For all that’s changed in the convergent TV ad world, live must-see moments continue to reign supreme — watching the Upfronts with thousands of my closest industry friends is no exception.
On Day 1 of the 2025 TV Upfronts, the first three presenters made clear that brands will have a bevy of opportunities to tap into what makes TV special: the indelible, live moments that change the culture and move consumers closer to purchase.
NBCUniversal opened Monday morning from its home at Radio City Music Hall touting 7,500 hours of sports, an upcoming live Wicked performance, and a February 2026 blitzkrieg that includes the Winter Olympics, Super Bowl LX, and the NBA All-Star Game. And while NBCU was the first to plant its flag in the live events arms race, FOX and Amazon had plenty to offer later in the day.
FOX Advertising brought out a cavalcade of sports legends to promote its industry-leading 31 NFL broadcasts, along with the World Series, the World Cup, the Indy 500, college football, and the WNBA. In the nightcap, Amazon Ads boasted the return of its NFL slate, as well as a Black Friday NBA double-header, exclusive coverage of the NBA Cup’s knockout rounds, NASCAR, and a heavy investment in women’s sports that includes the NWSL and WNBA.
And that doesn’t even cover the star power we saw across all three stages. Here’s what else stood out to me from our partners at NBCU, FOX, and Amazon.
NBCU is putting its might behind the NBA — with an assist from MJ
After opening with its usual orchestral song-and-dance number — this year with some jabs at the competition — NBCU jumped right into its pitch for its NBA return: an enticing combo of nostalgia and new tech.
We all remember the 90s “NBA on NBC” — from John Tesh’s unforgettable theme to the Bulls’ dominance. NBC wowed longtime fans by bringing both back to the stage, with Michael Jordan announcing his return as a commentator in a video message.
Even more exciting was NBCU’s plans to leverage new tech to deliver for its advertising partners. Peacock will stream a weekly Monday game alongside NBC’s linear coverage on Sundays and Tuesdays, and commentator Mike Tirico showed off plans for real-time statistical overlays, mobile-first wraparound content, and interactive games while we’re streaming.
Brands will be hard-pressed to beat NBA action in a streaming environment designed to maximize engagement. And we didn’t even mention Seth Meyers, Snoop Dogg, or Mark Marshall descending to the stage in Glinda’s bubble from Wicked.
FOX touts Tubi as the future of TV advertising
During a characteristically rambunctious presentation at The Hammerstein Ballroom, FOX made sure everyone in the room knew how much it’s growing. We’re excited to see the FOX team’s success, and even happier that they made their case with EDO’s predictive outcomes data. (Thanks for the shoutout, Jeff Collins!)
A big part of FOX’s success lies in Tubi’s explosive growth. Like all of us at EDO, FOX predicted early that the future of streaming was ad-supported. After investing heavily in Gen-Z content and AI targeting, the network’s big bet is paying dividends. With more than 97 million monthly viewers, Tubi is among media’s biggest growth stories, and FOX is doubling down.
As Tubi CEO Anjali Sud put it, “[Gen-Z] is no longer emerging. It’s essential.” The same can be said for Tubi.
Amazon’s scale play: combining tech, talent, content, and data
Amazon’s Upfront pitch to media buyers at the storied Beacon Theatre was summed up by NASCAR driver Chase Elliott (with an assist from Friday Night Lights): “Clear tools, full funnel, can’t lose.”
Amazon flexed its scale for advertisers with its treasure trove of ad innovations, powered by shopper data and AI-targeting. I was particularly impressed by the company’s new ad units for “non-endemic” advertisers who sell beyond Amazon.com.
In one powerful example, Amazon showed T-Mobile serving an interactive pause ad with dynamically-generated content in the exact moment an on-screen character was having a heart-to-heart phone call. Alan Moss said it best, “...customers face millions of choices every single day, but as advertisers, you don't have to.”
After last year's big entrance to the TV advertising arena, Amazon continues to make its presence felt.
And its on-stage star power rivaled any major network presentation. Arnold Schwarzenegger clearly had the biggest moment of the night on stage with Jamie Lee Curtis — but as with every Upfront moment — you had to see it to believe it.