Provocateur:

When it comes to New York media and sports, a year ago right now, we were all hoping that sports would come back in some capacity, after they abruptly paused in the middle of March 2020. Now here we are, in a drastically different position, living through the excitement of the 2021 post-season for hockey and basketball and the 2021 season for baseball. 

We just saw the New York Islanders beat the Penguins, advancing to play the Bruins in the Conference Semifinals. The New York Knicks have New York buzzing, and the fans being welcomed back to MSG is pure electricity. The Brooklyn Nets are up 2-0 on the Milwaukee Bucks and the big three of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving have not disappointed. The New York Mets are leading Major League Baseball’s Eastern Division, with pitcher Jacob deGrom rewriting the record books.

This moment is a big deal. 

All of this is fuel for a return of sports media like we could never have imagined when coming to grips with the outlook for sports this time last year. The dynamism re-introduces an excitement factor we could not have anticipated let alone calculated into our plans, and that translates directly into a fresh opportunity for advertisers. 

The forceful return of New York sports delivers the audience—not just in terms of size, but also in terms of even greater engagement. The post-season has never looked so strong for New York media and sports, which many of us already consider the original must-see TV. On Sunday, 5/23 the Knicks were the number one show in the New York DMA, reaching 7.1% Adult 25-54 across TNT and MSG. In comparison, the American Idol Finale on ABC the same night reached 4.0% of A25-54. Given the long-standing popularity of the latter, this certainly proves that New York sports are back. 

As any marketer in the space appreciates, this period is naturally powerful, because it translates to appointment TV every night through May. You’re going to have something to watch. There’s not a more brand-safe environment that has a local feel that will allow you to reach an impactful, high-energy, diverse audience, than sports. 

But, for 2021, we’ve essentially made a complete 180 from our planning environment last year. This time last year, everything was dark. Now 365 days later, as sports makes a roaring return, we are on the precipice of one of the most exciting 60- to 90-day windows of sports we’ve had in New York in a very long time. There’s a lot to be positive about.

When we think about strategy, planning, and creative going into this, the good news is that the most active advertisers here already have creative on hand. They are poised and ready to activate. So, to go big, it becomes a matter of understanding the unique multi-screen opportunity in a year as ignited as this one. 

This past year has given birth to people’s willingness to consume media in different ways. Our entire habit structure has changed. People and entire households have become more adept at watching TV in new ways, on new devices and platforms. So, if an advertiser can stick with partners that have the ability to identify audiences, target them, and build powerful campaigns that reach beyond one screen, you’ve got a multi-screen and multi-device campaign at its all-encompassing best. You are serving targeted advertising to your precise audience in real time, when they could not possibly—thanks to this particular season and post-season for New York professional sports teams—be more engaged.

To say that New York has re-opened, more so than we could have expected, is the understatement of the year when it comes to sports. This postseason alone is providing a springboard back into multi-screen advertising that advertisers should use for their longer-term benefit. The nimblest of marketers, with creative in-hand, are ready to go, tapping into the changing viewing habits that 2020 delivered, just as New York sports itself has delivered a sports season and post-season like none other to date.

About the Author

As the senior director of national sales for the NY Interconnect (NYI), Corey Petruccelli is responsible for identifying and selling unique advertising opportunities across the New York DMA to national clients. Petruccelli is a consultative media executive who is well-versed in driving sales across multiple linear and digital platforms, and who has consistently outperformed revenue targets by successfully managing a hybrid account list encompassing major agencies, retail brands, direct response companies, and political organizations.

Prior to joining NYI, Petruccelli served as senior account executive for Spectrum Reach, a position he held for eight years. During that time, he was tasked with implementing comprehensive marketing strategies across agencies and clients.