PubMatic Debuts Real-Time Advertising Tool for...

Sell-side platform PubMatic is rolling out an AI-powered platform that brings together media buyers and connected TV publishers like DirecTV, Spectrum Reach, and Roku for real-time advertising opportunities on live sports programming. 

Using AI, the platform, dubbed the Live Sports Marketplace, scans live game and viewership data to identify high-interest, high-engagement moments—like an especially tense moment in an NBA game—and help advertisers to deliver ads when viewer engagement peaks. Analyzing up-to-the-minute TV schedules from partners, the platform also aims to mitigate wasted spend during low-interest moments in any given game. 

The system “transforms fragmented live sports inventory into programmatically accessible, of-the-moment opportunities,” according to PubMatic’s vp of CTV and online video, Nicole Scaglione.

Using the Live Sports Marketplace, advertisers can manually adjust their parameters for real-time buying or automate plans for future transactions. The system also allows advertisers to buy specific games, teams, or moments across the sports programming landscape. 

“Live sports represent one of the last true mass reach opportunities. People want to watch games live, creating large-scale audiences that are increasingly rare in on-demand streaming,” said Rajeev Goel, PubMatic’s cofounder and chief executive, in a statement shared with ADWEEK. “This type of real-time targeting is a true game-changer for marketers who want to win in the live economy.”

FanServ, a sports-centric marketplace, is a launch partner for the platform. The company will give advertisers access to premium inventory across the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, and National Women’s Soccer League. Special local programming includes Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, and Cleveland Guardians games. 

“This partnership is about more than just access, it’s about precision and possibility,” Brad Friedman, CEO of FanServ, said in a statement.

Outside of FanServ’s inventory, the Live Sports Marketplace also allows advertisers to transact with publishers including MLB, FuboTV, DirecTV, Spectrum Reach, and Roku—and spans the U.S.’ major pro leagues, NCAA college athletics, as well as programming of sports like Nascar, surfing, pickleball, MMA, tennis, golf, cricket, and others. 

More than 105 million U.S. consumers watched live sports digitally in 2024, according to Emarketer data. This year, that number is expected to swell to 114.1 million people, compared to 82 million watching live sports on linear TV. 

PubMatic, for its part, has made a concerted effort to take advantage of the moment. The company monetized CTV programming of the FIFA Club World Cup in June and July, and earlier this year, inked a partnership with electronics company TCL to bring targeted, real-time ads within live sports streams to TCL’s smart TVs.