Genius Sports Research Reveals the New Playbook for Multiscreen Sports Advertising
Seven in ten weekly sports viewers want personalized advertising, while six in ten want ads relevant to what is happening in the game
59% of weekly sports viewers want advertising tied to what is happening live in the game
71% want advertising personalized to their interests
Scores, big plays, halftime and breaks are among the moments when fans are most receptive to advertising
61% would welcome a personalized mobile offer connected to an ad they just saw on TV
NEW YORK, August 31, 2026--Genius Sports (NYSE: GENI), a global leader in real-time sports data and technology, today released The Companion Screen: A New Era of Sports Consumption and Advertising, new research revealing how the relationship between television and mobile is reshaping sports advertising.
Marketers have traditionally approached television and mobile as separate environments that accompany different media strategies, ad creative and measurement. However, sports fans do not experience those screens as separate environments, but rather as a cohesive experience in which each screen has a role in enhancing the entire sports experience.
While watching a game, mobile has become an indispensable companion to television and the overall sports consumption experience: a place to message friends, check scores and stats, browse social media for additional insights and commentary on the game, shop and engage more deeply with what is happening on screen. Genius Sports' new thought leadership research shows that this creates an opportunity for advertisers to think beyond simply reaching the same fan across multiple devices and instead connect the experience across screens, to both the individual fan and the specific moments unfolding in the game.
Among people who watch sports at least weekly, 71% want mobile advertising personalized to their interests and 59% want advertising personalized to what is happening in the game they are watching.
The next era of sports advertising goes beyond targeting the right fan or even the right game. It is about understanding what is happening in the game in real time and aligning advertising with the mood and momentum of the fan experience. A big play, a tense finish or a break in the action creates a different mindset — and a different opportunity for brands to connect. Fans identified halftime (30%), their team scoring or making a big play (29%), and close or exciting moments (23%) among the moments when relevant advertising can have the greatest impact.
"Mobile is no longer a 'second screen'; it's the companion screen, helping fans connect, react to the game in real time and engage with brands in relevant ways," said Tony Marlow, Chief Marketing Officer at Genius Sports. "Everything happening around the game, from social and fantasy to prediction markets and live experiences is turning up the surrounding sound of sports. The game is getting bigger, more connected, and more immersive. And fans are telling us exactly what they want from brands in that environment: to connect the experience across screens and make every interaction relevant to both who they are and what's happening in the game."