- Sports streaming platform fuboTV has announced the launch of a branded content studio for advertisers.
- The new studio will allow advertisers to collaborate with fuboTV’s creative team to develop custom branded content.
- fuboTV is planning to launch a branded sportsbook later this year.
Didn’t we tell you that there’s a content ‘gold rush’ right now? In addition to Penn National’s announcement of their upgraded content capabilities there’s also an announcement along the same lines from sports TV streaming platform fuboTV. fuboTV (NYSE: FUBO) made their announcement at IAB NewFronts, the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s digital content marketplace/trade show. fuboTV is launching a branded content studio for advertisers along with new shows and new partnerships.
The branded advertising studio is the biggest and most interesting news. The plan is to allow advertisers to collaborate with fuboTV’s creative staff to create custom branded content to air on the network. This will give advertisers access to the full menu of production equipment along with the expertise to make it work. Here’s how fuboTV explained it in the press release:
Through the new studio, advertisers can collaborate with fuboTV’s creative team to create custom branded content to air on Fubo Sports Network. Working with fuboTV, advertising partners have a full menu of creative options to choose from, including short and long form custom brand content and unique original integrations featuring Fubo Sports Network talent.
fuboTV has also announced a partnership with LiveRamp ‘to enhance it’s existing addressable targeting capabilities’. Translation–more tools for advertisers:
On the business front, fuboTV will announce today a new partnership with LiveRamp to enhance its existing addressable targeting capabilities. fuboTV advertisers can now seamlessly activate data and measure across all advanced connected TV (CTV) campaign strategies through access to LiveRamp’s unique Advanced TV products. LiveRamp’s products include privacy-safe subscriber file matching, viewership and best-in-class measurement with Data+Math.
Diana Horowitz, senior vice president, advertising sales, fuboTV, explained the moves:
“As advertising budgets continue to shift from TV to streaming video and CTVs, providing our clients with custom opportunities to engage their consumers further adds to the power of OTT platforms like ours. Through our new branded content studio, we can bring brands to life as only our fuboTV talent can, all while integrating them into some of the most sought-after live events on the sports calendar. And, aided by our new partnership with LiveRamp that enhances our existing advanced addressability capabilities, our advertising partners can ensure their campaigns are reaching highly engaged, targeted audiences.”
fuboTV is also announcing new programming for the network:
Also during its IAB NewFronts presentation today, fuboTV will announce new original programming for Fubo Sports Network. Terrell Owens, a six-time NFL Pro Bowl selection and five-time first-team All-Pro wide receiver, and Matthew Hatchette, a veteran NFL wide receiver, will bring their Getcha Popcorn Ready podcast to TV for the first time when the show premieres as a vodcast on Fubo Sports Network this summer. Additionally, Fubo Sports Network will premiere the second season of its popular show, No Chill with Gilbert Arenas, hosted by the three-time NBA All-Star.
Getcha Popcorn Ready joins Fubo Sports Network’s growing lineup of talent-driven original programming featuring, in addition to No Chill with Gilbert Arenas, the Julie Stewart-Binks hosted Drinks with Binks and The Cooligans from the self-proclaimed soccer and stand-up comedians.
Pamela Duckworth, head of fubo Sports Network and original programming, also weighed in:
“I’m truly excited about the original programming opportunities fuboTV will be offering consumers and advertisers over the next year. From our exclusive streaming rights for South American Qatar World Cup 2022 Qualifying matches — and all of the shoulder programming we will produce with icons like Pablo Zabaleta and Melissa Ortiz — to our Fubo Sports Network original shows with Terrell Owens, Matthew Hatchette and Gilbert Arenas, there is no better platform to engage with all things sports.”
This will all get more interesting later this year when fuboTV launches their own branded sportsbook. The company announced their plans in January and followed that up in March with an announcement that they had obtained market access in New Jersey and Indiana. They also teased that more access announcements would be forthcoming but as of yet none have been made public.
fuboTV’s numbers are looking more and more impressive. They experienced solid growth in 2020:
fuboTV continues to grow its leading position as a sports-first live TV streaming platform. The company closed 2020 with nearly 548,000 subscribers, an increase of 73% year-over-year. In addition to its growing subscription business, fuboTV’s ad sales operations also closed a record year. Advertising revenue grew 133% year-over-year to $29 million with advertising average revenue per user (ad ARPU) reaching $8.47, an increase of 52% year-over-year. Engagement was also strong with fuboTV users streaming 544.9 million hours of sports, news and entertainment content in 2020, and 7.2 hours per day.
fuboTV’s primary competitor is DAZN which has a larger international footprint and rights to many of the world’s top tier boxers. For example, they’ll air Canelo Alverez vs. Billy Joe Saunders live from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on May 8.
