How is the NFL Dominating the Field of Playoff Advertising?
The NFL has significantly increased its dominance in playoff advertising by capturing 62% of playoff ad revenue—up 19% since 2014—maintaining a 90% advertiser renewal rate despite controversies, expanding its number of advertisers, and attracting top spenders like Verizon, Ford, and Toyota, with technology, automotive, and financial sectors leading the $1 billion-plus ad spend during the playoffs.
The NFL advertising landscape has seen significant changes in recent years. In 2018, liquor brands were permitted to advertise during games, NFL sponsorship increased, TV ratings improved, and the league began using Snapchat as a promotional tool.
Advertising during the NFL’s opening weekend also grew, mirroring a trend seen during the NFL playoffs since 2014.
NFL’s Large Share of Playoff Advertising Revenue
According to Todd Krizelman, CEO and Co-Founder of MediaRadar, the NFL dominates playoff advertising revenue compared to other major leagues. The NFL’s playoff advertising share increased by 19% since 2014. Its share of playoff advertising revenue relative to the NBA, MLB, and NHL rose to 62%, up from 52%. The NBA accounted for 24%, MLB for 10%, and NHL for only 4%.
NFL Playoff’s High Renewal Rate
Despite political controversies, such as those involving Colin Kaepernick, the NFL maintained a 90% renewal rate for advertisers from the 2017 to 2018 season. In contrast, the NHL, MLB, and NBA saw renewal rates between 55% and 65%, with the NHL at just 54%.
NFL’s Increased Number of Advertisers
Among US sports playoffs, only the NHL and NFL increased their number of advertisers in the previous year. The NHL’s increase was slight, at just 1%.
Top 5 Companies Advertising in the NFL Playoffs
- 1.
Verizon Communications, Inc.
- Spent over $100 million during the NFL playoffs, advertising in at least one playoff game. Verizon was also the highest spender in the MLB playoffs.
- 2.
Ford Motor Company
- Spent just under $100 million.
- 3.
Toyota Group
- Spent over $75 million.
- 4.
Anheuser-Busch, InBev SA/NV
- Spent more than $50 million.
- 5.
EXOR S.p.A
- Spent over $50 million.
Top 5 Product Categories Spending During the NFL Playoffs
- 1.
Technology
- Spent over $350 million.
- 2.
Automotive
- Spent more than $350 million.
- 3.
Financial and Real Estate
- Spent over $300 million.
- 4.
Retailer and Wholesale
- Spent over $225 million.
- 5.
Media and Entertainment
- Spent just over $125 million.
Related
The State of Sports Advertising: Navigating a Seismic Shift in the Streaming Era
The sports advertising landscape is rapidly transforming as live sports increasingly shift from traditional cable to Connected TV and streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+, leading to fragmented but highly valuable sports media rights deals and new opportunities for advertisers to engage audiences through diversified, multi-platform strategies.
12 Ads ‘til New Years: 9 Top OTT Buyers
In 2020, as streaming services and audiences grew, nine top brands—including GEICO Insurance—significantly increased their advertising spend on the emerging ad-supported OTT (over-the-top) video platforms, marking a shift toward this new channel amid cord-cutting trends and setting the stage for continued growth in OTT advertising.
From Signal to Strategy: Navigating What's Next in Media Investment
In 2025, U.S. media investment plateaued at $281 billion with digital media dominating 65% of spend, prompting advertisers to shift from broad, scale-driven omnichannel strategies to precision-focused, outcome-led investments that prioritize high-engagement formats like social (+9.9%) while reducing spend in declining areas such as mobile apps (−3.4%), reflecting a disciplined approach centered on measurable returns amid fragmented consumer attention.
Discovery+ Brings a Unique Flavor to OTT—Which Advertisers are Taking a Bite?
Discovery+, launched in January 2021 as a leading non-fiction streaming service with over 20 million subscribers by Q3 2021, attracts advertisers like Kraft Heinz, Lowe’s, and Toyota by offering diverse real-life content from brands such as HGTV and Food Network, a variety of innovative ad products, and data integration tools, resulting in over 540 advertisers and a 15% monthly growth rate in advertising since August 2021.
Q4 2023 12 for ‘24 - Fitness & Weight Loss
In 2023, the fitness and weight loss industry saw a 14% year-over-year decline in ad spend to over $917 million through November, driven largely by a 99% drop from Aviron Interactive and a 4% reduction in brands, with TV dominating media spend, Q1 showing a 20% increase, and top sectors like weight loss services, fitness equipment, and prescription weight loss accounting for 90% of the $826 million spent, while twelve leading brands collectively increased their advertising by 83% to $640 million.
Live Events Aren’t What They Used to Be — And the Super Bowl Proves It
The Super Bowl LX and Winter Olympics weekend exemplify how live events have evolved from singular broadcast experiences into complex, multi-platform, and personalized ecosystems where advertisers must navigate simultaneous streams across diverse channels, languages, and user-generated content, rendering traditional mass reach models and Nielsen ratings obsolete.