Drew Rauso

Investing in Women's Sports advertising is a win-win for brands looking to align with values of diversity and inclusion. Not only does it offer access to a growing and engaged audience, but it also enhances brand visibility. By supporting the growth and visibility of Women's Sports, brands contribute to a more equitable sports industry. Join the movement towards a more inclusive future and invest in Women's Sports advertising today. #WomenInSports #DiversityandInclusion #EquitableSportsIndustry #ctv #ott #programmatic #Sports #womenssports #Olympics #advertising #media

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✅🖥️ DIGIDAY (9/20): “The NFL overhauled its app ahead of the season’s kickoff last week, placing its ad-free RedZone streaming service at the center of its NFL+ premium customer offering. At the same time, European soccer leagues including France’s Ligue 1 and Italy’s Serie A have pushed forward with their streaming efforts, with the former’s games now shown online only in the crucial U.K. and Ireland market. Sports organizations know that demand for these services stems, in part, from the complexity (and cost) consumers face when trying to view every televised match their team takes part in. NBA games, for example, are set to be split across four different media providers, while English Premier League fans would have to subscribe to Sky Sports, TNT Sport and Amazon Prime Video to follow their club’s season in its entirety. RedZone is priced lower than cable or streaming packages — $35.99 a year, compared to $59.99 for CBS and Peacock, for example — and has been available through the NFL+ subscription package as a standalone streaming service since 2023. It’s now the centerpiece of the NFL’s digital app, and a major component of the NFL’s attempt to answer that consumer demand for simplicity. The service itself is simple enough — a subscription simulcast that pulls from CBS and Fox’s live Sunday coverage, bouncing between games with no breaks and no ads (though, there is room for advertisers around the edges — DraftKings, for example, currently sponsors RedZone). The result, said Lauren Manning, the NFL’s head of product design, UX and research, is “one of the best kind of lean-back ways to watch football of any variety, on any device.” ⬇️🏈⚽️ #streaming #ctv #ott #avod #svod #tvos #cordcutting

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Elisa Padilla, MBA, CMO of New York Red Bulls came on the TOP CMO Podcast and spoke with host Ben Kaplan about the world of sports marketing. ⚽Creating Fan-First Experiences: We dig into how the New York Red Bulls put their fans at the heart of everything they do, from community engagement to fan activations. ⚽Data-Driven Strategy: The importance of using data to understand who’s coming to matches and how to reach younger audiences. ⚽Navigating a Crowded Market: Competing in a market with 13 other professional sports teams and how to stand out. ⚽The Messi Effect: How Lionel Messi’s presence in MLS is boosting visibility and ticket sales across the league. Have a listen 👇 APPLE: https://lnkd.in/ewFW5z3Q SPOTIFY: https://lnkd.in/e8n8kksr YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eKuxWEeZ #redbull #newyorkredbulls #marketing #topcmo

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The 2024 WNBA Draft put up record ratings on Monday night with 2.4 million viewers. That represented a 300% increase from last year's WNBA Draft (572,000). That proves plenty, but let's dig a little deeper. Claire Watkins from Just Women's Sports offered up a bananas ratings stat on X: this was the largest WNBA TV audience for ANYTHING since 2000. That year, a Liberty-Comets game averaged 2.74 million viewers. Caitlin Clark joined the Indiana Fever last night and her first nationally televised game is the May 14 regular season opener at Connecticut on ESPN2. Their two preseason games will be on WNBA League Pass, but no national TV. We can expect ratings growth for Fever games this year, but I'm really curious to see how the carryover impacts the rest of the league. The Clark effect is real, but a month from now we'll start to see what kind of coattails it has for the rest of the league. We don't necessarily need to see monster growth across the board, but hopefully we see some solid improvement for non-Fever ratings with all this momentum heading into the 2024 season.

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Everyone working in sports needs to pay attention to AI and how it's impacting your work (even if you think you would NEVER use it in your job). It’s one of the hottest topics in sport business right now. And because I was working at a Fortune 100 tech company over the past few years, I got an early glimpse of what's to come with AI in business. With my interests lying at the intersection of career development, tech, sports, media & entertainment - I've been paying even closer attention to how it's beginning to take shape in the industry on a daily basis. I personally love how the LA Clippers is transforming the fan experience. Here’s what they’re doing differently at Intuit Dome vs. all other teams/venues right now: 1. Imagine walking into an arena and paying for everything with... your face. Yup. Your face is your ticket and wallet. The Intuit Dome's facial recognition system is next level (well, at least for the fans who don’t mind sharing their data on this level lol). Departments I imagine this is relevant to: Ticket Sales, Stadium Operations, Merchandising 2. The dome’s AI systems learns from every interaction, delivering personalized content and promotions that actually relevant for each fan. Think TikTok-type “For You” recommendation accuracy, but for your gameday experience. Departments I imagine this is relevant to: Social Media, Marketing, Partnerships 3. The AI can analyze crowd enthusiasm through sensors in seat and can potentially reward fans with concession discounts (read: the loudest fans will actually reap some benefits). Departments I imagine this is relevant to: Fan Relations, Event Operations Other departments I imagine who had to have a hand in it: Tech, Legal… definitely more. This is just one example of the future of AI in sports business but its applications are really endless. Whether you're in operations, marketing, finance, or beyond – AI WILL touch your role. It’s not a question of “if”, but “when” and how will you adapt it to your role. What are your thoughts on AI's role in sports business?👇 This is Day 4 of the #LinkedInSportsChallenge! #SportsTech #LinkedInSports

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✅🖥️ Nielsen (10/15): “Nielsen’s September 2024 report of The Gauge™ revealed that NFL viewership this month notably reflected audiences’ familiarization with the cross-platform distribution of its games. This was most clearly indicated by the 12% bump in Amazon Prime Video viewership in September, which was driven largely by Thursday Night Football, and ultimately led it to match its platform-best share of TV (set in September 2023 and tied in October 2023) at 3.6%. Peacock also benefited from NFL-driven audiences with its exclusive coverage of Green Bay vs. Philadelphia on September 6. The NFL’s debut in São Paulo, Brazil garnered 2.6B viewing minutes, making the game the 11th most streamed program in September. The resurgence of the NFL was also evident on the broadcast side, as NFL games accounted for 14 of the top 15 broadcast telecasts in September, with the top three garnering over 3B viewing minutes each on NBC, CBS and FOX. Additionally, broadcast sports viewing was up nearly 9% compared to August, despite already coming off a 44% increase the previous month due to the surge from the Olympics. Streaming maintained its 41.0% share of TV in September despite viewership declining slightly from August (-2.2%), in line with seasonal trends. Amazon Prime Video exhibited the largest monthly growth among all reported streaming platforms in September (+12%), driven by the aforementioned Thursday Night NFL Football, as well as its original series The Rings of Power, which was this month’s third most watched streaming title with 4.3B viewing minutes.” ⬇️🏈 #streaming #tv #ctv #ott #avod #livesports #cordcutting https://lnkd.in/eJ5Js6Qq

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This hits so true as we (I) determine what brands and people we want partner with at Doe-Anderson - the oldest indie agency in the US! "Independence registers in a deep sense of partnership. We treat our client’s success with the utmost care....any indie that considers pitching or running your business is investing its most precious and limited resources to do so—time, energy, focus, and heart." https://lnkd.in/gf9uf2iJ

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The newest SportsLine mock draft in the #FantasyFootball PPR format includes a reminder that you can never fully predict what will happen in the first round - https://lnkd.in/gpzE9p74

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🚨 Just released! Sports Innovation Lab’s 2025 Winning Audiences Media Planning Guide is here (https://lnkd.in/gSKv2U4E)! 🎉 This isn’t just another playbook—it’s your data-driven roadmap to reach and convert the most valuable sports and entertainment consumers in 2025. 📈 From all the major sporting events and categories, we’ve broken it all down with actionable insights, audience recommendations, and even a complete 2025 major events calendar to simplify your planning. Some highlights: 🏈 Super Bowl LVIX: Find out how OTT and Sports Betting markets surge during the big game, plus how to connect with the ultimate up and coming fanbase: Swiftie NFL Fans! ✨ 🏀 March Madness: Unlock strategies to connect with the unique, passionate fan communities that rally around one of the most exciting tournaments of the year. 📺 Streaming & OTT: Discover how sports fandom drives subscriptions and boost conversions with customized audiences. 💰 Sports Betting: Target the most valuable bettors and explore niche audiences like International Sports Fans and Collectibles Enthusiasts. 🏋️‍♂️ Fitness: Dive into advanced segmentation with personas like Luxury Lifters and Wellness Warriors to make every campaign count. After all, New Year's resolutions are coming... 🌟 Women’s Sports: Tap into this booming market with insights on audience growth, key events, and strategies to authentically connect with fans who are reshaping the sports landscape. Whether it’s Youth Sports, preparing for the World Cup, or tapping into behavioral trends, we’ve got you covered. Pro Tip: Your media team will thank you for this. Download the guide here: https://hubs.la/Q02Z28g60, or send me a note and I'll send you a copy. Get in the game—we’ve already done half the work for you. 😉 🏆

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The Wall Street Journal released an article earlier this month entitled “How Television Advertising Lost Its Relevance.” This is a must-read for anyone working in media (or wanting to advertise there). Here are some of the biggest takeaways – and what they mean for women’s sports. 1. You can’t expect streaming to simply replace TV The decline in TV’s relevance isn’t anything new. But brands hoping that ad-supported streaming could seamlessly plug the gap are learning that isn’t the case. Streaming is too fragmented, for one. And streaming audiences won’t tolerate as many ads as they do on traditional TV. The bottom line: Companies have to start building reach across multiple channels – i.e., on social media. 2. Sports are what’s keeping TV alive — for now Live sports were 96 of the top 100 most-watched broadcasts last year, according to Nielsen. Simply put, they are what is keeping TV alive. But as more and more of those sports shift to streaming platforms, including tech giants like Amazon and Apple, TV’s relevance will continue to decline. 3. Social media and retail media are the future Quote: “Digital players including YouTube, Meta and TikTok and retail juggernauts such as Amazon and Walmart have emerged as the main beneficiaries of streamers’ failure to grab all the ad dollars that left traditional TV.” This quote confirms what most of us already know: we’re all spending less time watching TV, and more time scrolling our phones. So what does this all mean for women’s sports? Social media has long been the real driver of growth in women’s sports. Record-breaking TV numbers are nice, but those are a lagging indicator when it comes to fans’ interest. The women’s sports audience has first and foremost been built online. It’s there that athletes and teams have been able to grow even without mainstream coverage. If you’re a brand that wants to make an impact in women’s sports, the best way to do that is to meet fans where they are: on their phones and in their feeds.  That’s already true today. It will be even more true tomorrow. Just Women's Sports can help make that happen. If you’re a brand looking to break into this space, drop me a DM and let’s see how we can partner.

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Soccer fandom is evolving at an incredible pace. Understanding the fan or consumer is complex….. There are a million ways to measure fandom so we (@forsoccer) took a crack at creating some of our own fan profiles that better represent modern fandom. Download the United States of Soccer report on Forsoccer.com #soccermedia #sportsmedia #sportsbusiness #soccermarketing #sportsmarketing #grassrootssoccer

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If you're a sports decision-maker, what keeps you up at night? One thing for sure is how to reach young audiences. In my latest Sports Business Journal column with Ed Desser, we discuss how Comcast NBCUniversal and Fox Corporation used new techniques successfully this summer at the Olympics, COPA and EURO soccer tournaments. https://lnkd.in/ewTFGB_K #linkedinsports #sportsmedia #Olympics

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Player's Union Leader Says WNBA Was Undervalued in $75 Billion Media Rights Deal Reports suggestthat the WNBA would receive about $200 million a year despite exponential growth. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g-b6WUR4 . . Like 💝 Comment below ⏬ Share ✅ For More Such Updates Follow Us @qnewshub @qnewscrunch . . #qnewshub #qnewscrunch #StartupFunding

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I'm a data geek which makes me super excited to share today's launch of the Sports Momentum Index from Allison Worldwide & Harris Poll. The Index is a monthly snapshot of the hottest emerging and legacy sports, according to fans. Get a nice rundown of the initial results via the Allison Sports podcast here: https://lnkd.in/gcgYJZm6 #sportsmarketing #sportsdata #sponsorship #WNBA #PWHL #PR #Marketing #podcast

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There's no shortage of sports events and athletes for brands to partner with. Finding the right fit is important though. In my latest blog post, I walk through several tips for brands interested in the sports sponsorship world.

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New pod: Rich Greenfield on what sports and media should expect from the new administration. Other topics: * How will the business will look in 10 years? * What will it take for Netflix to be a serious player in sports and media? * Could platforms like YouTube and Spotify become players in sports rights? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/euewUcVc

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If you're headed to Cannes and if any (or all of these) topics are a focus for you, hit me up. 1) Creative: in display, video, CTV, gaming 2) Data: advanced contextual audience targeting & insights or attention measurement 3) Sports sponsorships: measurement attribution If you're curious about how combining these solutions can help inform smarter media spend & a greater bottom line, then we should definitely chat :) https://lnkd.in/gtTtArkQ.

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Sunday Thought: Technology has always been a driver of innovation for sports. But it is also a creator of sponsorship revenue. Saturday, SNY and John DeMarsico leveraged the the "SNY Drone" a cool feature to show the aerial view of Citi Field. (Where did blimps go?) The feature is undoubtedly a great production element. But how many people knew Delta Air Lines has a logo on the top of Citi Field or Goya Foods, Toyota North America, Citi, and Guardian Life has logos facing Northern Blvd? It may seem trivial but in the 9th inning alone SNY had nearly 300K unique viewers when the drone view was utilized. Each brand received over 200K brand impressions and valuable seconds on screen in the most pivotal moment of the New York Mets season. The assets shown would probably not be considered traditional TV-Visible, but they were center stage because of technology and innovation! And hey because you will probably want to know Zoomph already has the metrics-- The New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies on SNY averaged over 230K viewers and had a total unique reach of 606,554 people 2+. Insights powered by Zoomph

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In Pennsylvania, sports betting numbers softened in May as expected, but the overall upward trend continues. May handle of $591.6 million was up nearly 20% over May of 2023. Other notable numbers from PlayPennsylvania.com's Corey Sharp: • The state's sportsbooks surpassed $30 billion in lifetime handle in May. • Fanatics Sportsbook has yet to make much of an impact in the market. • ESPN BET Sportsbook lost even more market share in PA in May. #pennsylvania #sportsbetting #sportsbook #sportsbook #onlinegambling #gamblingindustry #may #handle #reveue #gambling

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