku. During the week of the game, content from Paramount+ will appear prominently in Roku’s “What to Watch” section. During the weekend of the game, Paramount+ will take over the Roku home screen with an ad that’s visible to viewers as they begin their streaming journeys. The home screen activation will lead people to programming on the streaming service as well as their stream of the Big Game — which will be welcome news to sports fans who can sometimes be exasperated by the difficulty of finding their desired game on streaming.
Additionally, Paramount+ will be integrated into Roku City, the captivating screensaver with hidden movie and TV references that has been watched by 85% of Roku subscribers taking streaming breaks.⁵
To celebrate BMW's return to the Big Game, the brand will tap into the power of Roku's platform, providing streamers a direct link to BMW's high-profile creative from the Roku home screen.
Additionally, BMW will partner with The Rich Eisen Show, sponsoring three segments before the big game in a campaign that will also feature interactive video overlays to drive viewers to BMW North America’s website and the Big Game spot.
Bonus: Keep an eye out for the new Big Game stadium in Roku City!
[gallery columns="2" size="full" link="none" ids="4183,4182"]
While the Big Game is undoubtedly a pivotal event, the sporting calendar is full of big moments. Fans are engaged year-round. From March Madness to the NBA playoffs to the Paris 2024 Olympics, a big sports moment is always around the corner. Marketing is like sports — consistency wins. Play the long game and focus on connecting with sports streamers the entire year, not just on the second Sunday in February.
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected with Roku Advertising.
¹ Roku Internal Data, 2023 | Estimates that are based on data collected from users who consented to the collection of this data.
² Roku ACR Data | Estimates that are based on data collected from users who consented to the collection of this data.
³ Roku Internal Data, 2023 | Estimates that are based on data collected from users who consented to the collection of this data.
⁴ Roku Internal Data, 2023 | Estimates that are based on data collected from users who consented to the collection of this data.
⁵ Internal Roku research: Roku City Research via Qualtrics Feb ‘23; n=487 Roku users