Paramount to debut live programmatic ad sales during UFC, other ‘marquee sporting events’

Advertisers looking to get in on the action during Paramount’s UFC debut later this week will have a new option for purchasing commercial inventory.

According to a report by Brian Steinberg in Variety, Paramount is introducing real-time programmatic ad sales for marquee live sporting events, beginning with UFC 324 on Saturday. The process will be similar to the automated live bidding process brands use to purchase and place ads on digital platforms. It’s the first time advertisers will be able to purchase guaranteed spots in real-time on Paramount’s platforms.

UFC 324 will stream exclusively on Paramount+ this Saturday, the first event under the company’s new seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights agreement with the MMA promotion.

“By bringing guaranteed positions to the streaming sports stage, both directly and programmatically, we’re widening the aperture for more advertisers to tap into the passion, energy and engagement of live sports with the agility, optimization and precision of digital,” Paramount’s chief revenue officer Jay Askinasi said in a statement to Variety.

By “optimization and precision,” Askinasi is referring to the ability of programmatic ads to utilize user data to serve viewers more personalized advertisements. It’s like when you search for a vacuum on Amazon, and then all you get is vacuum ads for a few days.

For Paramount, the introduction of this type of advertising should allow the company to maximize revenue on its new UFC deal, which immediately becomes one of Paramount+’s biggest draws. This technology should also help drive more return on investment for UEFA Champions League, the streamer’s other major sports property.