NBA FINALS: AD SPEND UP, VIEWERSHIP DOWN

This year’s NBA Finals went seven games, and by the time the Thunder walked off with the trophy and the Pacers licked their wounds, a total of $288 million had been spent by advertisers. This is a jump of 56% versus last year, when $184.7 million was spent. Interestingly, this year’s Finals drew slightly (9%) fewer viewers than last year—an average of 10.3 million tuned in compared to last year’s 11.3 million. This dropoff was expected, given that this year’s series featured teams from mid-sized markets (Oklahoma City and Indianapolis) and last year’s pitted Boston against Dallas. But it’s not all bad news for the NBA and its media partners… The playoffs, which included teams from New York City, Boston, and Houston, delivered an audience 10% larger than last year’s. (MediaPost : June 24, 2025)

TRADITIONAL TV DOMINATES IN HIGH NET WORTH HOUSEHOLDS

The latest status symbol for the wealthy isn’t a yacht or a fifth home; it just may be saying that you watch regular ol’ TV. A recent study from the Television Bureau of Advertising shows that TV has the highest ad reach of all media types when it comes to high-net-worth households. Why? It’s because they’re able to afford the more expensive ad-free subscription option. They’re less likely to see streaming ads, but can be reached by broadcast and cable. (TVB: June, 2025; Video summary available via LinkedIn)

CONSUMERS SHIFT TO STREAMING BUNDLES AND AD-BASED OPTIONS

What about the rest of us who aren’t watching TV from our private jets? The Video Advertising Bureau’s latest study, “Staying Current on Streaming,” has found that we’re reevaluating our household budgets and shifting to ad-based tiers, streaming bundles, and FAST channels. Sixty-two percent of CTV viewers say that recurring subscription costs concern them, and with good reason: The total average cost of the cheapest ad-free plans has increased by 54% since 2020. Over the next 12 months, 32% of consumers plan to remove a subscription service, with only 19% thinking they’ll add one. Compare that to free services, where just 7% plan to cancel, and 24% intend to add. (VAB: June, 2025)

DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS: PERCEPTION VS. REALITY

Faced with constrained marketing budgets, advertisers are increasingly turning to more efficient digital tactics. While these strategies are often more efficient than high-reach channels like TV or radio, they aren’t necessarily as able to deliver ROI. A new report (yes, another report) from Nielsen shows that traditional media helps to build brand equity and long-term growth with large audiences. Over-shifting to performance-based digital options may work today, but at the expense of bigger-picture brand equity. The main takeaway: advertisers should scale into digital, but remain present in high-reach traditional platforms. (Nielsen: June, 2025)

THIS WEEK IN VIDEO HISTORY

June 23, 2000 – Monday Night Football: It’s Miller Time In an attempt to stem the ratings erosion that MNF had been experiencing for five years, ABC announced that they would be adding former SNL “Weekend Update” anchor and host of HBO’s Dennis Miller Live to the broadcast booth.

Ratings continued to decline. Perhaps the average football fan wasn’t delighted by bon mots like “I haven’t seen anyone rely on the ground game this much since the Battle of Verdun.” Check out some of it here.

After two seasons, Miller was gone, ending one of the more bizarre casting decisions since John Wayne played Genghis Khan, babe.