The NBA has built a reputation for delivering exciting, high-stakes basketball. But there's another winning streak worth noting: the league's consistent advertising performance. Season after season, NBA programming proves to be one of television's most reliable environments for driving consumer engagement.
Last season, brands ran nearly 30,000 ad airings during NBA programming with an estimated investment of $1.2 billion, according to EDO's 2024-25 Basketball TV Outcomes Report. Our proprietary methodology measures the incremental spike in brand engagement created within minutes of an ad airing — capturing the moment an ad drives a consumer from awareness to consideration.
The data reveals where ad dollars are surging and which creative strategies are breaking through in the NBA. Here’s what media buyers need to know.
NBA ads consistently outperform primetime by 24%
The NBA's advertising effectiveness remained remarkably consistent throughout the 2024-25 season, with ads during NBA programming outperforming the broadcast and cable primetime average by an impressive 24%.
This performance spans a diverse range of advertisers. Emerging apparel brands stood out as some of the year’s top performers, with Jaxxon seeing a +2,337% engagement lift and smart ring maker Oura achieving +2,117% greater per-person, per-second engagement than the average NBA advertiser.
Established restaurant chains also drove strong results, including Red Lobster (+510%) and Marco's Pizza (+440%). From tech accessories to casual dining, the NBA's broad appeal creates opportunities for impact across advertiser categories.
Cultural stars and context amplify brand messaging
Cultural relevance has become one of the NBA's most valuable advertising assets, with brands successfully leveraging celebrity partnerships to drive exceptional engagement. Ray-Ban's celebrity-powered campaign featuring Anderson .Paak, Tinashe, and James Blake achieved a 1,699% boost over the average NBA ad performance — demonstrating how star power, when aligned with basketball's cultural moment, can amplify brand messaging exponentially.
Red Lobster's partnership with basketball icon Blake Griffin to promote Lobsterfest delivered 617% greater effectiveness than the average NBA ad and 79% better performance than the average Casual Dining ad during NBA programming. The campaign succeeded by combining Griffin's basketball credibility with contextually relevant creative that resonated with NBA audiences.
SKIMS, the women’s shapewear brand that recently expanded into men’s apparel, also turned to NBA star power for its product launch. The "It Starts with Skims" campaign featuring Donovan Mitchell achieved +1,492% effectiveness over the average NBA ad, underscoring the power of creative strategies that authentically connect basketball culture with brand messaging.
Crunch time placements further spike ad impact
Not all NBA advertising inventory performs equally, even within the same game. EDO's analysis reveals that strategic timing and placement can significantly impact ad effectiveness. Close games deliver particularly strong results. Viewers were 12% more engaged with ads that aired late in close NBA games (final margin of five points or fewer) compared to the average NBA ad.
Ad placement within commercial breaks also matters. Ads that aired during the first spot in a commercial pod were 9% more effective than the average NBA ad, showing that brands can maximize impact by securing premium placement, not just premium programming.
Make sure your ads deliver during crunch time
The NBA's consistent performance provides a proven foundation for basketball advertising strategies. And the opportunities extend beyond the NBA — the WNBA and college basketball are also delivering exceptional results across different audience segments and cultural moments.
In our new 2024-25 Basketball TV Outcomes Report, you can learn how these properties create a year-round basketball advertising ecosystem and discover top performers at every level, including:
- The 10 most effective brands across pro and college hoops
- The 22 most memorable TV spots based on ad engagement
- Granular league stats, from ad airings to total TV spend
- Winning creative strategies, from contextual to celebrities
Ready to optimize your TV advertising strategy? Contact our team to learn how EDO's real-time outcomes measurement can maximize your investment.