The Unified NFL TV & Video Ad Playbook
The 2025-26 NFL season is fragmented enough. Access unified creative, audience, and outcome trends to benchmark performance and guide smarter NFL ad strategies.
NFL games delivered 23% of Big 4 network impressions last season, nearly $6.8B in ad spend, and 11K ad minutes—proof that every second of delivery matters.
This report unpacks what moved the needle: food-driven creative from QSR brands that spiked likeability and purchase intent; celebrity and mascot tie-ins that resonated; pod placement decisions that shifted impression counts; and streaming-only strategies that helped 62 brands reach NFL fans more directly.
It also shows how NFL advertising translated into outcomes—from chip brands driving quick sales to networks fueling measurable brand lifts across insurance, food delivery, and wireless industries. Insights across both linear and streaming reveal how advertisers maximize reach and impact.
And the play doesn’t stop after the season ends. The report reveals how advertisers can extend momentum into the offseason, capturing NFL fans more efficiently through overlapping programming at a fraction of the cost. For added clarity on the fragmented schedule, the report includes a complimentary broadcast calendar showing which publishers and networks carry games each week.
Some of the Hottest Trends Include:
- Patrick Mahomes led all NFL spokespeople with 423 ad airings, while mascots and invented characters outpaced many celebs.
- Evening news and reruns like The Big Bang Theory reached 1/3 of avid NFL fans in the offseason.
- Wireless carriers saw a +38% average brand lift from Fox Network.