Leading Brands in US Sports Entertainment: Q2 2024 Insights

Introduction

The US sports entertainment industry continues to captivate audiences through a blend of digital and traditional platforms. In Q2 2024, leading brands such as ESPN, MLB Advanced Media, L.P., and NBA Media Ventures, LLC, demonstrated impressive digital engagement. Sensor Tower's comprehensive data analysis provides a unique insight into these brands' performance across web, app, and advertising channels.

ESPN

ESPN's digital ecosystem includes its flagship website, espn.com, and the ESPN: Live Sports & Scores app.

• Audience Trends: Throughout Q2 2024, espn.com maintained a stable monthly visitor base, with unique visits hovering around 28M to 33M. The monthly deduplicated audience remained robust, exceeding 67M in May and June.

• App Engagement: The ESPN app saw consistent engagement, though there was a slight decline in monthly active users from 11M in January to just over 9M by June.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Interestingly, ESPN did not report any monthly ad spend or impressions during this period, focusing on organic growth strategies.

MLB Advanced Media, L.P.

MLB Advanced Media's digital presence includes mlb.com, milb.com, mlbshop.com, and tickets.com, along with the MLB app.

• Audience Trends: MLB's websites witnessed a seasonal spike, especially in March and April, with mlb.com attracting over 13M unique monthly visits by April. Other sites like milb.com and tickets.com also saw increased traffic, particularly around the start of the baseball season.

• App Engagement: The MLB app's monthly active user base grew significantly, peaking at about 1.8M in April, aligning with the baseball season's commencement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: MLB's advertising efforts were substantial, with monthly ad spend reaching over $7M by May, primarily through Facebook, OTT, and Instagram channels.

NBA Media Ventures, LLC

NBA Media Ventures operates nba.com and wnba.com, alongside the NBA: Live Games & Scores app.

• Audience Trends: NBA.com experienced a notable increase in monthly visits in April, coinciding with the playoffs, reaching over 12M unique visits. WNBA.com also saw a significant surge, particularly in May and June.

• App Engagement: The NBA app maintained a strong monthly user base, though there was a dip in June, with active users decreasing to around 3.5M.

• Ad Spend & Channels: NBA's ad spend was robust, peaking in April with monthly expenditures exceeding $8M, leveraging platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and OTT for maximum reach.

Conclusion

Sensor Tower's unparalleled data capabilities offer a comprehensive view of the sports entertainment landscape in the US. By cross-referencing web, app, and advertising data, Sensor Tower provides invaluable insights into consumer behavior and brand performance. As the industry evolves, such detailed analytics will continue to be essential for understanding and engaging audiences across platforms. Our data-driven approach empowers decision-makers with the insights needed to navigate the competitive landscape effectively.

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