Independent advertising rep firm Viamedia said it has made a deal to sell programmatic ads for Willow by Cricbuzz, which streams cricket matches live and on demand in the U.S.
The deal boosts Viamedia’s presence in the programmatic marketplace at a time when cricket, one of the most popular sports in the world, is gaining traction in the U.S. and more live sports are being streamed. Viamedia will use its suite of programmatic technologies to commercials more accurate, and effective for advertisers and generate a higher yield for Willow by Cricbuzz.
“Viamedia’s strategic partnership with Willow by Cricbuzz signifies a major advancement into the streaming media landscape,” said David Solomon, CEO of Viamedia. “Our profound expertise in ad sales places us at the cutting edge of digital advertising evolution and positions our partners for unprecedented success. By integrating programmatic technology, we are redefining the reach and precision of advertising and enhancing revenue streams, setting a new pace for innovation in the advertising industry and expanding our footprint in the programmatic streaming sector.”
The popularity of cricket got a boost in America when Team USA beat the powerful Pakistani team in June during the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup.
Globally, more than 400 million people watched a Pakistan-India game on June 9, more than couple the viewership of the Super Bowl.
In the U.S., more outlets are starting to carry cricket matches. Last month, Fubo added Willow by Cricbuzz to its platform, Fubo will stream more than 220 live matches annually as part of the deal.
Earlier this month, the YES Network said it made a deal to stream seven matches featuring defending Major League Cricket champion MI New York this season (those matches are also being streamed by Willow by Cricketbuzz, which is available in about 20 million U.S. homes).
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Viamedia and leverage their expertise to enhance our ad sales strategy,” said Todd Myers, COO of Willow by Cricbuzz. “Viamedia’s advanced programmatic capabilities will streamline our ad sales process and provide our advertisers with more precise targeting options. This partnership will drive substantial growth for our platform and ensure our audiences receive the most pertinent content.”