Report: ESPN Fantasy Football returns with record number of sponsors
- ESPN Fantasy Football
ESPN Fantasy Football app returns this year with a record-setting lineup of brand sponsors to better reach and engage with sports streamers. This year, ESPN’s Fantasy app is adding new sponsors Popeye's, Vivid Seats, and Fireball Whiskey along with returning sponsors IBM, Miller Lite, and Snickers for a record year of sponsorship integrations. In 2022, the ESPN Fantasy app was the number one fantasy football product, contributing for 56% of user market shares. That includes a diverse-record audience of 11.2 million users that created more than 18.5 million teams on both ESPN’s website and its fantasy app. Disney Advertising Exec Dir of Sports Brands Solutions Amanda Bauer said engaged users are not just coming to the fantasy app, but they’re going to ESPN's other properties for linear stories, fantasy-focused podcasts, and the network’s fantasy football show, all outlets where Disney and ESPN can extend to their brand partners.
TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: As ads have become more memorable to fans, partners this year are integrating straight into the ESPN Fantasy app to enhance their visibility among users. This trend is based on findings from Disney and ESPN’s research initiative Generation Stream: Sports Edition, which explored behaviors and motivations of the next generation of sports streamers. Bauer said one of the most interesting findings was sports fans are seeking more comradery in sports that are outside the traditional game, which brings fantasy football into the equation. Because the app allows users to connect with friends, family, and other sports fans, this year sponsors will enhance their visibility with new product integrations each day throughout the fantasy football season such as Vivid’s Roster Alert notifications and IBM’s Waiver Grade, thus adding a new layer of fan experience “Not only are we continuing to collaborate with ESPN to co-create AI models that transform football data into insights like Waiver Grades and Trade Grades for users, but we’re also using AI models built with Watsonx to scale the capabilities of the ESPN team, delivering world-class digital experiences in the ESPN Fantasy Football app,” said IBM VP/Sports & Entertainment Partnerships Noah Syken.
