The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game was a big night for the league — and for the brands advertising during it. EDO tracked every ad that aired during the broadcast, measuring the pivotal actions viewers took after each spot ran.
These ad-driven behaviors, like brand searches and website visits, are proven and predictive of future sales, capturing the magic moment when an ad successfully moves consumers from awareness to intent.
Ten ads stood out from the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game, based on our preliminary assessment of the data conducted July 27:
Dick's Sporting Goods took the top spot with its Deal Day creative, a fast-cutting, 15-second ad built entirely around 30%-off Nike deals — no story, just savings. The value-driven message generated 289% more engagement than the average ad at this year’s game.
Right behind it, Airbnb's 30-second spot (+255% more engagement) skipped the usual "book a place to stay" pitch entirely. Instead, it sold "Experiences" — a surf lesson, a taco crawl in Mexico City, a K-pop class in Seoul — as reasons to book.
NBA 2K's ad for 2K27 (+189%) came in third by leaning entirely on Caitlin Clark — real highlight footage cut into gameplay, ending on her as the Deluxe Edition cover athlete. It's a reminder of what brands can accomplish when pairing a contextually relevant media buy with a natural celebrity partnership.
The rest of the top 10 saw a range of brands across the automotive, CPG, technology, and alcohol categories: Volkswagen's Tiguan spot (+118%) paired a Consumer Reports nod with financing offers; Gatorade's Lower Sugar ad (+104%) pitched better hydration than water; Google's Pixel 10 (+74%) used a breakup story to sell its AI features; AT&T (+64%) pushed a $25/line family plan; Olay (+57%) promised 24-hour hydration for dry skin; and Bulleit Bourbon (EI +52%) leaned into western imagery and a "not just talk" tagline.
Rounding out the top 10 was — who else? — Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever sharpshooter starred for State Farm in a spot where she trades one-liners with a 10-foot-tall talking backboard pad. The spot drove 46% more impact than the game’s average.
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The actual effectiveness of your women’s sports ad investment only comes into focus when you measure what people do after seeing your ads. And as properties like the WNBA, NWSL, and NCAA women’s basketball continue to earn greater budgets with each passing year, it’s never been more important to ensure that your ads are driving real results.
Want to know what’s working across women’s sports and how you can optimize for the future? Check out our 2026 Women’s Sports TV Outcomes Report for actionable outcomes insights across the women’s sports landscape.