Sky New Zealand taps Magnite for streaming sports advertising

In a significant development for New Zealand's digital advertising landscape announced January 29, 2025, Sky New Zealand has introduced programmatic advertising capabilities to its sports streaming platform Sky Sport Now. The initiative comes as streaming platforms globally adapt to changing media consumption patterns.

According to Nielsen CMI data covering Q1-Q4 2023, Sky Sport Now generates 51.3 million annual streams across approximately 35 sporting codes. This substantial viewership represents the first time advertisers can programmatically access Sky's live sports streaming inventory in New Zealand.

The technical implementation utilizes Magnite's streaming technology infrastructure, which facilitates data-driven targeting while maintaining the platform's viewing experience. The system enables real-time bidding and campaign optimization within the streaming environment, marking a departure from traditional sports advertising models in the region.

Lauren Quaintance, Sky New Zealand's Chief Media and Data Officer, highlighted the strategic importance of the development: "The launch of digital advertising on Sky Sport Now unlocks Sky's highly engaged live sport audiences on this platform for the first time. With all the live sport that Kiwis love in one place and scalable audiences now available to local digital advertisers, we're experiencing strong interest from clients eager to get involved."

The technical architecture supporting this initiative enables advertisers to access inventory through programmatic channels, representing an evolution in how sports content is monetized in the New Zealand market. This systematic approach to advertising delivery aims to balance revenue optimization with viewer experience considerations.

Sky New Zealand's broader content distribution strategy includes multiple viewing options. The company maintains its traditional Sky Box service with the Sky Go companion application for premium direct-to-home customers, while also operating streaming services including Sky Sport Now for sports content and Neon for entertainment programming. Additionally, the company provides free-to-air content through Sky Open.

The implementation of programmatic advertising on Sky Sport Now occurs against a backdrop of changing media consumption patterns in New Zealand. Sports content, traditionally delivered through linear broadcast channels, has increasingly shifted toward streaming platforms. This transition has necessitated new approaches to advertising delivery and measurement.

From a technical perspective, the integration enables several key functionalities: real-time campaign optimization, audience segmentation capabilities, and automated inventory management. These features aim to provide more precise targeting options for advertisers while maintaining the technical quality of the streaming experience.

Yael Milbank, Managing Director, ANZ at Magnite, described the technical focus of the partnership: "Sky New Zealand has expanded their offering to meet the consumer appetite for more accessible live sports content, and we're pleased to be working with them to unlock new opportunities for advertisers to reach highly engaged sports fans."

The development represents a significant technical advancement in New Zealand's sports media landscape. By implementing programmatic capabilities, Sky Sport Now has introduced automated, data-driven advertising delivery to its streaming platform. This systematic approach to ad delivery aims to enhance the efficiency of inventory management while maintaining viewing quality.

Sky New Zealand's position in the market includes broad sports rights coverage across multiple codes. The company's streaming platform, Sky Sport Now, delivers this content through internet-based distribution, enabling flexible viewing options for subscribers. The addition of programmatic advertising capabilities introduces new technical considerations for content delivery and ad insertion.

The implementation timing coincides with broader industry shifts toward streaming-first content delivery. Sports broadcasting, traditionally resistant to streaming due to technical complexities around live content delivery, has increasingly adopted digital distribution methods. This transition has required substantial technical infrastructure development to maintain broadcast-quality standards while enabling advanced advertising capabilities.

From an advertising technology perspective, the integration enables several specific capabilities: real-time bidding for ad inventory, automated campaign optimization, and detailed performance measurement. These features represent significant technical advancements in how sports content is monetized in the New Zealand market.

The development marks a notable shift in New Zealand's sports media landscape, introducing programmatic advertising capabilities to premium live sports content. This technical evolution reflects broader industry trends toward data-driven advertising delivery while maintaining focus on content quality and viewer experience.