Exploring the current landscape of local linear sports advertising and how it can be layered with streaming TV targeting and measurement.
In this episode of the State of Streaming Podcast, Tim Rowe, hosts Shelley Stansfield, co-founder of Centriply. The conversation explores the current landscape of local linear sports advertising and how it can be layered with streaming TV targeting and measurement.
Here are three key takeaways from the conversation that every marketer and advertiser should have circled, highlighted, and maybe even framed:
**Household-level targeting is the real MVP of local campaigns.**
The star of this discussion is the household—the true unit of measurement for local advertising that actually behaves itself over time. As Shelley likes to say, “The households don’t move,” which makes them the perfect, immovable anchor for truly precise audience targeting. When you map at the census block level, you can sync linear TV with digital audience segments and track performance across mobile, CTV, and traditional TV within the same footprint. Instead of spraying impressions across giant TV DMAs and hoping for the best, this approach lets you zero in on what matters: business outcomes. Every impression has a job to do, and now you can connect it directly to ROI across the entire customer funnel.
Blending Streaming and Local Linear TV Unlocks Efficiency: Advertisers are finding real value in combining CTV and local linear TV—especially around local sports. Shelley advises, “Don’t stop at just CTV or just linear,” because integrating both delivers full-funnel coverage and maximizes reach across modern viewing habits. This blended strategy captures both streaming and traditional audiences, particularly passionate sports fans, in premium yet less crowded environments. It’s a smart play for brands seeking Super Bowl-level engagement without the Super Bowl-level spend.
Enjoy the video:
SOME HIGHLIGHTS:
• 00:01:05 - Audience Targeting and Measurement
• 00:02:52 - The Importance of Households in Advertising
• 00:04:18 - Combining Streaming and Local Linear Advertising
• 00:06:06 - The Value of Women's Sports Advertising
• 00:07:08 - Creative Opportunities in Sports Advertising
• 00:08:55 - Evolution of TV Advertising
• 00:10:49 - Understanding Carriage Agreements
• 00:12:12 - Impact of COVID on Regional Sports Networks
• 00:13:24 - Fragmentation in Sports Advertising
• 00:14:47 - Challenges in Inventory Submission
• 00:16:08 - Standardizing Advertising Data
• 00:17;03 - Women’s Sports Are the Next Big Advertising Frontier
• 00:18:25 - Opportunities in Local Sports Advertising
• 00:19:26 - Advanced TV Advertising Explained
• 00:21:07 - The Rise of Women's Sports Viewership
• 00:22:57 - Community Engagement in Sports
Shelley's favorite play on the field: the surge in women’s sports is one of the rarest things in media—a white-space opportunity that’s actually growing while everyone’s watching. She calls it “pristine beachfront real estate,” and she’s not exaggerating. This is premium inventory where the sand is clean, the view is unbeatable, and somehow, the beach isn’t yet jammed with brand umbrellas.
The audiences aren’t just tuning in; they’re all-in. These viewers don’t sit back and channel surf—they show up, suit up, and champion their teams and the values they represent. They’re vocal, loyal, and highly engaged, which means brands that show up thoughtfully here aren’t just background noise between plays. For marketers, leaning into women’s sports is like upgrading from a 15-second spot to a season-long brand storyline. When brands align authentically with this movement—matching the energy, equity, and community it represents—they tap into deep emotional resonance and long-term loyalty that performance dashboards can barely keep up with.
Supporting women’s sports isn’t just another line on a media plan—it’s a cultural statement. Done right, it turns sponsors into part of the narrative: the brands that showed up early, stood on the right side of momentum, and became household names while everyone else was still refreshing their CTV decks.