Sky Media has recently unveiled a unique opportunity for brands to secure advertising spots during the highly anticipated return of the Premier League. The media giant has launched a live, blind auction that allows brands to bid for a 30-second advertising spot during the opening weekend clash of Chelsea vs Crystal Palace.
The innovative auction format is blind, meaning all bids are submitted confidentially and participants cannot see competing offers. This approach ensures fair competition among bidders and adds an element of suspense to the process. Importantly, there is no minimum bid requirement, allowing brands of all sizes to participate. Brands can also submit multiple entries to increase their chances of securing this coveted advertising slot.
The auction will close on August 8th with the winner being announced on August 12th.
Dan Cohen, director of transformation and strategic projects at Sky Media, said:
“We launched the Sports Marketplace knowing there was a huge untapped potential for more brands to engage with live sport, and the response has exceeded expectations. It’s clear there’s plenty of demand for a simpler, faster way to tap into the power of live sport, whether you’re a global brand, or a local business looking to make a big impact. This next phase gives advertisers of all sizes the tools they need to turn sporting moments into meaningful business outcomes.”
Sports marketplace
This initiative is facilitated through Sports Marketplace, a platform launched by Sky Media in March. The platform was designed with an aim to make it faster and easier for brands to access live sport opportunities across various networks including Sky, Paramount and TNT Sports.
Since its launch, Sports Marketplace has achieved remarkable success. A significant 41% of the brands that have participated were new to Sky's advertising ecosystem, demonstrating the platform's ability to attract fresh interest. Even more impressively, 60% of these brands were making their debut in sports advertising through this platform. The user base of Sports Marketplace has grown rapidly and now includes over 1,000 registered users. Additionally, it circulates a weekly newsletter to an audience primarily made up of planners, buyers and brand marketers - further testament to its wide-reaching influence in the industry.
These statistics highlight how effective this platform has been in attracting new advertisers while providing them with easy access to high-profile sporting events.
This innovative approach by Sky Media presents an exciting opportunity not only for advertisers but also sports fans who are eagerly awaiting the return of Premier League action. For advertisers - especially those new to sports advertising - this is a golden opportunity to reach a large, engaged audience. For fans, the anticipation of seeing which brands will feature in these coveted spots adds an extra layer of excitement to the start of the season.
