Both live TV and streaming platforms have their appeal. One offers on-demand movies anywhere at any time, and the other offers America’s favorite - live sports. However, the streaming services that manage to offer both, such as Hulu, Peacock, Sling, etc., seem to combine the best of both worlds.
For many “cord-cutters,” switching from cable television to a packaged variety of streaming services is a smart move financially and for return on investment. But, as February 11th inches closer and closer, a strategic reevaluation of which of your services offer live TV may be required. If you plan on purchasing a new streaming service to watch the big game or already use a platform that provides live TV, here’s what to expect from a marketing standpoint this Super Bowl Sunday.
Subscription Models
If you’re buying a new service, almost all platforms offer the widely beloved subscription model. Whether your subscription plan is considered premium or tiered, they’ll advertise special or limited packages highlighting exclusive sports content.
The premium packages may offer ad-free viewing or increased reporting that you wouldn’t receive on other platforms. They like to sell the idea of exclusivity, that you would be missing out if you didn’t purchase this specific package. In tiered subscriptions, consumers choose plans with varying services and price points to match. Once again, exclusivity is targeted with a higher price tag, getting you a higher quality.
Some services, such as Peacock, offer deals when they have revenue-sharing agreements. On January 13th, the Chiefs-Dolphins playoff game was offered solely on Peacock - the first time in NFL history that a playoff game was broadcast exclusively on a streaming service. The platform offered 50% off one year’s subscription as a monetary incentive for new users who wanted to watch the game.
Forbes reports that the exclusive streaming was partly due to a $110 million deal between NBCUniversal and the NFL to stream one playoff game this season. This deal raised questions about whether this exclusive streaming would become the new norm, meaning consumers would have to get used to purchasing a new service whenever they want to view their favorite teams. But, as for now, the Super Bowl will remain on all services that offer live TV and, of course, on cable television.
Advertisements
Other strategies that streaming platforms will employ to make the most profit from the Super Bowl are targeted advertisements, interactive ads or ad-supported free subscriptions.
Since streaming services have fewer users and more control than cable TV, they have better marketing research tactics, resulting in more specific and targeted advertisements delivered to viewers. More relevant ads mean more effective ads and the information from streaming services is priceless when targeting ads.
With interactive ads, streaming services offer a unique experience. From choose-your-own experience ads to QR codes and the ability to click for more information - these perks from streaming platforms make for a more immersive and effective advertising experience.
Finally, many services offer free versions of their subscriptions with ads. We can expect to see this on Super Bowl Sunday, with the actual viewing of the game being free but coupled with increased advertisements. However, if you’re like most of America, you might just be watching for the ads anyway.
You may feel like you need to purchase every streaming service available just to watch your favorite shows, and in light of recent events, it may be the same case for sports as well. The streaming industry is lucrative, and through new monetization strategies, platforms are finding new ways to make the most bang for our buck. The future of streaming will depend on the success of these new tactics and how we, as consumers, contribute to our purchasing power. However, our beloved Super Bowl will remain unchanged for the most part - widely available and filled with hilarious, touching and innovative advertisements.
