In a year that saw the NFL secure its first all-digital package, streaming companies have spent $303.6 million in advertising during the 2021 NFL season and Super Wildcard Weekend, according to new data by iSpot.TV, which was reported by Sports Business Journal. As an industry, streaming spent the fifth-most, which is a fifth of what the top-spending auto industry spent ($1.64 billion).
DIRECTV STREAM outspent the competition with a total of $125.1 million in advertising, which is nearly as much as the $127.2 million the next 5 companies spent combined. $63.8 million (51%) of DIRECTV’s ad spending was used on CBS broadcasts. DIRECTV’s spending made up 68% of the total $95 million that CBS made from streaming companies.
Apple TV+ was the second-highest ad spender among streaming services with $38.1 million. In recent weeks, there have been talks of the streaming service getting into the live sports industry, and during the 2021 NFL season, the company spent $23.2 million in advertising on Fox ($12.2M) and NBC ($11M).
Not too far behind Apple TV+ was Disney+, which spent $31.8 million, with $18.3 million (58%) on the FOX network. The streaming service’s parent company, Disney, owns ESPN, which is notable because Netflix, a streaming competitor, and a top 4 ad-spender, did not spend a single penny of their $16.2 million on the network. In comparison, DIRECTV STREAM and Apple TV+ spent a combined $25.3 million on the Disney-owned network.
As more people cut the cord and the NFL transitions into making NFL Sunday Ticket a digital property, the future of streaming ad-spending looks to grow next year.